The last few years have demonstrated that remote work can be more productive than on-site work. The freedom to do a task, fewer interferences, maintain a healthy work-life balance, and be able to work at the best of their capability can only come when the candidates can work remotely.
It is why top companies like Airbnb, Google, Dell Technologies, and Amazon have embraced remote work. In addition, studies have shown that remote work options are one of the top factors professionals consider when looking for job opportunities.
Further, Forbes reported that 97% of employees opt for some degree of flexibility between working remotely and working in an office. These studies clearly state that businesses must include remote developers in their hiring process. Remote developers will ensure your business enhances its productivity and works around the clock.
Need more reasons why you should hire remote developers? Below are the significant reasons why remote software developers should be your choice in 2023.
Benefits of remote developers for a business
Is your company struggling to achieve its targets and goals? Or are you not able to meet the project requirements? Probably, one of the reasons for this could be limiting your enterprise to specific talents and teams. As the demand of your customers rises, there will always be an increase in the workload.
Building an in-house team can be challenging for small businesses and startups. However, it is where remote workers can be your best choice to meet the deadlines. Other reasons why building a remote software development team include the following:
1. Access to global software developers
One of the first reasons to hire remote developers is access to the global talent pool. Why would you limit your business to a certain team when technology makes you capable enough to hire remote software engineers from anywhere?
For instance, you may have run a company in a country with a Java developer shortage. Therefore, you can opt for hiring remote Java developers from a nation with plenty of numbers and reasonable costs.
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2. Enhanced business productivity
Employees are the most productive when they work in a suitable environment. Hence, building a remote team can boost the business productivity manifold. Firstly, you can onboard developers with specific skills like Node.js, PHP, ReactJS, and Python. It will ensure that the project is done by the right professionals who have the knowledge and skills to do it.
Secondly, a remote developer can work during different time zones (this is especially true when you hire from another country), ensuring that your work goes on 24/7.
3. Lower costs and more ROI
Cutting down the overhead costs is a target of all entrepreneurs. However, you can easily achieve it with remote employees. One, because there is no need for office space and second, remote workers can access their own internet and IT assets. Further, you can get more done in less time, resulting in a higher ROI.
Also, when you can cut down repeated costs like fixed salaries, building infrastructure, and training the employees, it will directly lead to a better Return On Investment.
4. Work with the latest trends and technologies
Another major advantage that your business gets when you hire software developers remotely is ensuring that your work is done with the latest trends and technologies. For example, you may need a developer to build an app.
Rather than training your in-house developers with the latest tech, you can search for an app developer engineer who has knowledge of the newest app trends and uses tech stacks like Swift, C++, Java, or HTML to build the mobile application.
5. Focus on core business operations
Hiring remote workers can allow your company to focus on core operations by freeing up valuable time and resources that would else be invested in non-core activities. Moreover, outsourcing development tasks to the best remote developers can lead to greater innovation and competitiveness.
For instance, tasks that have to be run for a short period can be done by a full-time remote developer so that your in-house team can focus on long-term and high-priority projects.
Read More: Benefits of hiring remote developers
Comparison of remote developers vs in-house developers
Building an in-house team may seem to be a better option when considering the challenges faced by working with remote employees. However, at the same time, an in-house team can be limited to certain areas and skills, further restricting your business from building the best of the projects.
The table below represents a detailed comparison between the remote team and the in-house developer team.
| Factors | Remote developers | Hiring in-house developers |
| Recruitment | Access to global talent and more applicants with specialized skills | Limited to applicants within the geographic location |
| Cost | Cost-effective as there is no need for office space, equipment, or utilities | Pay for office space, equipment, and utilities, and provide benefits like health insurance, retirement plans, etc. |
| Communication | May experience challenges communicating remotely and rely on emails, calls, and other modes of written communication | Easier to communicate with team members in person |
| Productivity | Remote developers may be more productive because they have fewer distractions and can work from any location | They may be less productive because of distractions in the office, such as meetings and conversations and have less control over the work environment |
| Flexibility | Remote teams can work from anywhere and are often more flexible with their working hours | In-house developers are typically expected to work during regular business hours |
| Time zones | It may be challenging to coordinate schedules and ensure that all remote employees are working at the same time | Can ensure that everyone is working at the same time |
When can you find remote teams?
Often startups and small businesses refrain from hiring remote teams due to budget constraints or because they want to build and grow their in-house teams. However, it is to be considered that development is the pillar for growth, and businesses of all sizes and types will often require the best developers to meet the demands.
In such a scenario, building an in-house team can time consuming and costly. Therefore, the right remote developers, on the other hand, can prove to be cost-effective and more productive.
