CEO & Founder of Rocket Station Robert Nickell always knew he was going to be a business professional. At first, he tried his hand on Wall Street, but he hated it. Originally thinking he wanted a cubicle-corporate job and to work his way up to the big corner office, he was taken aback when he realized how soul-crushing that world was.

Some people love it and feed off of it; others simply don’t. Nickell was part of the latter group.

After two years spent studying and disliking college, he got his realtor’s license — but he still felt like he was on a dreadful hamster wheel in his new profession.

Dissatisfied and discouraged, Nickell took a shot at starting his own business. He now runs a successful system and process management system — one of the best in the real estate industry. It is a virtual assistant placement center that documents everything for its clients and utilizes offshore employees to take repetitive tasks off the plates of teams so they can make better use of their time.

“Remote teams are the way of the future,” stated Nickell. “Whether large or small, companies are facing the reality that they must be equipped with remote working capabilities.”

Remote work is extremely popular now with the advent of COVID-19, but how do you hire remote employees and make sure you’re getting what you pay for? Nickell shares his expertise with us below.

Culture and Communication

Ask yourself when on the new hire hunt, ‘Will this candidate fit into my virtual environment?’ and ‘Do they fit into my company’s structure?’

Remember that your company’s virtual environment is an extension of your in-office structure and culture. Don’t overthink this part. If you have a rude, lazy team, they will be rude and lazy in the metaverse. If they are bubbly, hard workers, the same will apply online.

“Communication is key, especially when it comes to remote teams,” said Nickell. “Ensure that your employees are communicating well and have access to each other. Open communication promotes a culture of transparency, and you want everyone working together to be on the same page.”

Keep Your ‘End’ in Mind

Further, ask yourself, ‘Do I want this person to stay with the company until I move on or retire?’ Don’t hire someone as a temporary fix. Take the time on the front end to find someone, or multiple people, to properly fill available roles.

“Goals hold people accountable. When goals are set and clear from the beginning, you are creating an atmosphere of accountability, letting success drive itself,” states Robert. “If you build an environment where people can work with little to no oversight, your employees can complete their tasks from anywhere.”

Make Sure They Can Use Your Systems

If you already have processes, tools, and structures in place, your new employee(s) need(s) to be able to use them well. Some mild training is always expected with any new hire, but basic knowledge of your programs can be a total game changer.

“Technology has been the ultimate catalyst to remote work,” explained Nickell. “With the right tools, the set-up for remote teams should lend itself seamlessly to a positive working environment. With the advancements we have in technology today, we have options at our fingertips expanding the traditional boundaries of the office.”

Through Rocket Station, Nickell has built thousands of fully dedicated remote teams for his clients since 2018, promoting morale and embracing virtual work.

“Remote work is changing our views on productivity,” said Nickell. “And we are seeing people get more work done, more efficiently.”

About Robert Nickell

Robert Nickell is the Founder and CEO of Rocket Station, the leading provider of outsourced staffing and process management in the real estate industry. Rocket Station knows that finding the right people for your business is hard. They give their clients a clear process for finding virtual teammates that can fuel their success. For more information, visit https://rocketstation.com/

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