Hiring and Retaining Remote Developers Best Practices

Categories: IT Recruitment Advice

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Software developers are responsible for designing computer programs and operating systems that are essential to businesses and our everyday lives. They form and design systems such as websites, word processors, and games, as well as ensure that users can use it easily and more efficiently.

As more aspect of our lives relies on computer software, there is a huge and growing demand for developers. In Stackoverflow’s 2015 developer survey, 29% of developers work remotely at least part-time, and 50% of the respondents think that working remote is somewhat important.

In this fast-paced digital world, there’s no denying that more developers are choosing to work from home, and more companies are embracing the remote workplace.

There are a couple of advantages that come with making work-from-home available in your business that would benefit you and the employees. Hiring remotely opens you up in finding the best and appropriate people that are more suited for the job you need to fill up, as your choices are not limited to people who just live in the area near your office. It also reduces attrition and increases collaboration and productivity.

Hiring Remote Developers

Recruitment provides opportunities to align skill sets to the company’s initiatives and goals, which helps promote the company and employee’s growth as well. The job description plays a vital role in drawing the right candidates to you. So, be sure that your job posting comes with correct and concise descriptions and includes the required skills and experiences that you are looking for in a developer. Also, remember to treat the applicants well, as they deserve to know the stages that they will go through in the recruitment.

Hiring strategies have changed as having remote employees is becoming a norm. If you are considering to hire developers from other places, you should look for these additional skills and requirements, and have it tested as part of the hiring process:

Ability to adapt to work culture and collaborate

Employees working remotely does not mean that they are excluded in adapting to your company’s work culture. As a developer, they will work with other people in getting the job done.

Past freelancing experiences

Remote developers are hard to train technically compared to in-house developers, so past work experiences are important in assessing their skills. Their previous works or projects will help determine if they are really fit for the job and how they can contribute to the company.

Excellent communication skills

Communication, teamwork, and the ability to prioritize is critical skills for remote workers. They must be able to communicate and work effectively with or without supervision and as a member of the team.

Adjustment in work style and effective communication are essential in keeping things running despite having different time zones, which is the most common challenge.

Retaining Remote Developers

Part of a manager’s job is to ensure employees satisfaction, happiness, and productivity. As an employer, you are involved in making or breaking your employee’s work experience through establishing company culture, structuring rewards and recognition programs, and managing employee relations.

Keeping remote workers engaged can be challenging, but here are some tips to retain them:

Check on them regularly

Not in a nagging or annoying way or just because you have some works to follow-up, but because you want to show that you care and value them as your employee.

Make sure they are happy and doing well, as this is an excellent way to know if they are facing challenges or struggling with something work-related.

Again, communication is key. There are a lot of online tools you could use to keep in touch whether in through a survey, a phone call, or a video call.

Rewards and benefits

Bear in mind that applicants are not only after the salary, but they also look for the benefits that the company could offer, and sometimes, it becomes the primary factor in deciding whether to accept the job offer or not.

Given that there are tangible benefits that remote workers cannot take advantage of like free food that your in-house employees enjoy, make sure your remote workers are not left behind. Instead, think of similar rewards that could make up for it to be fair.

Provide them an avenue for growth. Training is essential in the IT industry, so allow them to learn and apply new skills to their work, as well as promote productivity.

Keep them updated

As remote employees cannot be present in gatherings or monthly meetings, do your best to make them join even if it’s just once a month to keep them in the loop.

Update them with the happenings in the office such as client or project updates and changes in the team. Let them know what they deserve to know, as transparency shows that they are an important part of the company, and it makes them feel trusted.

Aside from posting the vacancy on your own website or social media accounts, it is also best to utilize job posting and freelance sites, or better yet, try recruitment firms that would screen highly-trained applicants to save lots of time waiting.

There is so much untapped tech talent that does not live in the same area where your office is located, but would work for you if you allowed them too. By not giving them that option, you could be eliminating the most qualified developers from consideration. Consider hiring software developers in the Philippines. They are becoming in demand to different parts of the world because of their technical capabilities, work ethics, and reasonable salary range.


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