By Celeste Gable, Marketing Coordinator

Nowadays, many companies operate with a hybrid structure. While they may have an office where employees can go to work, there’s also an option to work remotely. According to a statistic from Owl Labs, 62% of employees aged 22 to 65 say they work remotely. When hiring for remote roles, your ideal candidate should demonstrate a variety of characteristics that indicate their suitability for the position. Below are traits you should look for in your remote employees.

Motivated & Confident

When working remotely, one must be self-motivated. It’s the employee's responsibility to make sure they are staying on task and getting things done. You’re looking for a self-starter. Someone who sets goals and follows through. The remote employee must be able to move forward without someone looking over their shoulder. With that comes self-confidence and the initiative to meet the role-specific goals and company deadlines without constant confirmation.

Communicative & Collaborative

Since you don’t share a physical space, strong communication skills are a must have in your remote employees. Through either synchronous or asynchronous communication, you may be collaborating through email or text, so having a remote employee with strong written skills is important since there is no context for body language and tone. When managing a remote employee its important to have frequent updates and check-ins to ensure everyone is on the same page.

Adaptable & Organized

Part of working remotely requires the employee to be independently organized. The ideal candidate will have strong attention to detail and time management skills. This will help them to adapt to any situation. The ultimate remote employee will be resourceful and adaptable. They will have a flexible mindset and problem-solving attitude.

Since 2009, the number of people who work from home has risen 159% and it continues to rise. Due to fast advancements in technology and the increased value on flexible work, remote work seems to be a permanent fixture of today’s workplace. Although a few hiring managers may have doubts about remote work, 85% believe that hybrid teams of remote and in-office employees will be the norm in the future.