How to Manage and Optimize Remote Talent

There are many reasons remote work has become so popular. A remote workforce can increase productivity, with quieter environments and fewer distractions. They improve health and well-being for workers and decrease travel-related environmental impact. With lower turnover rates, your business is also able to widen its talent search as they aren’t limited to a small geographic region. The list goes on.

Of course, managing and optimizing remote talent has its challenges. For example, according to[1]  Entrepreneur.com, “one of the biggest negatives of remote work continues to be the feeling of isolation and disconnectedness telecommuters often report.” While managers are effective at keeping the cohesion among team members about the office space, it poses a challenge to keep that up with remote workers.

Here are a few of our tips for success when managing a remote workforce:

1.     Hire with Entrepreneur in mind

Self-discipline is the key quality when looking for remote workers. The right employee must know how to micromanage themselves. Hire a professional with an entrepreneurial spirit or a passion for their work. Since they will be overseeing themselves in a sense for most of the workday, this self-motivation and excitement are key to their success and as a successful employee.

2. Purpose

With motivation in mind, setting clear and attainable goals for your remote workers will not only share your vision with them, but it will set their purpose. Remote workers are especially in need of connecting with an organizational purpose as they are void of the daily and physical contact that can ensure their work has meaning.

3. Connection

Remote work does not have to mean isolations. Most people want to be part of a team and collaborate on tasks and projects. Many even do their best work as a result of these people-to-people connections. When people are connected with people, they gain a sense of belonging. Try using video communication such as Google Hangouts, Zoom or Skype. Encourage connection through in-person meetups at least twice a year if possible. Use a social onboarding platform to unite the team.

4. Process

Keep the process simple. Although you want to hire talent that are capable of micromanaging themselves, remote workers still need structure. Clear, easy to find and simple to follow processes can take much of the anxiety out of completing day-to-day activities for remote workers. One way to do this is to make use of the surmountable technological apps that are available to you. Workflow and project management tools such as Basecamp, Asana, and Trello are some great examples. These apps can enable real-time and continuous performance feedback, learning, and coaching that keep your workers aligned in your company’s process.

5. Feedback

Every employee loves recognition. Multiple studies have even shown that[2]  “employees value recognition over financial compensation. This could mean taking them aside to show your appreciation or giving a gift. Feedback improved productivity and increases motivation. Since remote workers are not in the office every day, they might be unaware of how management gauges their work. Make sure to create time, perhaps twice a year, to have a one-on-one meeting with your remote talent to go over their performance or the written feedback you have created. This is a great effort to show they are valued, included in the team and important to your business.

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https://www.entrepreneur.com/article/272215

https://www.themarlincompany.com/blog-articles/employee-recognition-money/

Generation Z in the Workforce

“Millennial” has been a word on many employers tongues over the years, with hundreds of articles and tools created to understand, hire and foster them in the workplace. Now that most millennials are in their late 20s and 30s, they are most likely passed the junior level roles. Now, employers should avert their attention to the generation of college grads, Generation Z.

Smart companies should begin preparing now for this new tech-savvy, holistic and independent force.

What Generation Z is looking for

According to INC.com, “75% say there are other ways of getting a good education than going to college.” This means companies will be welcoming Generation Z into the workplace a lot sooner than expected.

They are also extremely motivated by security. "These Gen Zers have seen their parents struggle financially [due to the recession and student loan crisis], so parents are having conversations about finances, money and debt with kids earlier. They're having conversations older generations never really had before," said Denise Villa, founder of The Center for Generational Kinetics, according to CNBC.com.

While millennials were seen as more motivated by purpose than pay, Gen Z is leaning towards security and money. Companies should focus on offering promising job security and opportunity for raises in order to get this generation's attention when recruiting.

How to Recruit them

Companies should focus on delivering an exceptional candidate experience. Gen Z is less likely to do business with a company where they have a poor experience as a job applicant. Slow communication, for example, or non-mobile friendly career pages are going to deter them from moving forward with your company. Focus on creating timely, tech-savvy and effortless candidate experience.

Speaking of tech-savvy, this generation has never known life without a smartphone. Their technical skills are second nature. If companies want to recruit Gen Zers, they need to utilize innovative technology.

On the other side of the coin, Gen Z likes to talk face to face. According to Business 2 Community, “ Fifty-three percent of Generation Z said they prefer in-person discussion over instant messaging or email.” This could perhaps attribute to the negative feedback they saw millennials receive from their reliance on technology, or it could be because Gen Z grew up with Skype and Snapchat, forms of communication beyond text. Either way, companies should prepare for in-person meetings with Gen Z employees.

Why you should recruit them

Generation Z is 55% more likely to want to start a business than millennials. They are highly motivated and willing to work hard to achieve their dreams and are known to be great multitaskers. Their independent work ethic and entrepreneurial spirit can make great employees for your company. With a likely chance they will soak up as much knowledge as they can and take on many different challenges as they pursue their goal of starting their own company in the future, your company has the advantage of the very well rounded employee.

Of course, each candidate varies from person to person. There is no one way to assess an entire generation. But having these characteristics and tactics fresh in mind when recruiting will help you welcome Generation Z into your company’s space and welcome them to the workforce.

Have an interesting blog idea? Email us at blog@vertisourcehr.com.