Sara Sutton Fell, CEO & Founder, FlexJobs

In an economy where employers are asking employees to do more with less, companies may have trouble retaining and finding new talent. But flexible work arrangements such as telecommuting and flexible schedules are often-overlooked benefits which employees appreciate now more than ever. Combine the employee satisfaction and productivity boost which come from flexible work arrangements with the employer’s cost savings through greater retention, increased recruiting pools, and office space reductions, and flexible work arrangements begin to look like a no-brainer. So, how can employers go about recruiting flexible or remote workers?

First, it’s important for employers to determine which departments and specific jobs are conducive to telecommuting and flexible schedules. Positions which rely heavily on computers and phones are excellent places to start. Even front-facing positions can be flexible, allowing employees to work from home on certain days, or to come in earlier or later in the day. Also, companies looking to expand their reach into other states or regions should consider hiring telecommuters who are based in those areas, rather than creating a new office.

The next thing to consider is how managers will communicate with remote staff members. By having communication procedures in place before the recruiting process begins, recruiters can demonstrate to candidates that they’re serious about supporting them as telecommuters. And solid communication is essential to the success of any flexible work arrangement. Communication tools like message boards, instant messaging, email, phone, project management programs, and video and teleconferencing software are fantastic means of communication for widespread teams. Make sure that everyone is involved, and that managers and coworkers alike understand and accept the communication procedures set in place.

Once those details are ironed out, the recruiting process can begin. Job postings for flexible jobs need to be specific about the type of flexibility involved with the job. The qualities required of potential candidates need to be tweaked as well. Be sure to include key qualities like self-motivation, organization, resourcefulness, communication, and time management. Telecommuting candidates should have a dedicated home office and the job posting should spell out the expected work schedule, including hours per day or week for any type of flexible work arrangement.

After candidates have been identified, interviews can begin. If interviews are being conducted solely over the phone, recruiters may want to consider video conferencing through Skype or other software if they are uncomfortable going without body language and facial expressions. Otherwise, phone interviews can be a fantastic way to screen candidates provided the best questions are asked. In addition to a recruiter’s regular interview questions, more probing questions like, “What methods of communication do you prefer?”; “How do you prioritize your work and stay focused?”; and “Why do you want to work at home?” should be included.

An excellent way to gauge a remote candidate’s abilities is to give them a piece of homework or a task as a test to see how they would do their job. Provide directions and a time-limit for whatever test is chosen. This not only gives recruiters an idea of how well a candidate would do in a particular position, but it also gives the candidate a chance to prove themselves as a telecommuter.

Once a candidate has been chosen, the on-boarding process for flexible and remote workers should include a few specific things. New employees should interact with the members of their team as much as possible at first so that everyone gets to know each other and starts to communicate regularly. In order for remote workers to be successful, they need to be made a part of the team by “attending” regular meetings to be updated and to provide their own updates. Have remote workers collaborate with in-office workers on projects to bridge the virtual divide and to build trusting relationships.

Employers who support flexible work arrangements need to continuously tend to them in order to be successful. Let productivity take a back seat every once and a while to find out about remote workers’ weekends, children, families, and hobbies. Essentially, create a virtual water cooler where remote and in-office coworkers can gather to connect. Creating and maintaining this connection is critical to building trusting relationships, and trust is the key component to successful flexible work arrangements.

Sara Sutton Fell is an online job market expert whose company, FlexJobs, is the leading career website for telecommuting, flexible, part-time, and freelance work opportunities. FlexJobs is a free resource for employers to source, screen, and recruit top-notch candidates for telecommuting and flexible jobs.