The COVID-19 pandemic has changed the way we work forever. There is now a 400% increase in remote work that did not exist before the pandemic, with at least 74% of companies planning some form of a shift to remote work. The recruitment team at GCS Malta has compiled an article discussing hiring remote employees in today’s recruiting market.

Why hire remote employees?

There are several benefits when it comes to hiring remote workers. Remote hiring:

• Offers a bigger pool of candidates – when hiring remotely, anyone with internet access can be a potential candidate. This allows you to hire top talent in your country and worldwide.
• Works in your favour since you can attract the workers that prefer to work remotely and do not want to work in an office
• Saves money for both the employer and employee – a remote working employee saves money on commuting, lunches and clothing. Meanwhile, the employer could save expenses such as office space, rent and physical job perks

Whether you are aiming to shift entirely to a fully remote model, or a hybrid work model, having a company culture that prioritises flexibility and inclusivity is what will ultimately attract top talent to you.

Decide whether you want to hire remote locally or globally

Before even writing the job posting, the first step is to decide whether you want to hire remotely locally or globally. While hiring locally is the easier decision since you avoid complying with international employment laws and regulations, hiring globally will allow you to have a bigger pool of candidates and thus more chance at hiring top talent.

Calculate compensation

Now that you might have chosen to hire globally, payroll can be quite a headache, but if done correctly, it is manageable. Set a budget to cover the candidate’s compensation package. Remember to keep in mind their level of seniority, education and experience. The golden question is: should I pay a remote worker the same rate you would pay a local worker? The answer is essentially up to you, but keep in mind to always make sure that you are complying with employment law and taxes.

Create an effective job posting

The hard decisions have been made, and the next step is to write an effective job posting. Without a compelling job posting, attracting top talent will be difficult. Our recruitment team has outlined all the necessary steps to write an attractive job posting in another article.

After writing the job posting, make sure to post it on relevant job boards such as We Work Remotely rather than posting exclusively on LinkedIn.

Plan a strategy for remote interviews

With a pool of candidates ready to be interviewed, aim to have a clear strategy for remote interviews. Create a list of questions that cover all the necessary aspects, and keep in mind that a candidate’s time zone is crucial for remote working.

Hire remote workers

Although an intimidating process, hiring remotely can help you create your dream team, after choosing the right candidate for your company, make sure to guide them throughout the onboarding process and mentor them remotely as well.

Why GCS Malta?

At GCS Malta, our fantastic recruitment team can offer you a quick and cost-effective recruitment service – whether hiring remotely or physically. So check out our available vacancies and contact us today for more information.

Article by Sarah Jane Gauci