Many companies are beginning to discover the value of putting technology to work in terms of hiring employees. As conference call services improve, more jobs can be done from just about anywhere in the world, and in the process, the business that puts telecommuting strategies to work can save substantial amounts on facilities costs and similar overhead. However, there are risks to consider when it comes to bringing in an employee whose face has never been seen outside of a picture, and that means some things need to be considered when it comes to just who—and how—to hire new employees.
The first thing is to look at experience. While there are some who believe that hiring fresh faces out of college not only saves money but allows for access to much more energy at work, for those hiring for a telecommuting shop, maturity is key. After all, an employee not being watched needs to still produce work, and telecommuting provides many more opportunities for shirking than the ordinary. Finding someone who will still do the job even when the employer may be sound asleep is tough, and requires someone who knows what to do and will do it even when not watched.
Second, consider every trial a trial hire until a proper fit can be established. Those who take the added step of continuing to look for a new employee even after a hire has been made get the added advantage of hitting the ground running should an employee not pan out, and if said employee does pan out, the employer gets a better understanding of the available workforce. There's nothing saying that any of those extra interviews will be available the next time there's an opening, of course, but the end result remains.
Third, consider the use of barriers in the hiring process. Assessment quizzes and multiple interviews can be a help in this process, though the results of same aren't necessarily the focus here. The point is to see if applicants can follow simple directions without oversight; if such candidates can't do that, then the more complex directions without oversight required by the job likely won't be followed either.
Regardless of who gets hired, once the hire is made, remember the value that technology can bring to the floor when it comes to a remote workforce. There are a great many tactics out there to bring into play, and one of the best is AT Conference's line of reservationless conference calling systems. With AT Conference, users can establish a conference call from just about anywhere and make it easy for callers to stay connected with issues and successes alike. Having that connection point available, readily, as needed allows the employee and employer alike to maintain contact in a fashion that's almost the same as being in the same room, which can inject a note of normalcy into otherwise unusual circumstances.
It's not an easy thing, either setting up or actually carrying out telecommuting. Working from home requires a certain set of disciplines that not everyone in an office setting can generate, mostly because the results are much more in the employee's charge than anyone else's. But the key point here is that, with the proper candidates and the right technological backing, working from home can be an experience that's profitable for both the employer and the employee.
Edited by Maurice Nagle