How to build a remote team of A-players

A-Players: Building a Remote Team Who Can Win

A guide on how to build and retain an elite team of remote workers you can rely on

You want to build a team of remote team A-players.

Whether you’re a business owner, entrepreneur, founder or hiring manager, you’re probably familiar with that sinking feeling that comes with hiring and unable to find that rockstar talent.

You started by casting your net wide, hoping to find those amazing bunch of candidates, but instead you’re left sifting through a sea of resumes that are either don’t meet the bar or are just too expensive to hire locally.

So far, you most likely already have built a local core team of A-players, but you’re now thinking about delegating some tasks to a remote team.

While the ideas of hiring remotely is enticing, it does bring its own set of challenges – can you be sure that the team you’re building remotely meets the same high standards as you would demand from your local team?

We’ll cover what this could like for your business and provide practical tips on how to ensure you can start to build a culture of excellence with your remote team.

What Remote Hiring Could Look Like

Imagine a world where remote hiring isn’t just a workaround but actually, an optimized strategy.

Global Talent Access

You’re no longer limited by geographic constraints. Your team could consist of the best talent from around the world, bringing a diversity of thought that traditional hiring can’t match.

Cost Efficiency

You can also take advantage of the lower cost of hiring in other regions. Additionally, without the need for office space, commute costs, or relocation expenses, your budget stretches further, potentially allowing for better allocation of capital into growth i.e. marketing, product development, and even more talent acquisition.

Technology Leverage

Given the nature of the internet, most of the world is now connected with each other. This has brought many regions online and created a supply of talent that is continuing to grow. Roles across technology, administration, and operations can now be achieved seamlessly over the web with close to real-time communications. All of this has consolidated and unified workforces across borders.

Flexibility and Increased Productivity

Research has also shown that remote workers often have higher productivity rates due to fewer distractions, the ability to work in their most productive environments, and control over their work schedules. It’s fair to say that most of us have all experienced this type of work paradigm since 2020 and this trend is continuing to grow.

But building a remote workforce can still be challenging.

Managers want to have performant teams contributing to business growth regardless of where they are and what cost savings that might bring.

Here is a quick guide on how to do this properly with teams both locally, but even more so who are remote.

How to Attract and Retain A-Players

Define your A-Player

We recommend you begin by establishing a clear profile and definition of what makes someone an ‘A-player‘ for your organization – every business is different.

Write it down and share it with your leadership team and even the hiring managers. Make sure everyone understands what is expected of this individual both in-house and remotely. Doing this sets the bar right from the beginning and provides the hiring team to quickly evaluate candidates based on this profile.

Bear in mind that this isn’t limited to technical skills but extends to personality traits, work ethic, adaptability, and especially the capacity for effective remote collaboration.

Use Technology

The digital tools you employ can either enhance or hinder your hiring process. Use video interviews for a more human touch, project management tools for transparency, and collaboration platforms like Slack to simulate office synergy digitally.

Doing this correctly can create strong foundations for good communication but also accountability and responsibility of all members.

Build a remote-Friendly Culture

Your culture must translate well into a remote environment.

This involves more than just virtual happy hours; it’s about creating a sense of community through regular check-ins, open channels of communication, and ensuring every team member feels valued, regardless of their physical location.

Specialized Assessments

When hiring remotely, doing traditional interviews might not work as well compared to doing it locally.

It’s best to implement work-sample tests or real-world projects that candidates can complete independently. This not only tests their technical proficiency but also their ability to work autonomously and solve problems.

If they’re proactive, excited and willing to go above and beyond, it’s probably a good sign.

In-Depth Reference Checks

When it comes to verifying references, we suggest you focus on how candidates performed in remote setups.

You should ask about their communication styles, how they managed remote projects, and their ability to self-start and meet deadlines without direct supervision.

Investing in Continued Growth

A-players seek environments that challenge them.

Establish continuous learning opportunities, mentorship programs, and clear pathways for career advancement within the business. This not only attracts top talent but also retains them too over the long term.

Building an Elite Hybrid Workforce

The steps to building a remote teams of A-players is less about chance and more about deliberate strategy, and cultural alignment.

By setting a high bar from the beginning, leveraging technology to enhance the hiring process and nurturing a culture that supports remote work, you’re not just hiring; you’re strategically constructing a team will not only be productive but can also deliver results.

Here’s a summary of the key takeaways:

Define your A-player: Know exactly what you’re looking for before you start the search
Use technology: Use technology at every step to streamline and personalize the hiring process.
Build a culture of excellence: Make remote work feel inclusive and engaging for every team member.
Continuous improvement: A-players need to see a path for personal and professional growth.

Work With Guild

If you have been thinking about hiring people remotely and still on the fence, you can reach out to the Guild team to learn more about how we can help you source, vet, onboard and embed A-player candidates into your team, while also taking care of all the paperwork, compliance and payroll that comes with it.