Here are the top three reasons why enterprises can find remote developers for their projects:
Diversify company workforce
Your enterprise will always need new ideas and perspectives for the workflow. With an in-house team, the process gets monotonous, while people with remote work can bring fresh ideas as they belong to different backgrounds, cultures, and locations. Further, it will help you do the same work with a different style for better productivity.
Cut the unnecessary cost
Another situation for hiring a full-time remote developer is when you plan to cut costs. Hiring full-time developers means you don't need to invest in office space or any other infrastructure. Also, people working remotely have access to their IT assets and an internet connection, saving you great money.
Scale your business
Want to scale your business quickly? Hiring remote employees can help you achieve it fast. When the company has a workload, a team lead can appoint and coordinate with developers who work remotely to accomplish the business goals. Also, full-time remote developers can be a better option for scaling the company rather than always building and expanding an in-house team.
Steps to Find Remote Software Developers
Now that you know how remote developers can benefit your business, it is equally important to note that you hire the right candidate for the project. Below are the seven steps that you must follow while hiring remote programmers.
1. Define the job description
The primary step during the hiring process is preparing a description for the job posting. Next, you must define the specific skills, experience, and qualifications needed for the role. For instance, you need to hire a dev to build a website.
Therefore, mention all the necessary information regarding it, from the candidate's experience to specific technical skills for website development and the roles and responsibilities of the web developer. Also, add a bit about what your company does so that the applicants have a better idea before applying for the job.
Remember to define the project scope and write a description matching your business goals. In addition, you must also be clear about the kind of project, the tech stack needed, and the number of remote employees you will need for it.
2. Post the job on job boards
Once you have the description ready, you need to post it on various remote job portals like LinkedIn and Twitter to make it visible to the applicants. When you post the listing, ensure you add any necessary information to clarify the description and attract the right remote talent.
Three tips for posting a job well on the job boards are:
Write a clear and detailed job description:
The job description should be really easy to read and understand. Other than adding details about the job roles, you must also include the company's mission and culture to attract potential candidates.
Use relevant keywords:
Use relevant keywords to ensure that the job description appears in the search results. You need to think from the job seekers' perspective to do that. Adding keywords will lead to better visibility, ensuring that qualified developers apply for it.
Set a competitive salary range:
All job seekers look for competitive salaries. Therefore, set a range that is appropriate for the position and industry. Then, search the market rates and provide the most suitable salary for the position.
3. Review the applicants
You may also ask for some references from your employees or business friends. There could be times when they hire remote developers who may have just the skills that you need for your project.
After receiving the CVs, you must invest time shortlisting the candidates. First, check whether they match all the criteria and if the applicants can be considered for the next round.
4. Conduct virtual interviews
The next round includes of taking interviews. Virtual interviews are the best ways to judge remote workers, as they may not be able to visit you physically. Based on the priority and level of the project, a specific member of the company, like a team lead or a senior software engineer, can conduct the interview.
Also, you must research the right questions to ensure the ability and skills of the candidate.
Some questions that you may ask during the interview process are:
- What motivated you to take a career in software development, and what keeps you motivated to continue in this field?
- Can you explain your experience working with a specific technology or programming language? Can you walk us through a project where you utilized this technology?
- How do you always stay updated with the latest trends and tech advancements in the industry?
- How do you handle your time and stay organized while working remotely on projects?
- Can you provide a relevant example of a complex problem you faced while working on a project and how you went about solving it?
5. Test the technical skills
How would you know that the candidate possesses just the right technical skills for the work? One method to do this is by sending an assignment where the applicant has to solve it using a specific tech stack. It will provide a clear idea of his/her capabilities.
Further, you can check their previous work to know if they have the required knowledge and experience in a project like yours. Finally, make sure to test all the tech talent that the candidate has mentioned in the CV.
6. Assess soft skills
Technical skills are not just the one thing you must consider; judging soft skills is equally important. It includes communication skills, teamwork, problem-solving abilities, time management, and decision-making ability.
It is crucial to note that remote developers understand the project's needs and how it aligns with your business goals and objectives.
7. Onboard the candidate
You must have shortlisted one to two applicants for the role by now. If there are more than one qualified candidate, you can discuss it with the internal team or conduct another interview round to make the final decision. After hiring a remote developer, provide proper onboarding and training to ensure the developer can access all the essential tools and information to complete the project successfully.
Three things to consider when onboarding remote work developers:
Communication channel:
Well, define the communication channels and tools you will use for regular check-ins, project updates, and progress reports.
Onboarding plan:
Build a comprehensive onboarding plan including all details like the project, company culture, and expectations from full-time developers.
Provide clear instructions:
You must provide instructions on how to use the tools, software and hardware to meet the project needs.
