Seven Tips for Tapping into the Remote African Workforce
Remote work is clearly here to stay with companies around the world adapting to either a fully remote or a hybrid work system. Talent all over the world are demanding more flexibility, and work-life balance and companies have been left with no option but to adjust to the new normal.
The benefits of remote work do not extend to employees alone. In a 2020 survey, there was reportedly a 47% increase in the productivity of employees who now worked from home. Remote work offers companies access to a diverse talent pool- don’t just hire the best person in your state, hire the best person in the world, improve employee retention and lower overhead costs, to name a few.
With these in consideration, it is no surprise that companies who want to stay ahead of the competition and ensure they have the best talent in their workforce, are offering remote work opportunities to potential employees who live anywhere in the world. What better continent to turn to than Africa, which is now commonly referred to as the continent with the youngest population and has about 500 million people in its workforce?
As pioneers of remote work, at Propel, we see the need to ensure that companies have access to this ever-enlarging pool of top tech talent in Africa. It can however be quite difficult and perhaps overwhelming to tap into this workforce which is why we have created this resource to help guide you and ensure you are able to position yourself properly, so you can have access to the right talent fit for your company.
Below are 7 Tips for Tapping into the Remote African Workforce:
- Clarify Expectations and Responsibilities
- Leverage niche communities
- Cast your net into a vetted talent pool
- Update Employee Policies to Accommodate Diverse and Cross-cultural Talent
- Leverage technology to make Work Flow Easier
- Offer Fair and Competitive compensation
- Be Flexible and Offer Support
Let’s examine these tips in detail:
- Clarify Expectations and Responsibilities
Just like anywhere else on the continent, it is important for companies to have properly spelt out job roles and descriptions so that they can attract the right talent for them.
Clearly stating what you want and expect from candidates helps to rule out any confusion and gives you a better chance of hiring correctly. Down the line, it can also help employees you hire know the exact metrics for success and ensure your company achieves its goal.
2. Update Employee Policies to Accommodate Diverse and Cross-cultural Talent
Put in place forward-looking policies that would enable prospective employees to feel like your company has taken the time out to create space for them. Beyond compensation, employees are now focused on other offerings from firms that can optimize productivity and make them feel accepted. In a Glassdoor survey, 76% of employees stated that diversity was important to them when evaluating a company.
Beyond policies, including simple things in your workflow such as practicing active listening, maintaining etiquette, asking non-intrusive questions and showing interest in learning about prospective employees’ cultures can help you not just attract the right talent in Africa, but also improve employee retention.
3. Cast your net into a vetted talent pool
To save time in looking for your next hire and ensure that you are engaging only top talent in the workforce, reach out to organizations or companies in Africa that offer access to vetted talent pools to help with your hiring.
Candidates in vetted talent pools have undergone at least some form of screening, interviewing, and skills assessment process by experienced subject matter experts before they are presented to you, so at least half of your hiring problems are solved.
Propel, for example, gives companies access to top African tech talent through a data-driven approach and integrated service offers.
4. Leverage Niche Communities
Your company may be trying to penetrate into a workforce with about 500 million individuals, and perhaps only 1% of that workforce possess the skill set and attitude that you’re looking for.
This is where communities come into play. In Africa, communities have served as the lifeblood of existence for many years and will continue to do so.
Reach out to niche communities that will most likely comprise the kind of talent you seek. For example, if you’re looking for a UI Designer in Africa, you should probably be searching for Designer Communities in Africa and try reaching out to them to collaborate with you so you can achieve your hiring needs faster.
Asides from having a vetted talent pool, Propel is also building Africa’s largest community-powered ecosystem. This means that access to Propel automatically gives you access to different communities on the continent. Think of it like going to a Walmart, but for African talent communities.
5. Leverage Technology To Make Work Flow Easier
As you probably already know, technology is the driving force of remote work. It is important for companies looking to hire remotely to have systems that can foster communication and collaboration with talent, regardless of where they are on the continent.
Help talent create a work environment that fosters creativity and productivity by including workspace support tools such as computers, Ipads, internet allowance, etc as perks that come with accepting an offer from your company.
Furthermore, going out of your way to plan virtual events that can encourage team bonding and enable your company to develop a solid team culture goes a long way in attracting and retaining employees. When prospective talent sees the tools and support systems you have put in place to facilitate seamless remote work, they are more likely going to be attracted to your company.
6. Offer Fair and Competitive compensation
Unfortunately, many companies view African talent as synonymous with cheap labor. While it is true that hiring from a different country can save you significant amounts on labor costs, it is also important for companies to offer fair compensation and avoid the exploitation of employees.
Try to settle on a figure that is higher than what most companies, particularly in Africa, are offering and also include perks such as health insurance, parental leave, and paid vacation — to name a few.
7. Be Flexible and Offer Support
Ultimately, talent, particularly, top talent is not driven just by salaries, but by companies that seem to show as much care for their wellbeing and growth as they are expected to have for the company’s growth.
When hiring remotely, remember that talent may face unique challenges like syncing time zones, epileptic power cuts, and problems fitting into the work culture, so anticipate these challenges beforehand and try to find creative solutions for them.
Be flexible and willing to offer support so that you can find the right fit for your company and ensure they stay long-term.
With these tips, we hope it will be easier for you to tap into the remote African workforce and feel a little more prepared than you were before reading this article. If you have any questions about finding remote talent in Africa, or you would like to know more about what we do, feel free to reach out to us here.
Good luck and Go PRO with your next hire!
