Will Remote Hiring Rule The World?

Unprecedented times. This has to be one of the most used phrases over the last few weeks. The monumental impact the COVID-19 outbreak has had on so many lives and how it has turned our world as we know it upside down so quickly is unbelievable. 

With offices all over the world emptying out, employees working from home and supermarket shelves bare, companies are facing tough choices. One of which is what to do with their hiring plans. So, what now?

There probably isn’t a single business out there that has been unaffected by COVID-19. Uncertainty is not good for business, people or the economy. But one thing is for sure, the choices companies make over the coming days and weeks will no doubt impact on how they navigate and come through this crisis.


Roughly 50% of our client base has frozen their recruitment (especially those within aviation, hospitality and other highly impacted sectors) whilst others aren’t showing signs of slowing down and have simply moved their hiring processes online at record speed. And while for most of our clients this has been a seamless process thanks to their tech infrastructure, some are choosing to put jobs on hold or defer their candidates’ interview dates. However, with it being unclear how long the current situation could last, these companies are in real danger of losing out on talent to their competitors.


Chris Jackson, our Founding Director commented “Some clients are being really open-minded to adapt within the current climate and they’re the ones that will probably come out of this period of uncertainty in better shape, equipped and ready once the recovery starts. There’s also going to be potentially less competition at the moment for some of the most sought-after talent, so those that are prepared to take the plunge will probably be the ones that benefit the most in the longer term. We’re always here to help and support our clients in whatever way we can do to accommodate this.”

1. Benefits of remote hiring

Access to the market has probably never been this good and with most people working from home, it is easier to have a conversation about making a career move with them.

Access to a bigger talent pool is another major benefit to hiring remotely. With many EU countries on lockdown, using the likes of Microsoft Teams, Google Hangouts, Skype or Zoom means you can still access these candidates quicker, and without the cost of flying them in for a face to face interview.

2. Remote interviewing

A strong online employer brand is crucial to attracting talent that will have to rely on your digital presence to experience your company and its culture during the remote interview process.

Luckily, we live in the age of connectivity with tools like Microsoft Teams, Google Hangouts, Skype, Zoom etc. at your fingertips. Paired with phone interviews these will be your primary communication channels to connect with candidates during the recruitment process. Many of these tools will also let you record interviews and watch them back later to help make objective hiring decisions, even if you're not meeting the candidate in person.

We can also help you facilitate all types of remote testing that is a great way of evaluating a candidate’s code. For example, many of our clients use Codility, an online technical interview and coding challenge to help evaluate candidate’s code easily.

If you’re looking for a new role check out our latest vacancies interviewing remotely.

3. Delayed start dates or remote onboarding?

When it comes to the onboarding process many companies take this experience digital too. Check out our Guide to Remote Onboarding to get some inspiration. With the help of websites, documentation, and videos alongside digital communication with their team and manager, this process can be just as welcoming as onboarding at the office.

Download Your Guide to Remote Onboarding

It will be interesting to see if COVID-19 revolutionises where and how we work in the future even after the restrictions are lifted. Whether remote hiring will ever become the preferred method of hiring remains to be seen. Working remotely is already mainstream for so many professions and proving that it works in this situation could revolutionise a lot of office-based jobs in the future, making a remote workforce a reality going forward for many companies.