Predicting on-the-job behavior is more important than ever to help build confidence in your hiring decisions. In the new normal, we may not even meet the employees we hire before they begin their work, as they may be set up remotely or based from the comfort of their home office. Knowing who is most likely to perform to the best of their ability in remote working conditions is critical when the supervisor isn’t on the floor, across the hall, or in the next office. How do you predict if your new hire will work effectively from home?
Knowing what personality traits to look for in your candidates can help predict whether or not they are well suited to work-from-home. Here is our list of the top 5 personality traits to look for when hiring remote workers/employees:
Work Style Traits:
- Spontaneous vs. Regimented: This dimension assesses a candidate’s tendency for planning, time management, and ability to follow established processes for task execution. Candidates who fall mid-range to highly Regimented are most likely to succeed at working remotely and following guidelines laid out by your organization.
- Reserved vs. Outgoing: This dimension assesses a candidate’s tendency for working in isolation from their team. Candidates who fall mid-range to highly Reserved are most likely to succeed in working alone as they thrive on independent work.
- Important Note: If the job requires a high frequency of interaction with other people — i.e. a team leader, account manager, or salesperson — candidates who are more Outgoing will thrive in these roles. Outgoing individuals get their energy when working with people. However, keep in mind a permanent remote position may be a barrier to their long-term happiness and success.
Work Values Traits:
- Responsibility: This dimension assesses a candidate’s tendency for meeting standards and expectations when completing tasks. Candidates who fall in the mid-range to high range Responsibility of this dimension are most likely to meet expectations when working from home.
- Open Communication: This dimension assesses a candidate’s tendency for maintaining communication while working remotely. Candidates who fall mid-range to high-range Open Communication are most likely to succeed by sharing information and collaborating with others despite remote work boundaries.
- Important Note: If the job doesn’t require collaboration and much interaction with others, Open Communication is less crucial to predicting the candidate’s success in the role.
Work Risk Traits:
- Distractible vs. Focused: This dimension assesses a candidate’s natural tendency for focus and attention. Candidates who fall mid-range to highly Focused are most likely to stay focused on work amongst the distractions of their home or remote environment.
- Important Note: If the job requires multi-tasking and ‘juggling’ many elements, scores toward the Distractible side of the dimension are acceptable
These top five personality traits will help you predict top-performing remote employees. Remember to keep in mind the job requirements when interpreting candidate reports. Consider these traits in conjunction with the “ideal profile” benchmark for that type of job.
TalentClick is here to help support you with all your hiring and development needs. Check out this blog for more work-from-home content and see how managers can support their teams to thrive while working remotely.
