Blog: Navigating the Remote Talent Pool

The hard pivot to remote work in 2020 has many organizations seeing the benefits of making some or all of it permanent.

The talent pool for employers to choose from is no longer confined to office locations. Organizations are empowered with the ability to hire talent from any region. Employees are also empowered by the shift to remote work. Gallup reported that about 60 percent of employees currently working from home would prefer to continue to work remotely “as much as possible” after the current restrictions are lifted.

It appears remote work is generally a positive thing for both employers and employees, but with a larger pool of talent, human resource departments are faced with the head-scratching process of narrowing down and selecting the perfect candidates for each open role. Unfortunately, many organizations do not have time to waste in filling resource gaps. When a role is left unfilled, workflows must be altered and the workloads assigned to employees increased.

So how can your Human Resources department navigate the larger talent pool of remote candidates? Here are some tips:

Establish and Communicate What You’re Looking For

The larger the talent pool, the more guidelines you need to post. When you define what you are looking for from a candidate, your job postings and communications can better speak to the relevant candidates you are looking to attract. In your job listing make sure to not only document the job responsibilities, but also to establish the job performance standards, goals, and objectives. You may also want to add information about the company, specifically information that makes your company appealing to work for. 

Attract Skilled Talent

According to a LinkedIn study, 46 percent of talent acquisition leaders reported that a top obstacle in attracting talent is finding candidates in high demand talent pools. By creating a company culture that employees can brag about, you can easily attract new talent. In a remote world, you have to get a little creative in how you stand out with your amenities and employee offerings. Remote employees demand device independence and tools that foster the communication and collaboration they would have typically received in an office. Highlight what your company offers.

Select a Candidate

You have posted specific expectations of the role and outlined what your company brings to the table, but now you still have countless applicants to choose from. If you find the task of narrowing down your list of candidates difficult, you’re definitely not alone. In fact, a survey of talent acquisition leaders revealed that 52 percent of leaders felt the most difficult part of the recruitment process is shortlisting the right candidates from a large applicant pool.

Your guidelines for what you want in this role can be used as a comparative checklist. Separate applications based on who meets your top requirements. Maintaining constant and consistent communication with candidates throughout the decision-making process may help you prevent losing talent during that time. When it is time to interview your candidates, ask questions that are relevant to working from home. Here’s an example of a list of questions to ask remote workers published by Fast Company.

Remote Onboarding

You can authenticate your potential employee with proper identity verification and thorough background screenings. Failing to have a defined process in place for hiring and onboarding your remote hires, may delay their start dates, and you risk wasting valuable time and resources the longer the gap is left unfilled.

Set Your New Hire Up For Success

Being in a new role is hard, but being in a new role without the right resources is harder. Keep your employees equipped from the start by having a set process in place to deliver the right work technology to their homes. Additionally, provide the right collaborative platforms, such as video conferencing platforms, to help the new hires integrate and connect with their teams. The better your associates are equipped for success, the less likely they are to leave.

No Time? Leave it to a Staffing Agency

 There are countless staffing agencies out there to help you fill roles within your organization. Our own staffing agency, eXcell, is well established to provide the assistance that your company may need. By handling the hiring, onboarding, payroll, and resource management, we can help you save time, reduce costs, allow for growth, and increase productivity.

Our IT staffing service division, eXcell, has year over year maintained a high employee satisfaction rate along with an equally high assignment completion rate. We take on the job of filling your open positions whether contract, contract-to-hire, or direct hire. We can fill any IT role from Level 1 Tech to CIO. We do this nationwide, every day, cost effectively.

All content provided herein is for educational purposes only. It is provided “as is” and CompuCom Systems, Inc. and Office Depot, Inc. do not warrant the accuracy of the information provided, nor do they assume any responsibility for errors, omissions or contrary interpretation of the subject matter herein.