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Across the country, shifts in worker expectations driven by the pandemic continue to ripple through small businesses. One of the biggest lingering COVID-19 impacts has been a desire to work at least part of the time from home. A recent Gallup study showed that almost 60% of employees prefer a hybrid work model, while one-third of respondents would like an all-remote arrangement.
All indications are that this trend will continue. In the Gallup study, nearly 55% of the companies that can accommodate remote-work options said they plan to do so beyond 2022.
Offering the ability to work remotely can be an effective recruitment and retention strategy, but it requires hiring managers to master new rules and legal issues that stem from having employees who work in different locations.
Employment laws vary from state to state, and even among municipalities. They govern everything from the interview process to payroll. During the recruitment process, depending on where job candidates live, you may or may not be allowed to:
Some states also restrict the information that can be reported in a pre-employment background check beyond what the FCRA dictates.
If you’re considering job applicants who are outside the state or states where your business typically operates, make sure you have reviewed and can abide by the laws that cover those candidates based on where the remote candidate lives and will be working.
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Communicating frequently and clearly with applicants is always important; but even more so when you’re hiring people who will work somewhere other than at your physical place of business. With talented labor in short supply, it’s not uncommon for candidates to end up with multiple job offers. Interviewees’ experiences with your company’s hiring managers could mean the difference between them joining your organization or someone else’s.
During the recruitment process, set communications-related expectations early. The remote hiring process often begins with a phone screen, but subsequent interviews likely will take place through video conferencing. Let candidates know in advance:
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If your workforce is becoming increasingly far-flung, an update to your employee handbook and availability of organization tools and information is in order.:
Hiring remote employees broadens the talent pool at a time when workers are in short supply, but it also creates new HR management challenges for small businesses. Adapting your hiring and policy strategies to match the changing labor landscape will help you attract the best employees – no matter where they live. Axcet HR Solutions stands ready to help small businesses, as well, when they don’t have the bandwidth to expertly handle issues created by an increasingly remote workforce.
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