Common Challenges in Remote Staffing and How to Overcome Them

Remote working has gone from being a marginalized practice to becoming almost the norm. However, just because it is practically the norm does not make it any easier; there are many remote staffing challenges and especially in managing remote teams because of distance and communication.

This is why more and more organizations are outsourcing to companies or trained personnel to help them overcoming remote work issues by implementing a large amount of appropriate work policies that ensure the continuity and productivity of the company.

There is a remote work paradigm where companies already familiar with this process have encountered difficulties, because, like technology, remote work is not permanent and is also constantly evolving. Stay with us until the end to find out all the valuable information we have to offer!

Remote staffing challenges and its solutions

While there are many benefits to remote work, it is not without its drawbacks, but don’t worry, we will not only mention them but also offer solutions to help you overcoming remote work issues. In the process, you will learn how to manage remote staffing challenges with our tools, tips, and resources, enabling you to efficiently managing remote teams from anywhere in the world.

Time differences

Remote work involves hiring staff in different geographical areas, and this presents a challenge of dispersion, where one team member is starting their day while another is finishing theirs in many cases. 

The most important thing in managing remote teams that are globally dispersed is collaboration and planning, with proper task assignment and communication through channels such as Voxer, to tag specific team members, share work, and streamline the decision-making process, thus avoiding long email chains where ideas are often lost.

Progress tracking

Tracking is essential in managing remote teams; you must ensure that daily and weekly goals are met. This also presents remote staffing challenges. Not knowing someone to whom you assign a responsibility, not seeing them perform their work directly, can hinder trust and interaction, but there are work tools that dispel those doubts.

There are remote team management applications and programs such as Slack, where you can sort tasks according to priority and due date. This helps keep the team in sync and on the same workflow, minimizing communication gaps.

Cultural differences

One of the main remote staffing challenges is language and culture. Work expectations and norms vary from country to country. For example, in Japan, remote team management relies heavily on video meetings, prioritizing face-to-face interactions, while in the US, communication through channels such as Slack, Voxer, or Google Voice is prioritized.

To overcome remote work issues, effective collaboration is necessary, where the communication style of the parties involved is understood, allowing for improved interpersonal skills and building trust.

Risks and security breaches

It is important to cover security aspects not only in remote team management, but also from the outset, addressing them as remote staffing challenges and asking the right questions. After all, we do not want staff who expose company data to the risks of online hacking or any other breach.

As all communication takes place online, it is recommended that workers seek to overcoming remote work issues by using a computer or any other device for work only, and do not mix personal devices with work devices, as this exposes company data unintentionally.

On the other hand, it is also vital to manage corporate work on a single secure cloud platform and not directly on the computer. Use VPN and connect to a private internet network rather than public networks in cafes and shopping centers.

Staff commitment

Staff commitment is essential throughout the process. It is part of the remote staffing challenges, but also of managing remote teams. Team satisfaction and cohesion must be maintained, preventing remote workers from feeling isolated or information from being lost in the process.

Overcoming remote work issues must include recognition. Many freelancers feel frustrated because they work hard but their tasks are not recognized as much as those of physical staff. In addition, the promotion rate for remote staff is lower.

This can be solved by offering growth opportunities, especially to recent graduates who are just starting to navigate the job market and are looking for the best opportunities for personal and professional development.

International hiring

Many companies fear overcoming remote work issues and its challenges; therefore they avoid international hiring, but they are simply missing out on a large portion of global talent. In fact, hiring foreign members is not a complicated process. It gives them the unique opportunity to connect with highly skilled talent at competitive prices. Many of these young freelancers tailor their resumes to job descriptions, making it much easier to connect with them.

Hiring regulations are generally no different. In fact, remote workers adapt to the regulations of the country where the company they work for is based, which also facilitates the management of remote teams by aligning working hours with public holidays.

A registered company to help you manage remote teams

If your business does not want to deal with the remote staffing challenges, Alpha Solutions is the answer to your questions. We take care of managing remote teams and overcoming remote work issues.

We are an external service provider that offers the highest quality remote workers in compliance with legislation and human resources management. With Alpha Solutions, you can create an international team. We have physical workspaces for collaborators and offer training to our new talent.

Ultimately, international hiring tends to be more cost-effective than local hiring. We provide agile solutions for your business strategy; we are highly committed to the growth of your organization.

Last but not least, we do hope this information helps you make the decision to open the doors to the world of remote work, with people committed to the growth of your company and highly trained staff who will exceed your expectations. Managing remote teams doesn’t have to be a headache with Alpha Solutions. Go ahead and get started today!