Hiring Remote Employees – Definition, Process & Practical Tips

Hiring remote employees means designing the entire recruiting process – from job posting through selection to onboarding – digitally and independent of location. Companies benefit from a larger talent pool and cost savings, but need to pay particular attention to objective selection methods, legal frameworks, and structured remote onboarding. Science-based aptitude diagnostics are becoming increasingly important, as traditional assessment methods lose validity in a virtual context.

Definition: What Does "Hiring Remote Employees" Mean?

Hiring remote employees describes the process of recruiting professionals who do not work at the company's physical location. Instead, these employees work from home, from a coworking space, or from another location – domestically or abroad.

Remote Hiring vs. Home Office vs. Hybrid Work

These terms are often used interchangeably, but they differ significantly. Remote hiring refers to employing people who work permanently from any location – often from another country. Home office refers to working from home, typically as a supplementary option alongside an office workplace. Hybrid work models combine both: employees spend some days in the office and some days working remotely.

For HR professionals, the distinction matters because legal requirements, contract design, and selection processes differ depending on the model.

Why More and More Companies Are Hiring Remotely

Current Data on Developments in Germany

Remote work has become permanently established since the COVID-19 pandemic. According to the Federal Statistical Office of Germany (Destatis), around 24 percent of all employed persons in Germany worked from home at least occasionally in 2024 – nearly double the 13 percent recorded in 2019. A study by the German Institute for Economic Research (DIW Berlin) shows that the share of employees working from home at least once a week rose from just over eleven to nearly 30 percent.

At the same time, employer offerings are growing. According to the Bertelsmann Foundation's Jobmonitor, 17.6 percent of all online job postings already included a home office option in 2023 – a fivefold increase compared to 2019. And according to a Randstad survey, two-thirds of the companies surveyed offered remote work in 2024.

Benefits for Companies and Candidates

For companies, remote recruiting opens access to a significantly larger talent pool. Rather than searching only regionally, organisations can attract skilled professionals nationally or even internationally. This can be decisive, especially for highly sought-after profiles in IT, marketing, or sales.

Additional benefits include lower costs for office space and infrastructure, higher employee satisfaction through flexibility, and potentially lower turnover. For candidates, remote work means less commuting time, a better work-life balance, and more freedom in choosing where to live.

The Remote Hiring Process Step by Step

Crafting Job Postings for Remote Positions

Remote job postings differ from traditional ones. It is important to clearly communicate the remote nature of the role: Is the position fully remote or hybrid? Are there in-office days? Are there restrictions regarding time zones or countries?

Terms like "remote," "work from home," or "location-independent" should appear in the job title itself. This improves visibility on job boards with remote filters and directly addresses candidates who are actively looking for flexible work arrangements.

Channels and Platforms for Remote Recruiting

In addition to traditional job boards like LinkedIn, Indeed, or StepStone, there are specialised platforms for remote positions. Your own careers page should also feature remote positions prominently. E-recruiting – the use of digital channels for talent acquisition – forms the foundation.

Employee referral programmes are also worthwhile. Existing team members often know suitable candidates and can assess whether someone is suited to remote work.

Conducting Virtual Interviews Professionally

In a video job interview, the goals remain the same as in an in-person meeting: assessing professional suitability and cultural fit. However, the virtual format requires specific preparation.

Ensure a stable technical setup and communicate the process clearly in advance. Structured interview guides help evaluate all candidates against the same criteria. This is especially important because subtle impressions during a video call – such as the background environment or technical equipment – can unconsciously influence the assessment. Such unconscious bias in recruiting can be reduced through standardised processes.

Objective Candidate Assessment in a Remote Context

The biggest challenge when hiring remotely: How do you evaluate candidates fairly and reliably when you never meet them in person? Gut feelings and informal impressions that arise during on-site interviews are absent in a digital process.

This is where aptitude diagnostics become essential. Scientifically validated methods such as online assessments or game-based assessments measure competencies objectively and in a standardised way – regardless of where the candidates are located. They deliver data-driven results instead of subjective evaluations, while simultaneously improving the candidate experience, as applicants can demonstrate their strengths rather than just submitting CVs.

The digital platform Aivy offers precisely these scientifically validated assessments, which work entirely independent of location. As a scientific spin-off of Freie Universität Berlin, the solution reduces unconscious bias and enables fair candidate selection based on actual competencies. Real-world results confirm this: MCI Deutschland was able to reduce its time-to-hire by 55 percent using digital aptitude diagnostics, with a 96 percent completion rate in the assessment and a 5x stronger predictive power compared to traditional methods.

