Businesses are in a constant battle to attract top candidates, and those that limit themselves to a local talent pool are being left behind.
Tech companies looking to build an elite team of developers, programmers, and designers need to seriously explore investing in a smart remote workforce to stay ahead of competitors. With just a computer and a strong Internet connection, teams can connect from around the globe to do the very same—and potentially better—work than teams working in a traditional office setting. As operating a fully remote workforce becomes more common, however, modern CEOs need to first understand how beneficial remote workers can be, and shift their management styles to make sure these employees remain engaged.
A Remote Workforce Unlocks a Global Talent Pool
Focusing hiring solely on those who live within commuting distance is no longer feasible. There are simply not enough highly skilled programmers and developers even in the largest of metropolitan areas, and the very best are almost always snatched by large companies offering massive paychecks. What’s more, while promising to bring tens of thousands of jobs to major cities, companies such as Amazon threaten to drain the talent pool further when they decide to establish a major presence in any given location.
CEOs who choose to invest in a fully remote workforce can confront two areas that directly affect their ability to innovate and advance business objectives:
- Employee ability. Proximity should never be a factor for a CEO when choosing between applicants. Choosing a mediocre candidate just because he or she can commute to an office over a highly motivated overseas candidate is an outdated and limiting philosophy. What’s more, allowing top talent to work in the city where they choose to live is a great motivator, improving chances of retention and employee morale.
- Lower cost of operation. A flashy office with foosball tables and a kitchen stocked with organic snacks is a lure some CEOs use to get the very best. But when a growing workforce begins to outgrow it, the lack of space can be a test on morale. For rapidly growing companies, constant moving and expanding can come with an enormous cost. A remote workforce, however, allows exponentially more scalability.
How to Keep a Workforce Engaged from Across the Globe
One of the most difficult challenges for a CEO operating with a large remote workforce is making sure these highly motivated, talented individuals working around the world stay engaged. When going out after work to socialize or having a quick face-to-face with a supervisor isn’t an option, it’s critical CEOs have a strategy to make sure their employees are made to feel appreciated in other ways. Nearly 7 out of 10 remote employees report feeling their priorities are disrespected, which is far too high considering tech is making it easier than ever for CEOs to have frequent check-ins with employees and engage in meetings across teams.
CEOs can use these tested and effective methods to make sure morale stays high and teams feel strong, even if they are thousands of miles apart:
- Make time for facetime with new team members. Slack and Skype are ideal for routine team meetings and quick communication, but connecting face-to-face is incredibly valuable, especially for new employees. CEOs should make it a habit to fly out and meet new groups of employees. This gives them a real sense of connection, and shows leadership is personally committed to their employees. This also gives a CEO the ability to communicate important information such as company goals and values in person, in a setting in which the new employee feels comfortable—his or her home.
- Entrust project managers to gather and share information. CEOs and other senior leadership should aim for as much in-person contact as possible, but as much as technology has advanced, it is still impossible to be in two places at once. By appointing team leaders, a CEO can have regular updates on all teams and rely on project managers to share news and announcements about the company. Team leaders also can regularly share feedback from employees, allowing leadership to decide what changes should be made to keep things running smoothly.
- Ensure teams have technical and financial support. Teams that feel their employer truly has their back are more likely to be inspired to do great work and generally be more motivated. It’s critical for CEOs to establish and maintain a high level of support. This means making sure employees in different locations are empowered with equal technological resources and making sure location has no impact on their salary. A talented employee deserves fair compensation regardless of where he or she lives.
CEOs that establish and empower a remote workforce will find enormous benefits for the bottom line. Improved scalability, an infinitely larger talent pool, and lower operating costs can transform the way a business operates, and smart CEOs who are able to keep this disparate workforce engaged set themselves up to be a magnet for top talent.
Francis Dinha is the CEO and co-founder of OpenVPN, a security-focused open-source VPN protocol. With more than 50 million downloads, OpenVPN has been in the open source networking space since its founding in 2004.
