Blog · Barclay Jones

How to Maximise the Productivity of Your Remote Recruiters

The recruitment world has changed—and whether your team is hybrid, remote-first, or fully virtual, one thing hasn’t: performance still matters. But without the buzz of an office, the whiteboards, and the shoulder taps, the Mars Bar incentives, how do you keep productivity high without becoming a recruitment micromanager?With so much tech and data, it's easy for procrastination and "admin-first" mentality to sneak in - and phone and face time with candidates and client suffers - and pipelines are not robust enough.But as a leader of a recruitment team or firm, I bet you're still waiting for the memo on how to manage your teams to max productivity...Here’s are some thoughts on recruitment leaders can set up their remote / hybrid teams for success—with clarity, connection, and commercial focus.1. Shift the Focus to Outcomes, Not HoursThe most productive recruiters aren’t always the ones who log on early or appear busy all day—they’re the ones who deliver results. Set expectations around outcomes: interviews booked, candidates submitted, jobs filled. Productivity isn’t about presenteeism; it’s about performance.You can call these KPIs, or simply "brilliant basics" - call them what you need to but, be clear on your goals and expectations. 2. Run Daily Huddles to Set the PaceA short 10–15 minute morning huddle can align the team around daily goals, hot jobs, and potential roadblocks. It keeps activity visible and creates a sense of shared momentum, even across screens. Don't scrimp on these kick offs / cool downs - they are vital to help your team (and you) stay connected.3. Use Dashboards to Drive ConversationsLive dashboards in your CRM (like Bullhorn) are powerful tools—but only if used constructively. Track key KPIs / Analytics / deliverables like CVs sent, interviews scheduled, and pipeline activity. Ensure that your tech can easily track these goals to ensure that your CRM/ATS is a single source of truth.4. Coach in the MomentFeedback shouldn't wait for end-of-week reviews. If a recruiter is struggling with outreach, sourcing, or conversion—jump on a quick call or screen-share. Remote doesn’t have to mean distant.5. Over-Communicate (Yes, Really)In an office, information travels quickly. Remotely, you need to be intentional. Encourage regular Slack / MS Teams / Zoom etc... updates, team chats, even voice notes. It’s not about overloading people—it’s about keeping everyone in the loop and engaged.6. Structure the Day for SuccessHelp recruiters design their day with clear time blocks: sourcing, BD, admin, follow-up. Get these diarised and transparent. Without the natural rhythm of an office, distractions creep in. Time-blocking restores focus.7. Celebrate the Small WinsThat candidate who finally returned the call? The new job lead from an old client? Shout it out! Wins matter more than ever when working remotely—recognition drives motivation and retention.We recommend, for example, an MS Teams channel devoted to team / people successes. And ensure that the team feel empowered to shout out each other's successes.8. Check In (Not Just Check On)Don’t just ask for numbers. It's too easy, when managing people remotely, to focus on the work outputs - as a leader you need to be better / different. Ask how they’re doing. Engage in what makes them tick. Remote work can feel isolating, for both you an them, especially in high-pressure sales environments. Regular check-ins help uncover hidden blockers—and show that you care.9. Give Them the Right Tools (and Training)Make sure your recruiters and resourcers have access to the tools they need—video calling platforms, up-to-date CRM access, and workflow automation. Then layer in continuous training so they can use the tools confidently and commercially. This is especially important if you have AI / Autoamtion tools. Training on the why, as well as the how, can be empowering and drive change quicker. Simply turning them on with minimal training risks "buy-out".10. Keep the Culture AliveFrom monthly leaderboards to virtual quizzes and Friday wrap-ups, make space for team bonding. How about a weekly quiz, using Kahoot or MS Teams, and each week a different team member runs it? High-performing teams thrive on connection—don’t let geography erode your culture.Final Thought: Set the Standard, Then Drive ItRemote recruitment teams thrive when there’s clarity and consistency.Create a simple “how we work” playbook—when check-ins happen, how KPIs are tracked, what good looks like.Then empower your recruiters to own their day, backed by your coaching and tools.The market won’t wait—and neither should your recruitment team. Productivity is a habit, and with the right leadership, remote recruiters can be a super-powerful asset.Want help building a remote recruitment process or smarter Bullhorn workflows? Let’s talk. I offer free consultations to help leaders like you unlock better performance—wherever your team logs in from.BOOK YOUR FREE CONSULTATION

Automation RoI Webinar Series: Unlock Bullhorn Part 4 ~ Place Faster and Easier

Recruitment is a high-speed, high-stakes game—and your best bet for keeping up without burning out and missing opportunities to grow? Smart, strategic automation.You and your team need to be working the right jobs, and proactively driving your placement process.That’s exactly what we’ll cover in Part 4 of our “Unlock Bullhorn” webinar series—a speedy free webinar dedicated to automations that actually make you money (not just make you busy).REGISTER NOWRemove Admin + Add PlacementsLet’s face it: recruiters are doing more than ever, admin bogs down process, and time is still being wasted. Candidate and client expectations and experience needs actively managing, so that you have a better chance of placing (and re-placing!)Just look at the numbers from Bullhorn / CIPD / LinkedIn:👻 57% of candidates ghost when communication drops. Automate the follow-up—stop the silence.⏳ Top candidates are snapped up in under 10 days. You don’t have time to waste on manual reminders.💼 80% of your placements come from just 20% of your database. Automating reactivation workflows could be your secret weapon.📬 89% of candidates engage faster with proactive outreach. Let automation help you get there first.🔁 60% of clients say they want better communication—not more CVs. Automated touchpoints can help you deliver consistency at scale.💑 Only 29% of customers are fully engaged, which means a massive 71% of your clients need you to do more for them to keep them focussed.These stats all point to one thing: take control of your process—because candidates and clients won’t do it for you.And it starts with using Bullhorn better and creating an automation strategy which creates time and space to actively manage your placements.🧠What You’ll Learn in the WebinarThis session is built for leaders and automators who want to stop wasting time and start driving opportunities. Expect actionable insight into:✅ The right automations: From task triggers to email sequences, learn what should (and shouldn’t) be automated in Bullhorn.✅ Cleaner data, better decisions: See how to use automation to regularly tidy, tag, and enrich your CRM—without lifting a finger.✅ Save time every day: We’ll walk you through automation flows that free up hours of admin so you can focus on placing.✅ More placements, less chaos: Cut the clutter and bring order to your Bullhorn workflows with systems that actually stick.💪Let Automation Do the Heavy LiftingIf your team’s stretched thin, stuck in spreadsheets, you're worried about risky placements, or simply not making the most of Bullhorn—you can’t afford to miss this.Better recruitment doesn't come from working longer—it comes from working smarter. Let Bullhorn Automation do the "boring" bits, so you can do what you do best: build relationships and make placements.📅 When? 16 July 15:00 BSTREGISTER NOWPS. Want to go even further? Check out our "Unlock Bullhorn with Automation" series.🔍 24 April 2025: Automate sourcing to find qualified candidates faster and with less effort. Watch the recording💬 21 May 2025: Engage with candidates on autopilot and nurture relationships effectively. Watch the recording📈 18 June 2025: Sell easier and faster. Watch the recording💡 16 July 2025: Place easier and faster. Register nowAutomation Buddy / Bullhorn RoIWe are Automation Buddies set on helping ambitious recruitment businesses who want to increase speed and sales.We coach to inspire, and build your automations so you can recruit and sell!Plus, through our Bullhorn Vision service we help generate serious ROI from your Bullhorn, data, and people.READ ABOUT OUR AUTOMATION BUDDY SERVICECONTACT US ABOUT BULLHORN ROI