A Guide to Hiring Remote Workers Globally
The pandemic changed so many aspects of our lives. None more than how we work. Employees needed to work remotely.
They got a taste of what life is like away from the office. Many realized that they don’t need to commute two hours a day when they can have meetings over Zoom.
About three-quarters of remote workers and entrepreneurs expect remote work to be the new normal after the pandemic.
The global workforce has never been more accessible. Workers enjoy it because it gives them the opportunity to work from anywhere. Companies have access to a larger pool of talent.
It seems like a win-win situation, but you have to know how to hire remote workers in order to make it work for everyone.
Don’t let a bad hire happen on your watch. Read on to learn how to hire remote workers no matter where they are in the world.
1. Understand Compliance and Tax Implications
If you hire a remote worker, how can you have a way to expand your business interests in another state or country.
On the flip side, hiring a remote worker in a different state or country could open Pandora’s box of tax and labor law complications.
The company may have to pay taxes in that state which makes compliance costly for a single employee. If an employee works in another country, the company may have to register there as a foreign entity and pay corporate taxes there.
Companies and workers try to find a way around this. One way to address this issue is to use an employer of record service.
They have already have a business entity set up. They manage taxes, the worker’s contract, and payroll.
It’s much easier to test new markets with this arrangement. It also lowers your risk and the employee’s risk.
2. Know What You Want
No matter what position you’re hiring for, you need to know the skills, experience, and qualities the position requires.
Write down everything you want in an employee. Then turn that into a job description.
3. Recruit in the Right Places
Start your recruiting work by using a keyword-rich job title and description. Remote workers look at online job boards to find the perfect position.
You can also use LinkedIn as a way to connect with potential job candidates. Invite them to apply for the job if they seem like they’d be a good fit.
This is also a great time to build a global talent pool. This isn’t going to be your only hire. A talent pool ensures you always have a stream of candidates for positions in your company.
This lowers your recruiting costs as well.
4. Review Resumes
It’s hard to get to know a candidate based on their resume. It’s also hard to know their personality and soft skills.
In addition to asking for a resume, ask for a short video. Provide prompts for the candidate to answer.
Review the resumes and videos with other hiring stakeholders. Pick several candidates to interview.
5. Prepare for Interviews
You can’t use the same old set of questions to ask remote workers.
There are a few questions to ask that are specific to remote workers. They may have to adjust to different working hours to be available.
Instead of working 8 am to 5 pm, they may work from 1 pm to 10 pm. You need to make sure they’re ready and able to take on a long day.
Ask them how they cope with being so far away from the team and how they handle working independently.
6. Study the Culture
Get to know the cultures of the remote workers. You have an opportunity to add a rich layer of diversity to your team.
At the same time, you don’t want to come across as patronizing or condescending. You want to be respectful of other people’s cultures.
You’ll become aware of potential communications issues and where issues could occur. This also opens the door to better collaboration possibilities.
Take a look at the calendar in their country and find out if there are local or religious holidays to be aware of. Ask respectful questions about their culture.
They’ll appreciate the effort and you’ll get to learn quite a bit.
7. Prepare the Onboarding Process for Remote Workers
Almost a third of global executives say they have a poor onboarding process. Don’t let yours become one of them.
An onboarding process for remote workers has to extend beyond paperwork and hours of training videos.
You need to have a process that integrates them into the company culture, even though they work in a different country.
Assign an office employee to be a mentor to the new hire. Give them a plan for what the first three to six months look like for them.
Make sure they’re included in meetings and decision-making early on. That helps them feel engaged and part of the team.
Hiring Remote Workers Around the World
Businesses have limitless possibilities when it comes to hiring employees. Technology makes it possible to hire remote workers anywhere in the world.
Before you rush into hiring someone in a distant land, make sure you know your business needs and the potential implications for your business.
This guide to hiring remote workers simplifies the process and takes into account the differences between remote and office workers. You’ll be able to get the right people and make them truly part of your team.
For more small business resources, check out the other tools and articles on this site.
