Guide
How to hire remote staff for a UK business
A practical guide to writing the brief, choosing the right route, checking the basics and setting up the first month.
The short answer
Write the brief first, then choose how to hire
Write a one page brief before you speak to anyone. Decide whether you want an employee, a contractor or a recruitment partner. Check the legal basics, test the candidate on real work, and plan the first month before day one. The brief and the first month matter more than the interview.
In this guide
Written by the Zemash team. Last reviewed 3 November 2026.
- Write the role brief
- Choose the route
- Check the legal basics
- Test on real work
- Plan the first month
1. Write the role brief
A remote role fails quietly when nobody can say what good looks like. Before you speak to a candidate, put the following on one page:
- The outcome the role exists to produce, in one sentence.
- The five to eight tasks that fill most of the week.
- The tools the person will use and who owns each login.
- Working hours, and which of them must overlap with your team.
- Who the person reports to and how often you will check in.
- What you expect after 30, 60 and 90 days.
You can build this with our remote role brief builder. It runs in your browser and does not store anything.
2. Choose the route
There are three common routes. Each puts cost, control and responsibility in a different place.
Compare the routes
Employee, contractor or recruitment partner
| Route | Who manages the person | Works well when | Watch for |
|---|---|---|---|
| Direct employee | You | The role is core and ongoing, and you want to direct how the work is done | You carry the employer duties: contract, payroll, pension, holiday and equipment |
| Contractor | You, within the terms of the contract | The work is a defined project or a gap with a clear end | Employment status, and for contractors who work through their own company, the off payroll (IR35) rules |
| Recruitment partner | You, with the partner helping on sourcing, vetting and replacement | You want a vetted shortlist and a partner who stays involved | Fees, replacement terms and notice, which should all be agreed in writing before you start |
3. Check the legal basics
This guide is general information, not legal advice. Take advice on your own contracts.
- Right to work. Employers must confirm a person can work in the UK before they start. GOV.UK explains the checks in checking a job applicant’s right to work.
- Employment status. Whether someone is an employee, a worker or self employed depends on how the work is done, not on the label in the contract. See employment status on GOV.UK.
- Off payroll rules. If a contractor supplies services through their own company, the off payroll working rules (IR35) may apply.
- Data protection. Decide what data the person can see, on which devices, and write it down.
- Equipment and access. List what you provide, who owns it and how access is removed when the engagement ends.
4. Test on real work
Interview questions tell you how someone talks about work. A short, paid task tells you how they do it. Choose a task from the brief that takes an hour or two and give clear instructions. Then look at three things: whether they asked sensible questions, whether the result matches the brief, and how clearly they wrote back. Pay for the time, whatever the outcome.
Ask references how the person worked without supervision, how quickly they replied, and what they did when they were stuck.
5. Plan the first month
Most of what makes a remote hire succeed happens in the first weeks. Set it up before day one:
- Send logins, tools and a short welcome note before the start date.
- Give the person a named contact for questions and a regular time to speak.
- Start with small tasks that have a clear finish, then widen the scope.
- Write down what good looks like for the first two weeks.
- Hold a review at the end of the first month and compare it with the brief.
When a recruitment partner makes sense
If you do not have time to source, vet and manage a hire, a partner can do that part. Our remote recruitment service finds and vets remote staff for marketing, development, sales support and admin, with a UK team on hand. How we work sets out what we put in writing on fees, contracts and notice.
Questions
Questions about hiring remote staff
Should I hire a remote employee or a contractor?
Use an employee for a core, ongoing role where you direct how the work is done. Use a contractor for a defined project or a gap with a clear end. Employment status depends on the working relationship, not the label, so check the GOV.UK guidance and take advice if you are unsure.
What should a remote job brief include?
The outcome the role exists to produce, the main tasks, the tools, the working hours and the overlap you need, who the person reports to, and what good looks like after 30, 60 and 90 days.
How do I manage remote staff day to day?
Agree working hours and response times, hold a short regular check in, keep tasks written down in one place, and review results against the brief rather than hours spent online.
How do I check a remote candidate is right for the role?
Interview against the brief, set a short paid task taken from the real work, and speak to a previous manager. Watch how clearly the person writes, because most remote work depends on it.
Can Zemash help me hire remote staff?
Yes. We find, vet and manage remote staff for UK businesses. Tell us about the role through the contact page and we will say how we would approach it.
Keep reading
Related pages
Service
Remote recruitment
How we find, vet and manage remote staff, and what you get with every hire.
Free tool
Remote role brief builder
Answer a few questions and get a one page brief to copy or download.
About us
How we work
Three ways to work with us, one process and what we put in writing.
Need help hiring a remote team member?
Tell us about the role and we will say how we would approach it.