Discover how the digital platform Aivy enables objective aptitude diagnostics for remote hiring

Key Competencies for Remote Work

Which Soft Skills Matter Most

Not everyone is automatically suited to remote work. Certain competencies are particularly important in a remote context:

• Self-organisation: Independently structuring the workday without direct supervision
• Communication skills: Clear written and verbal communication, including asynchronously (i.e. on a time-delayed basis, e.g. via chat or email rather than live meetings)
• Personal responsibility: Working proactively and solving problems independently
• Technical proficiency: Confident use of digital tools and collaboration platforms
• Results orientation: Focus on outcomes rather than physical presence

How to Measure Remote Competencies in the Selection Process

These competencies cannot be reliably identified from a CV alone. A structured job requirements profile helps define the relevant criteria in advance. Building on this, scientifically validated assessment methods can measure precisely these attributes – such as problem-solving ability, conscientiousness, or cultural fit.

Legal Framework

Domestic Remote Hiring

When remote employees are hired within Germany, German labour law applies – regardless of whether they work in the office or from home. The employment contract should clearly regulate the place of work, working hours, availability, and data protection. The Working Hours Act (Arbeitszeitgesetz, ArbZG), occupational health and safety regulations, and the GDPR also apply to home office arrangements.

International Remote Hiring and Employer of Record

Hiring employees abroad is more complex. As a general rule, the labour law of the employee's country of residence applies – not that of the employer's country. Companies must comply with local regulations regarding minimum wage, leave entitlements, social security contributions, and taxes.

A common solution is the Employer of Record (EOR) – a service provider that acts as the official employer in the target country and handles contracts, payroll, and compliance. This allows companies to hire internationally without establishing their own legal entity abroad.

Remote Onboarding: How to Get It Right

Structured onboarding is particularly important for remote hires, as new employees cannot simply absorb the team culture informally. Proven approaches include:

• Before day one: Provide technical equipment and tool access, send a welcome package, share a schedule for the first week
• Buddy system: Assign an experienced team member as a dedicated point of contact
• Regular check-ins: Schedule daily or at least weekly conversations during the first few weeks
• Clear milestones: Communicate expectations and goals for the onboarding period transparently
• Convey culture: Create virtual team events, shared rituals, and informal opportunities for exchange

Frequently Asked Questions About Hiring Remote Employees

What does hiring remote employees mean?

Hiring remote employees means conducting the entire recruiting process digitally and independent of location. This includes job posting, candidate selection, contract signing, and onboarding – all without physical presence at the company's office.

What are the benefits of hiring remote employees?

The main benefits are access to a larger talent pool (nationally and internationally), cost savings on office space and infrastructure, and higher employee satisfaction through flexibility. Studies also show that remote employees are often more productive and satisfied.

How do I conduct a virtual job interview?

Ensure a stable technical setup and communicate the process in advance. Use structured interview guides to evaluate all candidates against the same criteria. Be mindful not to let the video call environment influence your assessment. Additionally, you can use objective aptitude diagnostics to validate personal impressions with data-driven results.

What competencies do remote employees need?

Key competencies include self-organisation, strong communication skills (written and verbal), personal responsibility, technical proficiency, and results orientation. These competencies can be measured using scientifically validated assessment tools during the selection process.

How can I assess candidates objectively without meeting them in person?

Use scientifically validated aptitude diagnostics such as online assessments or game-based assessments. These measure competencies in a standardised way, independent of location. Combine multiple selection stages – such as an assessment, a structured interview, and a practical task – for a reliable overall picture.

What legal aspects should I consider?

For domestic remote positions, local labour law applies. The employment contract should clearly address the place of work, working hours, and data protection. For international hires, the labour law of the employee's country of residence applies. An Employer of Record (EOR) can help ensure compliance.

How do I make remote onboarding successful?

Create a structured onboarding plan with clear milestones. Provide technology and tool access in advance, assign a buddy, and schedule regular check-ins during the first few weeks.

Where can I find remote employees?

Use specialised remote job boards, mainstream platforms with remote filters (LinkedIn, Indeed, StepStone), your own careers page, and employee referral programmes. Make sure the remote nature of the role is clearly stated in the job title.

Conclusion

For many companies, hiring remote employees is no longer a trend but a strategic necessity. A larger talent pool, cost savings, and greater flexibility clearly support this approach. At the same time, the remote hiring process requires particular diligence in candidate assessment, legal compliance, and onboarding.

Precisely because personal impressions are absent in a virtual selection process, objective, data-driven aptitude diagnostics become a key technology. Those who rely on scientifically validated methods make better hiring decisions – regardless of where candidates are located.

Looking to strengthen your remote hiring process with objective aptitude diagnostics? The digital platform Aivy supports you with scientifically validated game-based assessments and questionnaires – fully digital, location-independent, and GDPR-compliant.

Sources

• Home Office 2024 Similarly Widespread as Previous Year. Federal Statistical Office of Germany (Destatis), 2025
• Home Office Established in Germany, but Major Differences in Usage. DIW Berlin, 2024.
• Jobmonitor: Employers Attract Skilled Workers with Growing Home Office Offerings. Bertelsmann Foundation, 2024.
• Remote Work Offerings in Companies in Germany 2024. Randstad, 2024.
• Guide 2025: Hiring & Managing Remote Employees. Deel, 2025.