Table of Contents
For many of the corporations, companies and SMEs of the Allianz community, business activities now operate at a distance, with recruitment often carried out remotely. To learn more about the future of recruitment, we spoke to Leanne Elliott, CBP, MBPsS, MSc Psychology. She’s the founder of OblongHQ – a consultancy dedicated to scaling service businesses through people.
Employers and employees have seen many changes take place over the last few years
“As both a certified business psychologist and a globally-mobile individual (GMI), I have a unique perspective on recruiting remote teams,” Leanne tells us. “Not only have I worked fully remotely since 2013 (visiting 44 countries and counting), but I’ve also helped numerous organisations recruit partially or fully-remote teams, often spanning multiple continents.”
That means that she understands what managers and leaders want from the recruitment process when hiring for roles in this new working world. “I apply evidence-led techniques to help them, even in this seemingly tough time where the fight for talent is real,” she says. In the first of a three-part series, Leanne talks us through how employers and employees can help to shape new roles for a new world.
The New Way to Work: Going Remote
“The reality is that over the last few years of lockdowns and restrictions, employees have proven that remote working, well, works,” Leanne says. “Combine this with the ‘carpe diem’ sentiment highlighted during the pandemic period, and we are seeing huge numbers of employees seeking out remote-only positions that give them purpose, balance and the freedom to work from anywhere.”
Is this modern way of working bad news for employers? “Not at all,” according to Leanne. “In fact, this is great news for those employers who embrace the idea of a remote (or hybrid) workforce, and even better news for expats and GMIs who want the flexibility to work in whichever location best suits their lifestyle. However, it has highlighted how important it is for employers to get recruitment right.”
Seeking top talent
Leanne believes that nowadays employees are becoming more selective about who they work for, and this, coupled with a large increase in positions that can be worked remotely, means that finding and securing the right talent is more competitive than ever.
To stay ahead of the game, employers need to have an effective recruitment process in place. Without this, they risk wasting time and resources falling into familiar traps such as running confusing or unclear job adverts that appeal to the wrong audience or grappling with a large number of completely unsuitable applications.
So, what’s the right way to recruit remote workers? “Over the last 14 years, I’ve helped multiple organisations create successful recruitment campaigns,” Leanne says. “And they all start with one key step: establishing the role itself.”
Shaping new roles
While it’s tempting to jump straight into writing an advertisement, it’s important to pause, and make sure the role is right first. Leanne recommends asking yourself and your team three important questions:
1. How does this role fit into the organisation? Who do they report to? What team(s) will they be working with? What are the tasks & responsibilities? What is the role worth in terms of salary and benefits?
2. How does this role contribute to the success of the organisation? What would a successful person be doing to make a difference?
3. What knowledge, skills and/or experience must a candidate have? Think about that perfect candidate and list their competencies.
This more organised approach can have unexpected benefits too, Leanne says: “In some cases, by going through this process, clients of ours have discovered that the perfect candidate already works in the organisation, saving them thousands on recruitment costs.”
Even if you have to recruit outside your workplace, spending a bit of time considering these questions will help you create a better job description (and therefore an effective advert) as well as a set of competencies you can assess during the process. You’ll also find that you can communicate the position better to the individual, which is critical to attracting top talent.
“It’s also important to remember that remote workers often evaluate jobs using different criteria – when it comes to benefits, for example, a big one for remote workers is a comprehensive international health plan.” Leanne reminds us. “Allianz offers great policies specifically for digital nomads and global expats, which can be easily tailored to specific needs with optional extras that give both the employer and remote employees complete peace of mind.”
As a global insurer of small, medium and large enterprises, we understand that the world of work is changing at a rapid pace. We’re here to support our community with resources, advice and expert insight from professionals like Leanne. In our next edition of this three-part series, we learn how to build an effective recruitment assesment process – from the ground up. This will then be followed by the final instalment, where Leanne discusses how to get creative with recruitment to ensure you find the right candidate for the job.
Are you moving abroad?
Before venturing to another country, make sure you have a health insurance plan you can rely on
Meet the author
Allianz
At Allianz Partners, Health, our blog is crafted by a team of experts dedicated to providing valuable insights and guidance on global health and insurance topics. With a focus on expatriates, international businesses, and individuals navigating healthcare abroad, our authors bring a wealth of knowledge and experience to every article.
We aim to deliver practical advice, industry updates, and actionable tips to help you make informed decisions, whether you're exploring international health insurance, managing employee health plans, or staying informed about the latest healthcare trends. Trust our blog to be your go-to resource for navigating the world of global health and insurance.
If you are a member and have been affected by any of the issues discussed in this article please contact our helpline today to find assistance.
