Having a global team can be an incredible competitive advantage. Without the limitations of local or even national hiring, you can tap into diverse backgrounds and experiences. And with a broader range of experiences, your team will be able to tackle business challenges in a more creative manner.
The mere idea of having a global team can be exciting, especially for leaders looking to grow professionally themselves. That said, there are things to consider before you hop onto LinkedIn and start messaging international candidates. Read on to learn about best practices as well as potential hurdles that can come with globally expanding your team. Knowing these ahead of time will set you up for success.
1. Set Clear Goals
Before you begin recruiting on an international level, you need to establish goals for your team. What is the purpose of hiring internationally? What are you hoping these new team members will contribute that you can’t get with a local hire? What kinds of advantages will a global team provide for your team’s specific tasks? Answering these questions will assist you in figuring out what your ideal international candidate looks like before you post the job listing.
Your current team should also be made aware that you’re looking to hire globally. You’ll likely need to assure them that these new hires will benefit everyone from a professional and personal standpoint. There may be some hesitation and even fear, particularly in today’s unstable economy. Let them know why you are hiring internationally, highlighting benefits like increased innovation, creativity, and a more diverse workplace environment.
2. Understand Cultural Differences
Team dynamics change with each new hire, yet an international employee can bring some unique challenges. For starters, English might not be their primary language, so you’ll need to address any communication barriers upfront before your newbie’s first day. You may also have to navigate disparate workplace norms. For example, if your new hire comes from a more deferential, hierarchical work culture, they may require encouragement to speak up in team meetings.
Cultural differences also include how you’ll actually hire these global candidates and handle their compensation. There are labor laws and regulations you’ll need to follow closely on everything from employee classification to mandated sick leave. All this can be daunting to manage yourself, which is why you may want to engage an employer of record or professional employment organization. The choice between EOR and PEO will depend on your exact situation, including whether you’ll have a business presence in the country of hire. However, either type of HR partner can make global payroll, tax withholding, and benefits administration a much lighter lift.
3. Prepare Your Management Strategy
Managing employees from across the globe is very different from managing employees sitting in the same office five days a week. As a leader, you will grow from this experience, but it will take more upfront work. You’ll need to set expectations for those working in different time zones. This means scheduling regular team meetings and one-on-one check-ins when it suits everyone. It’s unfair — and unproductive — for an international employee to be expected to call into a work meeting when it’s past their bedtime!
Due to differences in communication style and backgrounds, there are more chances for misunderstandings to arise. This can subsequently cause tension within the team — something you want to avoid at all costs. Prioritizing effective cooperation and collaboration is vital, so make use of the same instant messaging tools and videoconferencing platforms. Let your employees work out problems together, rather than coming to you for all the answers. Doing so allows for interpersonal relationships to form, which can lead to improved productivity and a more inclusive environment.
4. Ask for Feedback — and Act on It
No matter how great a manager you are, you won’t hit it out of the ballpark every time. You will make mistakes. That is just part of the process. However, the key is to learn from these mishaps and move forward knowing what to do next time.
Ask your team members to provide you with feedback, both individually and on a team level. Some individuals may be more willing to share their thoughts with you during a one-on-one, while others might require the support of others. Regardless, create a space where employees feel inclined to share without feeling like they’ll be penalized for expressing their thoughts. Let everyone know that you’re open to suggestions and want to improve for the betterment of the team.
Most importantly, actually listen to what your team is telling you and act upon it. Say a newer international hire is frustrated by constantly having to wait for another team to finish something before they can start their work. It could be that the other team doesn’t realize someone in a different time zone is waiting on them. They might think they can double-check their work in the morning, when they really need to pass the deliverable on by EOD. In this scenario, you would need to chat with their team lead, acting on the feedback you were given to resolve the issue.
Takeaways
Due to the growth in remote work, more teams are able to leverage international employees. This practice can lead to improved local market knowledge, increased growth, and enhanced productivity. Of course, it also comes with some challenges, many of which can be addressed by working with the right HR partner.
As you begin to globally expand your team, be prepared for some of these challenges by managing expectations internally and externally. Recognize that there may be a significant learning curve for everyone involved at first, but the end result will be worth it.
