For better or worse, remote working is here to stay, so to kick off our remote working series, we take a look at hiring remote workers to succeed and thrive in the environment.

Below are the competencies a candidate should possess to successfully work from home.

COMMUNICATES CLEARLY

Initiates contact with colleagues and maintains open communication, checking for understanding. Adapts communication style and technologies used to suit situations.

EMBRACES NEW TECHNOLOGY & PROGRAMS

Adapts to use of remote working technologies, adopting a curious attitude when approaching challenges. Asks for help when needed and manages shortcomings when dealing with technology issues.

MOTIVATES SELF & TAKES INITIATIVE

Keeps to a schedule, is proactive and sets clear goals. Does not give up or allow the distractions of remote working to affect productivity.

ORGANISES SELF & MAKES PLANS

Sets clear timelines and breaks down tasks into manageable steps. Plans for changing circumstances and adjusts timelines, as necessary.

EMBRACES CHANGE AND UNCERTAINTY

Readily adjusts approaches to suit changing environments. Copes well with ambiguity.

MAINTAINS WORK-LIFE BALANCE

Balances professional and personal commitments, creating boundaries when necessary. Engages in activities to relieve stress and energise self.

WORKS COLLABORATIVELY AND SHOWS TEAM UNDERSTANDING

Maintains a team mindset despite physical distance. Shows understanding of team goals, works collaboratively, and involves others in decision making.

DISPLAYS INTEGRITY AND RELIABILITY

Uses work hours effectively and demonstrates reliability and honesty, working productively without close supervision. Submits work on time.

Recruiters and HR managers can use these competencies to create a candidate profile and then utilise behavioural testing to identify the right behavioural traits in candidates. These can then be mapped back to the competencies above to find the right people or person for the role.

Understanding the right competencies for a successful remote worker is the first piece of the puzzle. Utilise behavioural testing to identify the best candidates for the role or develop talent to reach the requirements.

SCORING

Use behavioural testing to assess candidates’ and gain the data you need to find the right fit before hiring remote workers.

GAP ANALYSIS

Utilise Testgrid’s reporting tools and programs to understand the preferences of how people want to work to enhance communication, collaboration, and engagement. Then compare these to the competencies above to determine how the candidate will fair in a remote working setting.

HIRE/NO HIRE OR DEVELOP

Once you have a 360 view of the candidate, or pool of candidates, you now know whether they are going to succeed in a remote working model. You can create a shortlist of candidates or decide to hire or not. But finding gaps doesn’t mean the candidate/s will not be able to work remotely. Now that you understand the candidate/s ability to WFH and any gaps, you can decide if you think you can fill those gaps through support, development, and training.

Emotional intelligence is a crucial skill for most employees these days but remote working can put a strain on employees. Knowing that a candidate has a high EQ and can manage their own and be mindful of others’ mental health should be high up on your list of criteria.

We have been closely monitoring our customers’ needs throughout the last 12 months, and our reports show that companies seeking Emotional Intelligence assessments have increased by 7.5 times since last year. This indicates that employers are applying more emphasis on EQ than ever before and that it is imperative for employee mental health that hires in people-facing roles can empathise with, and navigate mental health matters.

If you are unsure about whether you are set up for remote working success, sing up below or contact our team at hello@testgrid.com for a free Remote Working Gap Analysis, where one of our specialists will work with you to determine where you sit on the scale, and how you adapt your process.