reprinted with permission from the HP Small Business Center
The economic downturn that sent financial shivers through all businesses and the unemployment rate skyrocketing has a silver lining especially for small and medium businesses. With the economy turning around, and your business poised for growth, you have access to perhaps the world’s greatest talent pool ever.
The new era of connected mobility collapses time and distance; you can tap the potential of motivated and highly skilled individuals located almost anywhere!
The ‘perfect’ candidate three time zones away may prove a better choice for your business than the ‘very good’ candidate located in the same city as your operations.
Outsourcing repetitive tasks and some functions offers many benefits. But other times your business demands having the sustained contribution of a full-time employee.
So how do you find, equip, and maximize the potential of these mobile workers? Here are a few ideas to consider.
To find them, think like them. . .
Make sure the job description on your web site stands out! What intangible qualities do want your employee to possess? One music-related business in search of a marketing manager wanted to know which song they’d play at the office. Be creative.
Put your social network to work. Spread the word to your LinkedIn connections. Your employees may be willing to do the same to their connections. Increasingly, Twitter is used to match employers with potential employees.
Check references, as well as your candidate’s online presence. Arrange a video teleconference rather than only a phone interview. Some businesses rely on firms such as PI Worldwide that use surveys to make science-based decisions on individual’s potential.
Provide the right tools, the right mobile infrastructure
Now that you’ve made an important investment in human capital, it’s time to make the right technology investment. Technology, simply put, is the lifeblood of your mobile workforce. It enables them to connect, collaborate, create, report, print, prospect, code, propose, and much more.
The specific function of an employee will determine whether she requires a laptop, a desktop PC or a powerful workstation.
The ability to print high quality color or black and white documents, locally and remotely, is often a key requirement.
A support plan can minimize downtime.
Inspire!
Despite having access to the best technology, working remotely is sometimes isolating. Engage your extended, mobile workforce as you do your employees who sit nearby.
Face-to-face meetings, even once a year, promote relationship building among team members.
Be aware of the challenges your mobile workers face. If they participate in meetings by phone, for example, it is difficult to hear soft-spoken individuals, and impossible to participate in side conversations.
Set goals and objectives together and ask for regular status updates in writing—a best practice for all employees.
Take advantage!
Incredible talent is out there! Find, equip, and inspire the newest members of your mobile team, and your business will reap the benefits of the potential you unleash.
