As today’s world becomes more interwoven with the global market, exploring unconventional work arrangements is gaining importance even at the federal level. Early last year, President Obama spoke at a forum dedicated to discussing these issues. “Work is what you do, not where you are,” he noted.

Many employers are wary of introducing telecommuting options to their workforce due to concerns of productivity when employees work from home. However, it has actually been shown that employees are more productive when working remotely since they avoid the many distractions of an office environment, not to mention the wasted time and frustration caused by having to commute.

According to a February 2011 study conducted by 7th Sense Research, among 3,500 employees, 62 percent believe their productivity increases when they work remotely.

Not only does hiring remote talent reduce the need for additional expensive office real estate, it reduces overhead costs and boosts work-life balance as well.

At the same time, telecommuting doesn’t work for everyone. Certain employees work best in a structured office environment. For this reason, here are some things talent leaders should take into consideration when looking into hiring a remote worker:

• Look for someone who is disciplined and who can manage his or her own time without the constant reinforcement of face-to-face time with management in the office. Someone who thrives on professional interaction will not be a fit.
• Find a candidate who’s beyond self-motivated. As this is an essential quality for every worker to have, remote employees need to supervise themselves well and manage their time effectively to complete tasks in a timely manner.

When wording policies and setting expectations for telecommuters, communicate clearly:
• If the worker is in a different time zone, must they have complete availability during the working hours of the main office?
• How much face time will there be? Daily live video chats? Monthly or quarterly onsite meetings? Company-wide annual events or celebrations?
• Sick and vacation day policies. When employees work from home already, they may feel obligated to continue working rather than take a sick day.
• How accountability will be measured and monitored.