Expert insights: Kristin Stevens on technical recruiting in a remote landscape

Technological innovation is transforming the nature of healthcare for providers and consumers alike. From virtual appointments to mobile-enabled medical devices, healthcare industry companies are using data science, artificial intelligence, and machine learning to create personalized, tech-driven care.

So what goes into successful technical recruiting that drives impact? As Lead Technical Recruiter at Andela, I’m finely attuned to the most critical parts of technical recruiting, especially in a remote workplace. Ahead of my HIMSS 2022 fireside chat with our Head of Integrated Campaigns, Brianna Havel, I wanted to share my top three insights for growing teams that are hiring globally in this new remote landscape—from scaling quickly to empowering women.

It’s more than just the compensation that matters

In today’s global hiring market, it’s not just about the numbers anymore. I’ve learned from my time recruiting tech talent that technologists are looking for meaningful work and opportunities to make an impact. While compensation may have been enough to attract top talent in the past, now is the time to take a look at the entire offer package comprehensively, starting from the work itself. Clarity and understanding around your team’s needs will lead to a better job description, and therefore, a better fit when it comes to finding the right person. Especially for the healthcare sector, the work matters.

Beyond honing in on the projects and nature of the role, there’s so much a company can cultivate to attract top talent. Building a remote culture that enables employees to do their best work while feeling good at work is critical. At Andela, we celebrate our wins and do everything we can to recognize each other as teammates. We also make it a point to celebrate Andela awards, host holiday parties, and offer  remote team sessions to foster a sense of belonging.

For companies in healthcare, be prepared for compliance and regulatory blockers

Our latest whitepaper, “How engineering teams are overcoming tech challenges in healthcare,” cites: “73% of provider executives shared that automation will play a key role in streamlining physicians’ tasks.” That means technological processes have to be compliant with regulatory requirements in order for innovations to make an impact while remaining secure. While recruiting with this in mind, it’s critical to be aware of those policy requirements so you’re able to find the right talent, quickly.

At Andela, our time-to-hire when working with partners is, on average, 70% faster than the industry standard. This is due in part largely to our rigorous vetting process that ensures tech talent are able and ready to work with privacy laws that often govern companies handling sensitive information.

For women in the workplace, cultivate authentic mentorship and leadership opportunities

Leading a remote team also means making sure employees are given the resources they need. Especially for women, an upside to being remote is that they can access female leaders much more easily than in-person. There’s a willingness to empower and connect. While remote work may come with its fair share of obstacles for women, there’s also opportunity to empower women and make sure their voices are not just heard, but acted upon.

Women who are leaders in tech continue to grow in numbers. According to Deloitte, global tech firms will reach 33% of female representation in their workforces in 2022. Although this is up 2% since 2019, we still have a long way to go. When recruiting, make sure you’re setting up the role, and the team, in ways that empower women to reach their full potential.
This will require leaders to be more conscious of certain aspects of remote work that continue to affect women in the workplace, such as the grooming gap (expectations around appearance for women) or family caregiving. In our recent blog post spotlighting Kristin Luck, CEO of ESOMAR, Kristin shares that 75% of the world’s unpaid care work falls on women. The article breaks down the ways in which remote work could already be remodeled to better empower women.