If you’re an employer or hiring manager who has decided to manage a remote team, you likely understand that the process of hiring and keeping long-distance freelancers can quickly become complicated. They may simplify tax burdens, but they can be difficult to manage effectively if you’re unprepared. Regardless of your management style or corporate structure, there are likely ways to work with remote teams that fit your expectations and business model. Look over the four tips below from Organize Technology and determine how they can assist you in steering your remote team toward job fulfillment and productivity.
- Find the Right People for the Job
- Communicate Clearly and Concisely
- Ensure Swift and Reliable Payments
- Improve Efficiency With Project Management Software
Find the Right People for the Job
If you’re fretting about the reliability of your future employees, most of these worries can be sidestepped by using a hiring platform such as Fiverr to locate qualified freelancers worldwide. Additionally, consider visiting country-specific freelancer platforms, such as this one in the Philippines, if you prefer one country over another.
Want to ensure that you only interview and hire experienced and trustworthy candidates? Look through each one’s portfolio, experience level, and ratings from previous clients. Feel free to ask for references as you complete the interview process as you would with any other candidate.
Communicate Clearly and Concisely
Managing a remote team does not have to be a communications nightmare. Make an effort to outline your expectations clearly from day one and be open to (and encourage) constant feedback. According to TestGorilla, remote employees should be able to work independently, use technology appropriately, and speak and write directly and professionally.
Don’t make the mistake of hiring a remote freelancer who seems to feel uncomfortable with learning new software or speaking his or her mind when asked for an opinion. Avoid toxic and difficult people as well. Just because they’re physically far away doesn’t mean they won’t affect your work environment and culture. Consider setting up a forum for your remote workers to engage in informal chats that are not related to meetings on GroupMe, Slack, or another popular platform to encourage camaraderie.
Ensure Swift and Reliable Payments
It’s now easier than ever to send money to someone in a remote location. You can use PayPal, Venmo, and many more services to transfer funds domestically, but international wire transfers can prove to be tricker and more expensive for the employer. Consider using a low-fee wire transfer service to pay international freelancers to cut down on costs.
Improve Efficiency With Project Management Software
You may find yourself wasting copious amounts of time in virtual meetings when you could be completing work. Use visual project management software like Trello to keep everyone on the same page with color-coded virtual notecards, project breakdowns, and places for freelancers to leave others notes if they are collaborating on the same project. If you’re having trouble finding PDFs, combine them with a PDF merging tool to keep all of your team’s documents in one place. You’ll be able to shuffle pages within the document as you combine.
Hiring remote freelancers can give you access to a larger talent pool and introduce you to people you may have never otherwise met. Consider the above points when starting the hiring process and only onboard those who have great references, clear styles of communication, and the willingness to learn whichever remote project management software you use.
This article was written by Chelsea Lamb of businesspop.net. Organize Technology is dedicated to helping you improve and organize the technologies in your life. For more information, please contact us today!
