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Your people are your greatest asset, so how can you as an employer look after a new recruit remotely?
Give them a warm welcome
Bringing on a remote employee takes real rigour. Your starting communications with your new hire must be clear, and they should know who to contact when they need assistance. Don’t forget to introduce these employees to their new colleagues and make them feel a part of the team by asking for headshots for your website.
Don’t forget about health and safety
Make sure you’ve provided recommendations for their desk and chair, their lighting, and their work breaks.
If you’re running a hybrid work scheme and an employee has health concerns that prevent them from coming in to work, listen to their fears and be supportive. Make sure that responsible practices are implemented in your office – and that absolutely everyone heeds these rules. Take regular lateral flow tests and require team members to stay at home when they are unwell.
Make sure they have what they need to do their work properly
Do you require your employees to use certain software? Often, remote workers need to find alternative ways to collaborate, and this often means your company investing in online project management tools. Make sure your remote employee can access everything.
Set expectations…
Be clear about how available they are expected to be. Do you want them to pick up the telephone every time you call, or do you plan to schedule appointments with them well in advance? Set these expectations at the very beginning of your work together.
…and boundaries
Make sure your employees are not losing out on their work/life balance. It can be awfully tempting to keep going in the day if the project isn’t complete. Tell them that they should shut down their computer at the end of the work day, whenever that is for the company.
Maintain regular appraisals
You don’t need to micro-manage your remote workforce; their KPIs will give you a good impression of whether or not they are doing their job. If you don’t yet have an established formula for checking these indicators, take the time to develop the necessary policy. This will reduce the risk of remote employees feeling out of the loop, and nip in the bud any issues that they want to raise.
Set aside time to listen
Actively listening to your remote employees will give them the confidence that you care about their well-being. Ask them questions about their plans for the future, and where they see their career going in the company.
Sometimes, it can be all the more difficult to develop a connection through the computer screen, so make sure that you take the effort to check in with them regularly!
At Aldrich & Co we have a morning meeting which we started when the pandemic first hit and we all worked from home. We have found this an invaluable way to connect as a team and have continued ever since!
Have you checked the fine print?
Although remote working can be an incredibly easy way to attract talent outside the usual hubs, make sure the person you are looking to hire is eligible to be employed by a UK company.
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Many of our clients are working out the best path to achieve success with the changing feelings towards working in the office. If you’re looking for help with finding remote workers and you’re based in the UK, we can help! Call us today and let us know what you need. We’ll curate a list of candidates, hand-picked for your needs.