Choose the right model to hire developers
There are various types of hiring models for software development needs. You can choose what fits your requirements best based on your project needs and budget. The types of hiring models for a remote team include:
Fixed price hiring model
As the name suggests, the fixed price hiring model is when the budget is already decided before the project begins. Then, the remote development team signs a contract with a set price and completes the work within the given budget.
If your project has a set number of tasks and is well-defined before hiring a remote team, a fixed-pricing hiring model can be suitable for you.
Hourly rate hiring model
The hourly rate hiring model is another way to hire remote teams. In this case, you hire a remote developer or an entire team and pay them for the hours they worked for you. The price is decided per hour.
This type of model is the best when you want to hire freelance developers for an extended period. Hence, you can pay only for the hours they worked rather than cutting one single cheque.
Monthly-based hiring model
Another model in the development process is the monthly-based hiring model. As the name suggests, you can hire developers with remote work for a specific number of months. For instance, your development process requires about seven month's work, so you can hire a remote team for seven months, which will then work with your other team members to coordinate the project.
After the work has been accomplished, you can pay for the months they have worked.
Hybrid hiring model
The hybrid hiring model is the combination of two or three of the models mentioned above. For instance, for your project, you may require to hire a remote development team for ten months, but it may need a few hours of work each day.
Therefore, you can combine monthly-based and hourly-based models to hire the remote team.
Don't miss out on the benefits of hiring remote developers. Choose the right model for offshore remote hiring today!
Common challenges faced when hiring developers and solutions for it
Hiring remote developers can be an excellent challenge for entrepreneurs. However, judging their technical and soft skills can be difficult because they have to be hired from different locations. Here is the list of common challenges and the perfect solutions for them:
1. Difficulty in hiring a remote developer that meets the project needs
One of the biggest challenges while hiring remote developers is attracting the right talent. With the increased demand for skilled remote software developers, finding the perfect match can take a lot of work. As a result, it often acts as a challenge as businesses must compromise to invest more time in hiring.
Solution: The perfect solution to avoid such a situation is to write a clear job description mentioning the technical abilities you expect from the remote developer. You can also add a little and basic information about the project so that the candidates know what work they are applying for.
2. Assessing the technical skills of freelance remote developers
Now you may get the relevant applications, but assessing the technicality of the candidate can be the second challenge. It is especially true for managers who belong to a non-technical background.
Solution: To assess the tech talent, firstly, you should include a technical expert during the hiring process. Secondly, you can send an assignment and judge the skills based on it. Thirdly, various tools like technical assessments or online coding platforms can be helpful.
3. Cultural fit in a remote environment
The third challenge faced while hiring remote developers is ensuring they are a cultural fit. Again, companies find it challenging to search for someone who can fit well with the existing team members while remote working.
Solution: To ensure a good cultural fit in a remote workforce, you should look for software engineers who are self-motivated, proactive communicators, and have experience working remotely. It can be achieved by carefully judging their soft skills.
4. Managing the hiring process remotely
Managing the hiring process remotely is hectic compared to on-site hiring. In addition, remote hiring requires effective communication and coordination between team members who may be in different locations and time zones.
Solution: To overcome this challenge, you should establish clear communication channels and use collaboration tools like video conferencing and project management software. It will make sure that all team members are on the same page during the hiring process.
5. Time zones issues for coordination
The time zone is another major concern when hiring a remote team. Freelance developers may live in another country where the time does not match yours, which acts as a hurdle for team coordination and communication.
Solution: To ensure that you and your other team members have better coordination with the remote employees, make sure that you are well aware of the time differences. You can hire remote employees from the same country. If you plan to hire from other nations, clearly mention the team coordination and meetings during the job posting.
Recommended read: 10 Tools that can Help you Manage your Remote Team
Hiring remote developers made easy with Your Team In India
We understand that hiring remote developers can be a great hurdle for your business growth. Especially when you are a startup in the industry or a small business, the process can be even more hectic due to budget constraints. Further, firms without a technical background can find shortlisting the perfect remote developer painful.
But not to worry. At Your Team In India, we have made hiring remote developers completely easy and tension-free. YTII has access to skilled and talented developers with various tech knowledge. So whether you need to hire one remote developer or want to build a remote development team, YTII provides all the solutions.
You can build the right remote development teams with us, from technologies like Java to AngularJS, Python, Node.js, Dot Net, and many more. So contact us and hire remote developers who possess good tech talent, communication skills, and valuable experience.
Frequently Asked Questions
How do I hire a remote software developer?
What is the advantage of a hire remote developer?
What factors should you consider before hiring remote developers?
What are the top practices for managing remote developers?
> Setting clear expectations and goals.
> Establishing effective communication channels.
> Using collaboration tools.
> Providing opportunities for professional development.
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