The reality of the socially-distant world we’re currently living in requires a new level of strategy for how we communicate. Because face-to-face interaction is often not an option anymore, many businesses looking to hire new candidates are experiencing remote hiring for the first time. As with any change, remote hiring presents its own set of new benefits and challenges. To best proceed, unified communications (UC) offers more streamlined communications processes, thus maximizing the benefits even further.

BENEFITS OF REMOTE HIRING

Flexible Scheduling: Scheduling in-person interviews is often difficult with overlapping schedules and busy lifestyles. Alternatively, remote interviewing allows for more flexibility and better use of the time available.

Talent Pool Expanded: When hiring remotely, there is an entire pool of talent potential that would not have been available to reach otherwise. The remote hiring process broadens the number of hiring options as the zip code of candidates no longer needs to be taken into the hiring consideration.

More Efficient: Managers and candidates alike know very well that the in-person hiring process can be a time-consuming and costly endeavor. With remote hiring, the process is more efficient as it’s easier to schedule back-to-back interviews at no travel cost for the candidate.

Additionally, unified communications as a service (UCaaS) eliminates the stress of hiring by merging video, text, and voice into one seamless user experience. With the “new normal,” using separate text, video, and voice apps can get impractical very fast. That is why UCaaS merges all three to make interviewing easier on both sides.

BEST PRACTICES WHEN HIRING REMOTELY

In order to maximize the benefits of remote hiring, it is critical that companies consider best practices. From interviews to onboarding, utilizing UC helps new employees smoothly transition into their roles.

Choose Video Conferencing for Interviews: While phone interviews are a common practice among HR professionals, they lack the rich communication experience that video interviews provide. In fact, many job candidates claim that they think less of companies who conduct their interviews over the phone. For this reason, do consider the following benefits of video interviewing when hiring new talent:

• It is possible to converse from anywhere in the world while maintaining the face-to-face value of an in-person interview.
• The connection established between the hiring manager and a candidate is more genuine, offering a more personal interaction that a simple phone conversation cannot achieve.
• Video conferencing and omnichannel services offer a more integrated experience for the employer and candidate alike. With UCaaS, an introductory email is easily transferred into a phone call, which easily transitions into a video conference.

Apply Same Principles as In-Person Hiring: Whether an interview is conducted in-person or through video, the same principles still apply. The confidence level, experience, mannerisms, and attire are all part of the evaluation process. Video interviewing still maintains the same level of expectation as the in-person interview would.

Collaborate with Unified Communications: During the first few weeks of onboarding, it is crucial that a new employee feels comfortable integrating into the team and building professional relationships among colleagues.

A hosted solution like Cloud9 by VOIP Networks provides a unified experience on all devices, making the onboarding process as natural as possible. All employees have access to comprehensive communications channels, helping remote teams keep up with all discussions and projects. In addition to chat features, one-click web conferencing keeps communication lines open and available whenever they are needed.

THE IMPORTANCE OF THE RIGHT UCAAS PROVIDER

Currently, it’s more crucial than ever to stay ahead of market changes and evolving business needs. UCaaS offers a comprehensive experience on all devices that allows team members to always have access to their communication features and thus be more responsive. Cloud9 by VOIP Networks gives businesses access to leading technology and our dedicated professionals, who are ready to guide your path toward digital transformation and agility in the changing times.