The remote working industry is finally getting the attention it deserves, and more corporations are getting the hang of it after the pandemic forced us to do so. Before, remote work was taboo in traditional companies because managers preferred to see their staff in person, and it was easier to supervise them.
According to a 2021 report from the Australian Institute of Family Studies (AIFS), two-thirds of Australians choose to work from home despite the relaxed COVID restrictions because they can spend more time with their children. A survey conducted in March 2022 by The New Daily, an online, non-paywalled Australian newspaper, shows only 23% of the computer-based workers have returned to commuting to work, with the other 23% still fully remote. Meanwhile, most or 54% of the knowledge workers follow a hybrid work setup.
As the pandemic restriction in the country eases off and people are gradually requested to go back to offices, employees are starting to leave their office work and actively seek remote jobs. People are getting used to working from home and are moving away from making lengthy and expensive commutes. The Great Resignation is happening worldwide, and as employers, we must learn to adapt to these demands and embrace the future of remote working.
WHAT IS A REMOTE WORKER?
A remote worker is employed by a company either directly, outsourcing, or via freelancing platforms and does not report to your office in person. Instead, they are located in another city, region, or offshore—working from their home, a co-working or other shared space, a private office, or other places aside from the traditional working setup.
It is common for big corporations in first-world countries to hire remote employees from third-world countries through Business Process Outsourcing (BPO), especially in IT-related roles, sales and marketing, and administrative functions. Two of the most preferred countries for hiring remote workers are India and the Philippines because of the cheap labour costs that go along with a pool of skilled English-speaking workers.
PROS AND CONS OF HIRING A REMOTE WORKER?
Hiring remote worker always comes with advantages and disadvantages. Not all types of work can effectively be fully isolated. Some tasks will be harder to do remotely, and it will depend on the nature of your company’s business if a remote worker is beneficial. Jobs that can be done entirely remotely are mostly computer-related jobs like Phone Receptionists, Administrative Assistants, IT Specialists, Web Developers, Bookkeepers, secretarial support, and other back-office jobs.
The following are some pros and cons to consider before you start hiring a remote worker:
Pros:
- Access to the best talents – As remote employees do not need to appear in your office, you have a larger pool of qualified applicants you can choose from, as location won’t be a problem. You will not be limited to candidates in your area only, but you can work with people from anywhere globally.
- Up to 60% savings on labour costs – Since the staff you hire do not have to be in Australia, you are not restricted to Australian wage earners, with Australian wage rates based on Australian costs of living. Some countries have a low cost of living which means that even a relatively high wage (in local terms) is significantly cheaper than Australian based labour costs.
- Happier, Long term Staff – When outsourcing is done correctly, the outsourced employees benefit from good wages (in local terms) and proper adherence to local laws and regulations. This leads to happy and fulfilled remote staff and an enviable retention and reliability rate.
- Possible savings on operational costs – Since your employees do not work in your office, operating costs can be lower because you save on electricity, office space and maintenance, transportation allowance, etc. If you want a fully remote team for your business, you can remove many of these operational expenses.
- Increased productivity – One misconception about working away from the office is that workers will slack off because no one can supervise them in person. Even though it may happen, multiple studies and surveys show that working in isolation typically makes the employee more productive and happier because of a lack of interruptions and distractions and no stress from the commute. Remote workers get to maximise their time in work and outside of work.
Cons:
- Harder to supervise – Supervision will be harder with remote workers not present in the office. You can solve this by giving them daily tasks and checking their progress at the end of their shift. You can also try online tracking tools to micromanage your remote employee. Because your staff work in isolation, some might experience low morale and loneliness. You might consider giving them a boost in engagement with your other employees with occasional online activities like fun games or just giving them time to chit-chat with other employees.
- Cultural and language barrier – If you are looking to hire remote staff outside your country, a cultural and language barrier is inevitable. Your employees will make time to learn your work culture and adjust accordingly to suit your preferences, so it will be appreciated by your employee if you also understand their culture. The language barrier can be solved by looking for English-speaking countries like India and the Philippines.
- The difference in time zone – Hiring remote workers all around the world means you need to consider the time zone where your remote staff are located. This means they might work the night shift to accommodate your business hours. While this won’t really pose a problem to your business or to their work performance, it is better that you know this information. You can consider giving them extra pay for working during the night. A good relationship with your employee will boost their morale and make them stay with your company.
- Unfamiliar hiring process & local law requirements – Hiring remote workers is generally the same as hiring office workers—you create the job profile, source the candidates, interview, and choose the best person for the job. The only difference is that the whole process is done entirely virtually.
However, you do run into local law compliance and international taxation issues. If you want to do this on anything more than a one-off basis, another way is to hire a third-party outsourcing recruitment company to do the job for you. Engaging with a company like Sudo Staff allows you to simply list your requirements, and the outsourcing company looks after the recruitment, HR, wages and legal compliance matters. This way, you skip the hassle of screening every applicant. They readily will give you the list of the most qualified applicants, and you only need to choose who you think is best. You can also request that you do the final interview.
WHERE TO FIND REMOTE WORKERS AND HOW TO HIRE THEM?
Are you convinced that remote working will work for your business? So, what now? Where’s the best place to find the best candidate for the job? How do you even start looking for your first remote employee?
In this part, we discuss some basic steps to help you get started with your employee outsourcing:
- Create the job profile
First and foremost, you must determine what you’re looking for. There is a lot to consider, including your budget, skill requirement, work experience, etc. It is also essential to check their English-speaking capabilities and work culture to see if they can adapt to your company’s demands. - Post your job hiring and wait
Posting the job hiring is the most important part. First, you must know where to advertise your employee search. There are vast platforms on the web where you can look for remote workers. If you want to micromanage outsourcing your remote employee—you be the one to talk to them and hire them. You can go to freelancing sites like Upwork, Fiverr, Freelancer.com, etc. This can be pretty tedious, but this way, you can choose the candidate you want best for the job. - Screen and assess applicants
Once your applicants come pouring in—they will if you choose the right platform to post your hiring—it is time to screen all applicants just like how it’s always been done. Separate those who fit the job profile. Conduct interviews, preferably via video call, to see the applicant’s face. Once done with the evaluation and narrowed down your options, you decide on the best candidate and draft the contract. - Onboarding and training
Schedule an onboarding and training for your new remote employee to welcome them to the team and help them learn all the ins and outs of the company. Don’t forget to give them the necessary tools, such as email address, project management tools, file access, etc.
TIPS FOR HIRING REMOTE WORKERS FAST AND EASY
Now that you are equipped with the fundamentals of hiring remote workers, here’s a tip for you:
Generally, using a third-party outsourcing company will make your life easier, considering you are busy running your business. Hiring experts to do the recruitment process, especially if you plan on hiring multiple remote workers, will help save you time and money. You will no longer have to think about how to comply with the labour laws, payroll, taxes, et al. that come with hiring employees from a different country. Taking on contractors also means that the employment is contractual, and letting go of your remote staff will be easier than your direct hires.
You can check Sudo Staff’s services here for the most common type of remote staff you might need and their corresponding price to get an idea of how much you can save compared to on-site employees.
Let us know if you find this blog helpful, and don’t forget to share!
Source:
https://aifs.gov.au/media-releases/two-thirds-australians-are-working-home
https://thenewdaily.com.au/finance/work/2022/04/04/hybrid-work-post-pandemic/
