Human Resources Blog - Spark Hire
8 Dos and Don'ts When Hiring for a Hybrid Workforce

8 Dos and Don’t When Hiring for a Hybrid Workforce

The way we work has changed dramatically in the past year. The days of bustling office environments feel like a distant memory. Many employees have traded cubicles for couches and in-person meetings for video calls. One thing is clear; workforces may never entirely be the same.

Since the pandemic, employers across industries have embraced remote work and, due to this shift, remote hiring. The cost savings, safety, flexibility, and countless other benefits of allowing employees to work from home have many companies looking ahead to a new hybrid model, combining remote work and in-office collaboration. But remote hiring for a hybrid workforce requires a metamorphosis of the traditional, pre-pandemic hiring process.  

Video interviews are an ideal tool for hiring under these circumstances. Here are some dos and don’ts to ensure new hires have the skills and experience to thrive in a dual-faceted environment. 

Do hire for soft skills

Findings from an HR.com report state 86% of HR professionals believe soft skills are more critical than hard skills for long-term organizational success. Remote hiring for hybrid workforces requires an even stronger emphasis on soft skills when vetting candidates. Hybrid workforces come with limited face-to-face interaction, which necessitates self-motivation and strong communication. Soft skills such as critical thinking, vital emotional intelligence, and creativity are essential for a new hire to thrive on a hybrid team. 

Don’t lean on technical skills only

Revamp your candidate criteria to ensure technical skills don’t outweigh a candidate’s personality and cultural fit. In a hybrid work environment, an employee needs to think critically, possess strong decision-making skills, and have creative independence. This demotion of hard skills doesn’t mean you need to throw your skills assessment out the window but remember you can teach most technical skills. 

Do seek out those who embrace change

Change will undoubtedly remain a constant in our work environments. When, how, where, and the tools we use to execute tasks will continue to evolve. Candidates who do not see change as adversity but as an opportunity for learning and growth are indispensable employees in the hybrid workforce. Ensure the ability to embrace change is at the top of your candidate criteria by digging into this critical component with candidates early in your remote hiring process.

Don’t skip screening interviews

Evaluating for fit is critical to remote hiring for hybrid roles. We often get in a pinch and use resumes to screen before sending candidates into the full-scale interview phase to speed the process along. Without screening interviews, you’re potentially eliminating quality candidates. Fortunately, one-way video interviews offer a quick way to get face-time with candidates and allow them to answer your questions on their schedule by self-recording video responses. These screenings open the door to a more accurate soft-skill evaluation from the start

Bonus tip: Have fun with candidates by asking something a bit unique such as what’s their favorite animal. You will get a sense for their ability to handle an unexpected question and their creativity in response.

Do loop your whole team into candidate evaluations

Go beyond the hiring manager’s input during remote hiring evaluations. Involving the entire team in the process ensures employees remain engaged with a new hire before they ever meet in-person. 

Video interviewing evaluation features make getting the team involved in the evaluation of candidates a more streamlined experience. Pass along top interviews to each potential hire’s team for review at their leisure. The hiring manager and team can provide ratings and facilitate conversations in a wholly-digital setting.

Don’t miss a chance to promote your company culture

A hybrid workforce needs a strong connection to the overall culture of the organization since it’s not something with which employees actively engage within a physical setting daily. Fortunately, video interviewing allows you to make your company culture a part of the remote hiring experience through customizable branding and quick-and-easy company videos. 

Do look for leaders

Organizational hierarchy may look a bit different in the future as we break away from the traditional workplace. HR pros with future-focused remote hiring efforts should seek out leadership traits and experiences in all candidates. An emphasis on remote-project teams requires employees to be able to step up, motivate, and inspire fellow employees to tackle issues.

Don’t overlook improving diversity and inclusion

Remote hiring should never be seen as a quick-fix for overarching diversity and inclusion goals. The hybrid workforce presents several new challenges for HR pros. The remote workplace invites colleagues into your home via video, essentially putting your personal life on display for everyone. Simultaneously, employees who aren’t part of a collaborative group may be left out in a virtual setting. It’s critical from the start of the remote hiring process that you focus on celebrating differences in your new hires and employees at all levels.

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Josh Tolan

Josh Tolan is the Founder and CEO of Spark Hire, a video interviewing platform used by 6,000+ customers in over 100 countries.