Volume 16
Employment Essentials Volume 16: How to set up your team for success when hiring for remote positions.
Remote work has been somewhat a divisive topic in the employment world for the better part of these last 4 years. As employees, it’s been a great option that has allowed individuals to save time, energy, and money on prep time such as commute, dry cleaning, lunches, etc. and take advantage of the extra time for personal items. As employers, it’s been a mixed bag… you either saw some improvements efficiencies, or the total opposite. Many employers have reported losses in productivity, reply time, engagement, and team camaraderie.
But do these negative experiences make Remote Work not a viable option? Not necessarily! Remote Work is an “Option” your team can take advantage of when the time is right. This can mean expanding your talent pool for niche positions, or lowering your overhead with operational expenses such as rent, utilities, parking, etc.
With Remote work being reframed as an option, todays Masterclass Mondays goes over the top 3 Best Practices your team can leverage to make the most of your Remote workforce.
The overarching theme will always be to “set proper expectations and have an infrastructure to make sure the work is being executed”.
Expectations
In order to hold someone to any standard, they first have to know what that standard is. It’s not enough to assume someone understands your company’s expectations just because they received an offer. Be sure to go over basics like start time, responsiveness, what flexibility is available if any, and Best Practices when the employee is away from their desk. Provide them with examples of acceptable work and an overview of the tasks you expect them to complete. When working with remote employees, it is best to invest additional time at the start of their employment. One of the things lost with remote work is accessibility. These employees are no longer within the same building; to avoid miscommunication, dedicate time on the front end to set those standards.
Metrics
Metrics/KPI’s are one of the objective ways you can measure whether someone is on task or not. Was the job completed? Does the employee understand what is expected? Is additional training required? Metrics allow you to have specific conversations with your employee on pre-existing tasks both parties committed to completing. In the event that metrics aren’t hit, you are now able to determine if the employee needs training, support, or is simply not staying on task.
Communication Channels
Does your employee know how to reach you? What items to reach you for? While this may sound redundant, in today’s work environment, there are 101 ways to reach someone. What is your preference? With options like phone, email, text, TEAMS, and other chatting services, be clear on how you want communications to flow between the two parties. There might be preferences for different tasks that are best communicated via specific channels.
Check-Ins
One important thing to recognize is that having a remote workforce does not dismiss the need to provide your team with face time, support, and direction. At times, this might mean even more support in the absence of In Office work. Make sure you allocate daily or weekly time to speak with your remote team as needed. Having something scheduled on the calendar lets the employee know they have a window of opportunity on a frequent reoccurring basis. This time allows you to make decisions in real time and not disconnect with your remote team.
As your partner, FLAG is more than just a staffing and recruiting partner. Our aim is to educate and influence your team with Best Practices to keep your operation running and competitive! Whether its “Remote Work” or any other situations that come arise, FLAG is ready to support!
Employee Insights Volume 16: 3 things you can do to get the highest offer available.
Getting to the final rounds of an interview process is always a great feeling; but what’s even better, is walking away with the offer you were aiming for. When initiating the talent search, the employer proposes a budget based on the duties and skills required to properly perform the job. With that in mind, the pay range is set to attract individuals who have enough experience to complete the job with training required all the way to individuals who can effectively do the job with minimal to no training. Lastly, consider the team aspect of the job, can the candidate work cohesively with others?
The interviewer has a responsibility to the company to identify the best potential fit for their company and it is your responsibility to showcase yourself in a way where you make it very clear to them, “I AM THE BEST OPTION!”
Today’s Masterclass highlights the 4 practices you can leverage to answer those key questions for your prospective employer, can this person do the job, and get along with the team?
Value proposition
What is the biggest pain point that employer has in the particular department you are interviewing at? Yes, the company has an opening, but what does that opening help them resolve? Are the machines down? Do they have overdue invoices? Does the team have a leader? Ultimately, the company is trying to address a gap in their operation and your skill can alleviate that.
When in an interview, speak on how your skillset either makes, or saves the company time, energy, or money. Keep in mind, you want the interviewer to think they are paying for value, not just for a “clock-watcher” or someone to keep the seat warm. Focus on tangible items you know make a difference in the operation.
Upfront expectations
Ensure you let your recruiter, or employer know your salary expectations prior to engaging in the interview process. Identify your “bottom dollar” so all parties are aware of what it takes for you to at least “consider” an offer. Make sure this number isn’t based on the Job Posting, but a combination of experience, existing salary history, and the non-negotiable skills listed in the Job Posting. Factor in other important items for yourself like commuting distance/time, and the schedule.
Elaborate
Draw a clear line between your asking price, and your relevant experience and qualifications. Whether it is years of experience, relevant skills (Similar machinery, software, etc.) your main objective is to draw as many parallels as possible between the job and what you have already done in the past. If you can effectively mirror your background to their ideal candidate, you leave little room for questions or gaps they can draw in their mind.
Presentation
If you are aiming for a company to gladly offer you their top dollar available, show them you take yourself as serious as you do your asking price. Presentation means a few things when it comes to interviews. That includes your attire, how you speak, and your body language.
Dress Code: At a bare minimum, dress Business Casual, understand this is a place of business, therefore, dress accordingly.
Speech: Clear, concise, and to the point. Stay on topic and address the question asked while adding context. Limit your “Umms, Likes”.
Body Language: Do not slouch, engage in eye contact (this is not a staring contest, but be consistent, and engaged), have a firm handshake, and avoid nervous habits like crossing your arms, or fidgeting.
Lastly, Enthusiasm!: Show your interest! Smile, and use positive language, such as gratitude for their time, and the opportunity.
This list has a few key items to help you make the most of your interview, but every interview will be the same! This is why we proudly encourage you to connect with our recruiters, who take the time to get to know your needs and wants in the job market and offer tailored feedback so you can feel confident at ANY interview.