Virtual Vetting: Mastering Pre-AssessmentTests for Remote Jobs

Remote work is becoming the new normal. Since 2009, the number of employees who work from home has increased by 159%, and around 62% of employees are hybrid workers who split their time between home and the workplace.

A growing number of companies are 100% remote, and by 2025, around 32.6 million Americans (about 22% of the workforce) will work remotely. One factor driving this trend is that 98% of workers want to work remotely at least some of the time. Another reason is that companies find employees are more productive when they work remotely.

Organizations need to adjust their hiring practices to recruit candidates who can work independently and collaborate effectively with team members who work remotely. Most businesses have implemented assessment solutions and use online job assessment tests to screen, hire, and onboard top-quality employees. These are some of the best practices they have adopted.

Online Pre-Assessment Tests for Jobs

Many companies have been using pre-assessment tests for jobs for years, so transitioning to remote and hybrid work simply means they must rethink some of their screening, hiring, and onboarding processes. HR teams in some organizations still screen candidates by reviewing resumes and conducting interviews. They have a bigger transition because they must first add online job assessment tests into their hiring process.

Online job assessment tests have proven to be effective for evaluating candidates for remote jobs because they help hiring teams measure skills such as: 

• Cognitive Reasoning: Remote employees must be able to work effectively with minimal supervision. So, critical thinking, problem-solving, and analytical reasoning are essential.
  
• Computer Skills: According to the National Skills Coalition, 92% of jobs require at least basic computer proficiency, and over 90% of companies worldwide use MS Office (i.e., Word, Excel, PowerPoint, and Outlook).
  
• Online Communication and Collaboration: Remote employees cannot communicate with co-workers and customers face-to-face, so they must be adept at using project management applications like Google Docs and Dropbox and online conferencing tools like Zoom and WebEx.

HR teams can also use eSkill’s general pre-assessment tests for jobs such as Phone and Email Etiquette, Basic Math, and Multitasking and Digital Literacy simulations to verify applicants have the fundamental skills needed to work remotely.

Virtual Onboarding

Implementing an effective onboarding process is important so new hires can adjust to their jobs quickly, acquire the skills they need to succeed, and become contributing team members faster. It can also improve retention. In a study by the Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM), 69% of employees said they are more likely to stay with an organization if they have a good onboarding experience.

Online job assessment tests enable companies to streamline onboarding by helping new hires get up to speed on company rules, regulations, and procedures and learn software applications and systems. HR professionals and managers can also use data from pre-assessment tests for jobs to create personalized training programs for new hires.

Online job assessment test results show what skills new employees have mastered and areas where they are deficient. HR professionals and managers can use this information to create customized training regimens that skip areas the new hire already knows and focus training on areas where they need more help.

They can also use pre-assessment tests for jobs to identify employees who are ready to be promoted or could be if they were provided with appropriate training. This helps reduce turnover because, according to SHRM, 76% of employees say they will likely stay at a company that offers training opportunities.

Remote and Hybrid Hiring Trends

Some companies want employees to return to the office. However, the genie is out of the bottle. Employees have found they like having the option to work remotely. So, they are digging in their heels. Other companies have embraced remote and hybrid work options because they have seen an improvement in productivity.

• 3M allows office workers to customize a work arrangement that best suits their needs. As vice president of enterprise workplace strategy, Aman Gupta said, “We want employees to get their work done and deliver results. We don’t care where they are and when they do it.”

• Airbnb allows employees to work remotely in over 170 countries for up to 90 days a year in each location. Dave Stephenson, Airbnb CFO and head of employee experience, said the company has seen a 40% increase in revenue, and employee turnover has dropped to below 10%.

• Autodesk offers perks such as reimbursement for work-from-home expenses and the option to work from anywhere worldwide for a month each year. Rebecca Pearce, chief people officer, says that since the company started offering flexible work arrangements, it has seen a 58% increase in job applications, an 82% increase in female candidates, and a 45% increase in candidates from underrepresented groups. 

Get Started with Online Job Assessment Tests

Top candidates prefer remote and hybrid jobs, and many will not consider a job that requires them to work full-time in an office. So, to attract top candidates, you must ensure your hiring teams can use pre-assessment tests for jobs to evaluate candidates’ suitability for remote and hybrid job roles.

Are you ready to learn how online job assessment tests can help you hire the best remote and hybrid employees? Contact eSkill to request a demo.