5 Tactics for Hiring Remote Employees

The number of employees working remotely during the coronavirus pandemic has been increasing. Odds are your accounting and finance team is included in this group. If so, you must know what to look for when hiring remote employees. Because you cannot oversee a staff member’s work in person, the criteria for hiring are different than when hiring for on-site roles.

Implement these five tips when hiring remote accounting and finance employees.

Understand the Motivation for Remote Work

Find out the reasons for each candidate wanting to work remotely. For instance, they may need flexibility to care for their children or an aging parent. Also, candidates might desire to work for an employer that’s geographically distant without having to relocate. Gaining greater insight into the desire for remote work can help you make more informed hiring decisions.

Emphasize Soft Skills

Focus on the interpersonal skills needed for remote work. For instance, time management, tech knowledge, and communication are important. Self-motivation, organization, and self-sufficiency are important as well. Candidates need to show they can work independently while meeting deadlines.

Set Up Remote Testing

Provide remote testing for the skills needed to complete the work. For instance, assign a short project related to the type of work the candidate would do if hired. Set a deadline to submit their work. See how well each candidate handles potential tech issues, asks questions about the assignment, and produces a finished product. Or, use a web-based platform that lets you customize tests in aptitudes such as auditing or financial analysis.

Provide Flexibility

Provide as much flexibility as possible in your remote work arrangements. For instance, let employees set their own work hours. Completing tasks during peak performance hours keeps them engaged and productive. Also, emphasize the importance of measuring results more than hours worked. When employees finish their tasks on time, they can move on to other projects. This lets them accomplish more throughout the week, resulting in greater achievements, job satisfaction, and employee retention.

Offer Perks

Emphasize the attractive perks your company has to make remote work even more fulfilling. For instance, provide wellness programs that enhance physical, emotional, mental, financial, and professional well-being. Also, offer virtual team-building events such as a happy hour or movie night. Additionally, provide reimbursement for job-related books, seminars, and other professional development. Plus, offer subscriptions for home delivery of meal kits to prepare healthy dinners. Desirable perks can enhance your remote work culture, employee happiness, and productivity.

Partner with a Recruiter

Hiring remote workers involves finding out why candidates want to work from home and whether they have the technical and interpersonal skills required for success. Pointing out the flexibility and perks your company provides for remote workers helps to attract top talent.

When you need to hire remote accounting and finance professionals, talk with Casey Accounting & Finance Resources. Discover firsthand why we were named on the inaugural Forbes List of America’s Best Recruitment Firms in 2020. Find out more today.

Matching Up Soft Skills with Remote Workers

With some or all of your accounting & finance teams working remotely, you need employees with the right soft skills to get the tasks done. Because you cannot monitor progress when staff members work from home, hiring candidates who work independently increases your success odds. To narrow down the qualities to look for in candidates, you must know which characteristics are most valuable for remote work.  

These are five of the top skills to look for when hiring remote workers:

Communication 

Remote workers must be excellent communicators. For instance, writing emails, participating in virtual meetings, and handling phone calls are necessary to complete the work. Also, remote workers must let coworkers know where and how to reach them. Plus, they must share information and collaborate to finish projects.   

Flexibility 

Remote workers need to be flexible. For instance, not everyone’s schedules will overlap when caring for family members and juggling other responsibilities. Meetings that normally take place in the morning at the office may need to be moved to the afternoon through videoconference. This can accommodate remote workers with children who take a nap after lunch.     

Self-Management 

Remote workers have to manage themselves. For instance, they must start work on time, complete daily objectives, and finish in time to fulfill personal responsibilities. Remote workers also must prioritize work, give and receive timely information, and finish tasks on time. Plus, they need to work with little oversight, remain engaged, and reach productivity goals. 

Adaptation  

Remote workers must embrace change. For instance, rather than communicating with coworkers in person, they may use text, voice, or video chat. Also, instead of setting up meetings, most discussions are impromptu and informal. Plus, rather than focusing on work-related issues, many interactions are about personal interests.   

Accountability 

Remote workers need to hold themselves accountable. For instance, they cannot be overwhelmed by turning part of their home into an office space or managing children who are attending school virtually. Also, remote workers should report to virtual meetings on time, prepared to share what they accomplished yesterday, what they will accomplish today, and what is personally happening with them. Plus, they need to reach out for help when needed.  

 

Hire Remote Accounting & Finance Staff 

Focusing on soft skills when hiring remote workers is important. You want employees who are self-directed, work well individually and collaboratively, and complete tasks on time with little oversight. Being able to connect with remote team members daily and monitor their progress through self-reporting is important for finishing projects and reaching company objectives.  

When you need help finding remote accounting & finance workers, reach out to Casey Accounting & Finance Resources. We believe that a diverse workforce enhances the overall performance and success of an organization. Talk with us today. 

How to Recruit Remote Workers to Your Accounting & Finance Positions

Hiring accounting and finance employees in a tight labor market isn’t easy. Since candidates expect a lot from their employers, you need to work hard to encourage them to join your team. One perk to attract accounting and finance candidates is offering remote work options. This widens your candidate pool to include significantly more candidates.

Here are four tips for recruiting remote workers to your accounting and finance positions.

Show Support for Remote Workers

Demonstrate throughout your recruiting process how you support remote workers. Highlight on your career page how you include remote accounting and finance workers in your company based on the role and team needs. Label your job openings as remote-eligible. Include in the job description details about what working remotely actually looks like. Mention questions to expect during an interview for a remote position. Share stories of how remote workers actively embrace your flexible work culture. Help candidates see themselves working remotely and being fully supported by your organization.

Be Authentic

Show candidates that the flexible culture they learn about during the recruiting process matches the reality of working remotely for your company. Describe specific ways remote workers are included in team activities and supported as valuable employees. Demonstrate how the messages you communicate through your employer brand match with how your business operates. This may include enforcing key policies, processes, and tools similar to those involving onsite employees. Mention a method such as Slack that remote workers use to communicate with their team. Provide targeted perks to support productivity and inclusion for remote workers. For instance, if onsite employees have a snack wall, offer remote workers a monthly subscription snack box.

Highlight Required Skills

Point out the necessary skills to work remotely. Strong communication, collaboration, and organization skills are required. Excellent time management, self-discipline, and accountability skills are essential. Use pre-employment tests to evaluate these skills. Determine candidates’ comfort level with video chatting, which many meetings and collaborations will require to connect remote team members. Find out whether candidates have an internet connection with a certain speed or a specific brand of laptop to complete their work. If not, you can provide the necessary items if those candidates get hired.

Offer a Paid Trial

Instead of extending a job offer to desired candidates, extend a contract for a trial period. Include how long the trial period is how the candidate will be compensated and other pre-agreed conditions. Assign actual work to see how skilled a candidate is, how well they learn, and how seamlessly they fit into your culture. When the trial period ends, decide whether to permanently hire the candidate.

Source Remote Accounting and Finance Workers

Source remote workers through Casey Accounting & Finance Resources. As a leading Chicago employment agency, we reduce your time spent on recruiting, evaluating, screening, and interviewing candidates. Find out more today.