How Skills Assessments Help You Recruit the Best Remote Workers

Remote work has become the norm. A recent URBACT study showed that nearly 40% of EU workers worked remotely all or part of the time—especially in the technology and finance sectors.

In 2020, 86% of employees worked remotely out of necessity due to the COVID-19 pandemic. In 2023, a global survey showed that employees who worked from home were happier and more motivated, which resulted in better job performance and improved productivity. So, whilst many business leaders would prefer that employees come back to the office, they know remote and hybrid working is here to stay.

‍Since remote and hybrid working aren’t going away, organisations must adjust their hiring practices to hire remote staff, which means recruiting candidates who can work independently and collaborate effectively with global team members. Here are some of the best practices they have adopted.

‍Online Skills Testing for Jobs

Many companies have implemented assessment solutions and use skills tests to screen, hire, and onboard remote employees. If an HR team already uses skills assessments, transitioning to remote and hybrid work simply means rethinking some of their screening, hiring, and onboarding processes.

Organisations that still screen candidates by reviewing resumes and conducting interviews have a bigger transition because they must first incorporate skills assessment tests into their hiring process.

‍Skills assessment solutions have proven to be effective for evaluating applicants for remote jobs because they help HR teams measure skills such as:

• Cognitive Reasoning: Remote employees must have the ability to work effectively with minimal supervision. So, problem-solving, critical thinking and analytical reasoning are essential.

• Computer Skills: According to a 2023 Eurostat study, 90% of jobs require basic computer proficiency—familiarity with the Internet and email and knowledge of MS Office (i.e., Word, Excel, PowerPoint, and Outlook). However, 32% of Europeans lack basic digital skills.

• Communication and Collaboration: Remote employees rarely communicate with co-workers, customers and stakeholders face-to-face. They must know how to use project management applications like Google Docs and Dropbox and online conferencing tools like Zoom and WebEx.

HR professionals who use the eSkill Talent Assessment PlatformTM have access to an assessment library that includes MS Office skills tests and assessments like Phone and Email Etiquette, Digital Literacy and Online Collaboration to verify applicants have the skills required to work remotely.

‍Virtual Onboarding

An effective onboarding process is important to help new employees learn about the company, adjust to their jobs and quickly become contributing team members. It can also improve retention. In a study by the Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM), 69% of employees said they are more likely to stay with an organisation if they have a good onboarding experience.

Skills assessment tests help HR professionals streamline onboarding for remote employees by helping them learn company rules, regulations, and procedures and master software applications and systems.

‍Skills test results show HR and training professionals which a new employee already understands. This enables them to identify skill and knowledge gaps and create a personalised training programme that focuses on areas where the new employee needs more help.

Identify Rising Stars

Business leaders also use skills assessment test results to identify employees who are ready for new responsibilities or could be if they were provided with appropriate training. This helps reduce staff turnover because, according to SHRM, 76% of employees say they are likely to stay at a company that offers training opportunities.

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Remote and Hybrid Hiring Trends

Many companies have embraced remote and hybrid work options because they have seen an improvement in staff productivity.

• Airbnb allows employees to work remotely in over 170 countries for up to 90 days a year in each location. Dave Stephenson, Airbnb CFO and head of employee experience, said the company has seen a 40% increase in revenue, and employee turnover has dropped to below 10%.

• Autodesk reimburses its global workforce for work-from-home expenses and allows employees to work from anywhere worldwide for a month each year. Rebecca Pearce, chief people officer, says that since the company started offering flexible work arrangements, it has seen a 58% increase in job applications, an 82% increase in female candidates, and a 45% increase in candidates from under-represented groups.

• A global non-profit agency headquartered in Geneva employs 20,000 employees in 120 offices worldwide. Many of its local offices are in remote locations, unstable areas, and war zones. So, the HR team uses skills assessments to recruit and hire employees who can work remotely. The organisation previously needed a month or more to fill a position; it now takes around 10 days, which means the agency has decreased time-to-hire by around 40%.

Get Started with Remote Hiring

Whilst some business leaders want employees to work in the office full-time, they know that remote and hybrid working is here to stay. So, they’ve incorporated skills assessments into their recruiting process to hire remote staff who can work independently and collaborate with global team members.

Are you ready to learn how skills assessments can help you hire remote and hybrid employees? Contact us to request a demo.