The benefits and challenges of hiring a remote IT team

Not only are IT hires critical to business success, they’re also the most in-demand, making finding the right fit a top priority — and a big challenge. For companies that have resisted remote work or have concerns, it’s clear IT teams are a good place to start. Here’s why:

Access to more skilled talent 

When companies expand their on-demand recruiting and hiring internationally, their talent pool becomes larger and more diverse. IT teams are typically the hardest to find due to specific skill sets and constant churn. By looking borderless, access to talent with specialized knowledge and skill sets becomes easier and can accelerate digital transformations projects. 

Research by Korn Ferry indicates there will be 85 million unfilled openings around the world by 2030. To combat that, companies need to look for skilled talent outside of their four walls and borders. 

Diverse talent leads to innovation

Not only are organizations able to find a more suitable match by looking outside their country, they’re also able to tap into diverse perspectives and viewpoints. For global companies, this is a huge advantage. A Boston Consulting Group study found that businesses with above-average diversity realize 9% higher margins and 19% more revenue from innovation than businesses with below-average diversity.

By seeking different perspectives and viewpoints, companies are able to have depth and breadth of experience, create products or services that solve unique problems, and stay ahead of the competition.

“The true value of diversity comes from people who are able to see problems differently. The more vantage points you consider, the more effectively you're able to understand that problem, which means the more effectively you're going to be able to solve it long-term. That’s where diversity creates strength.” - Jeremy Johnson, CEO and Co-founder at Andela

Higher productivity and retention

Remote workers inherently have more flexibility. Companies can either fear this or embrace it and allow workers to work when they’re most productive, which leads to increased efficiency and a higher quality of work.

By allowing employees autonomy and empowering them to do the work, do it well, and do it on deadline, but without micromanaging their day-to-day, companies can reap the benefits of increased efficiency. When employees feel empowered, they are more engaged and committed to their work and perform better, according to Harvard Business Review researchers. Not only does productivity increase, but retention can, too. When employees are less stressed, they have increased job satisfaction and less attrition — an invaluable asset for IT teams. 

Challenges of hiring remote IT teams

Overcoming the challenges of recruiting, vetting, hiring, and managing remote tech teams can seem daunting. Not to mention security concerns once the team is in place. But there are tools and solutions to all of these hurdles. 

Recruiting remote talent

How do you ensure you’re accessing this vast, skilled talent pool in the best way possible? Trusted talent marketplaces can streamline the entire hiring lifecycle. Andela Talent Cloud allows companies to source, qualify, hire, manage, and pay global technical talent in one integrated platform. Take the stress out of finding skilled talent with a hiring process that can take as little as 48 hours and be 30%-50% more cost efficient. 

Managing remote contractual obligations

The last thing businesses want to worry about is navigating complex international contracts in order to pay their remote IT teams. Robust talent cloud solutions should have the built-in ability to not only recruit the best and most technically proficient talent, but also help manage their contracts.

Andela Talent Cloud’s integrated platforms allows companies to reduce costs and mitigate security risks by managing all aspects of global payouts, currency exchange, and compliance for the selected talent across geographies. 

Collaborating across teams

Ensuring team members have clear responsibilities and the team has a functional workflow is a challenge for any team. Platforms like Jira, Trello, and Asana can streamline the project management of remote tech teams. Take time to properly set up the platform you choose and reap the benefits later. Automated workflows, transparency on tasks, and clear deadlines will help teams function more efficiently.

An effective remote setup is key

An effective remote setup is the foundation for successful remote tech teams. Having the foundations in place — administration process, culture, workflows, etc. — allows you to recruit remote technologists and move faster. And as a bonus, many technologists have experience working remotely, so lean on them to help influence a functional, successful remote work environment. 

Read our Tech Leader’s Guide to Remote Work to discover insights and best practices for successful remote work setups.

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