With remote work continuing to rise, recruiters need to be prepared. Fortunately, many of the challenges associated with remote work will be mitigated as employees gain experience.
Despite calls from big-name bosses for workers to return to the office, job postings offering remote options are increasing in the US and across the globe.
Recruiting for the Future
Many recruiters have had to adjust their approach to recruiting due to the rise of remote work. This trend has created new opportunities for talent to find roles and companies that are a good fit, and it’s helping to create more diverse pools of candidates.
Software engineering is a field that rapid advancements and high demand for skills have always characterized. With this in mind, recruiters must focus less on hiring candidates with formal credentials and more on their ability to adapt to an evolving landscape. This means assessing soft skills, such as communication and collaboration when evaluating talent. It also means seeking out talent from a wider geographical pool and opening recruitment to people who might have yet to be considered for a role, especially in high-priced talent clusters.
One common concern about remote working is that employees will slack off at home and be unresponsive to management. However, research suggests that this is different. Some studies have shown that remote workers are more productive than their counterparts in the office.
The flexibility that remote work offers is another draw for employees. For example, a night owl can schedule work for later in the day and free up their evenings to pursue hobbies or take care of errands. This allows them to feel like their personal and professional lives can coexist, leading to higher job satisfaction.
Recruiting for Value
The flexibility of remote work has changed the way that companies can hire. Instead of requiring employees to be physically present in an office, businesses can now hire engineers from all over the country and even the world. This allows them to tap into diverse talent pools and saves on costs like office space and supplies.
Remote software engineer recruiters can also use this flexibility to create a beneficial working environment for their candidates. This means providing the right tools for them to succeed and creating a culture that aligns with their values and bigger goals. This is important because many engineers report that seeking out flexible environments is the third most common reason they search for new jobs.
One way to do this is by introducing coding assessments to the hiring process, as they are a good predictor of on-the-job performance. These tests ensure that only the most qualified candidates are hired, which helps reduce bias in the recruiting process.
It’s also essential for software engineering recruiters to promote a healthy culture of collaboration and teamwork among their teams. This requires trusting and focusing on results rather than “face time” and hours worked. It also requires a focus on investing in the necessary technology and processes to enable collaboration between team members in different rooms.
Recruiting for Flexibility
Remote work has changed the way we think about a “workplace.” It allows people to design their days to accomplish their professional goals while managing their personal lives more effectively. This flexibility creates a happier work experience for many employees and can lead to higher morale. It’s also an extremely beneficial option for employers who can save on office and equipment costs, improve retention rates and create a more environmentally-friendly approach to work.
Despite the common perception that working from home means workers can slack off, research has found that the opposite is true. Remote workers are more productive than their in-office counterparts. This is due to a reduction in the stress of commuting, the ability to choose an environment that best suits their needs, and the ease with which they can collaborate with team members.
As a result, many candidates are now seeking flexible options in their job searches. A recent candidate survey found that only two other things were ranked higher by candidates than flexible work: money and career opportunity. Companies must consider offering flexible work options to recruit and retain the best talent. This doesn’t mean disregarding established hiring practices, such as face-to-face interviews, but instead adding options like videoconferencing and collaboration tools to the interview process so that job seekers can see how a company can support their work-from-home needs.
Recruiting for Personality
When recruiting for a remote role, you must understand the personality type of the candidates you are hiring. This can help you tailor their remote work experience to their strengths, ensuring they get the most out of working from home. Personality also plays a role in how well your remote team members communicate and interact with one another.
For many people, the most attractive benefit of a remote work opportunity is that they can be their most productive selves while living their personal lives to the fullest. The flexibility that comes with working from home allows workers to craft a schedule that fits their lifestyle, whether they’re night owl or an early bird. For some, it is the only way to keep their career and family together.
Some companies worry that their remote workforce won’t be as productive, but this could not be further from the truth.
