The Top Ten Considerations When Building an International Workforce

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International business

The Top 10 Considerations When Building An International Workforce
| By Barry Thomas |
Geographical borders are becoming increasingly blurred when it comes to doing business. For companies looking to offer their products and services internationally, a global workforce can be a huge asset, particularly when it comes to developing and building markets where local expertise is invaluable. Whether you are a standalone business or a global organisation, building and retaining a workforce across borders presents rich opportunities. But at the same time, it is important to recognise that building a global team can be a complex and challenging process. Here are a few key considerations to factor into your strategy when planning to build an international workforce or helping to facilitate a smooth expansion.

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1. Understand The Market Like with any business expansion plan, when you are considering building an international workforce you will need to have a sound understanding of how local workforces operate and how they are managed. You will also need to be aware of individual market employment regulations, trends and expectations before embarking on a recruitment drive. Ultimately, if you have a sound business plan in place, that clearly identifies the local customer base and the challenges of operating a business in that market, then it should really be a matter of aligning your recruitment plan with your business plan to achieve the best outcome. 2. Be Flexible When building an international workforce you need to be willing to adapt to new ways of doing business, differing working practices and communication styles. There is not a ‘one size fits all’ approach to employing or managing staff so it is important to keep an open mind and tailor your approach. It is also worth noting early on where you are likely to see a conflict in approach to employment. For example, local equal employment practices in Australia may not resonate well in other markets and you will need to determine where you stand on these issues and how far you are willing to push the boundaries of locally accepted practice. In most markets you will find that flexible work practices are highly regarded by employees and potential employees. In Japan for example, it is not uncommon for employees to come into the office later in the day and work until late to avoid the rush hour commute. 3. Access Local Expertise It is important to do your own research and access local expertise available to you. Although the idea of building an international workforce can be daunting, you are unlikely to be the first foreign-based company to enter the market, nor the last. Consider how you will engage with international business networks or if none exist, how you can engage your peers so that you can learn from collective experiences. 4. Know The Local Regulatory Environment Having an in-depth understanding of the local regulatory environment in terms of employment is essential. It is worthwhile making an investment in engaging local consultants and

legal counsel who can provide specialist advice on best practices and forewarn you about the laws and regulations that may not exist in your local market. 5. Utilise Accepted Recruitment Tools Make use of the recruitment tools that are available to you but do not be afraid to try something new as it may be your approach that differentiates you from the crowd and attracts the best candidates. In-market recruiters are a good first point of contact but are not the only way of building an international workforce. LinkedIn is an internationally accepted resource that enables businesses to search for candidates, engage with referees, review professional recommendations and explore competitor job listings as a point of reference. In-person meetings are highly regarded in most cultures, particularly across the Asia Pacific region; however you will not always be in a position to meet candidates in person. Face-toface video interviews are now common practice, coupled with psychometric and skills testing. 6. Get Recognised It is important to establish your company’s credentials in new markets. Consider all of the opportunities you have to expose potential candidates to your company, both online and offline, such as university graduate talks, recruitment fairs, industry events and discussion forums. There is a limited talent pool and you will be competing against well-established local businesses as well as international competitors for the best people. As part of your overall workforce building strategy you will need to factor in how you position yourself as an employer of choice to both attract and retain the best talent in the region. If you are in a position to establish graduate and internship programs then you will be well placed to attract talent early on. 7. Embrace Culture And Diversity Embracing culture and diversity goes hand-inhand with building an international workforce. In exchange for in-market talent, you will need to be prepared to accept what this means for your business. Successful companies have not made the mistake of trying to impose existing business practices onto a new market but rather worked with local teams to ensure cultural and religious

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sensitivities are given priority. For example, in some regions you may need to consider religious customs such as fasting or accommodate employees who traditionally rest at their desk after lunch. 8. Break The Language Barrier Overcoming language barriers is a primary consideration when setting up an international workforce. If you are looking to do business in a new market, take the opportunity to build a multi-lingual workforce that can engage customers around the globe in their local dialect. If your employees speak English as a second language, be mindful of your approach to both verbal and written communication. When drafting business plans to be shared across borders, use simple English and, where possible, avoid jargon as this is unlikely to translate well. Even when using translators and employing people who can speak the same language fluently, there will be subtle language nuances that can be misinterpreted. To avoid misunderstandings, it is worthwhile investing the time to overcommunicate to ensure greater understanding amongst the team. 9. Streamline Communications Consider having an internal communications strategy in place that ensures employees have a strong understanding of the organisation, its core values and culture. For example, it is helpful to outline the overarching business goals and objectives in company meetings so

that all employees are aligned and have a clear understanding of the contribution they are making to the business. Be mindful of the technology capabilities across borders before implementing a technology solution to support internal communications. 10. Nurture Talent Talent is an organisation’s most valuable asset and effective talent management is fundamental to developing a productive international workforce. Staff based in different locations across the globe will have unique ways of thinking and approaching tasks and will bring fresh insights and experience to an organisation. Once you have an international workforce in place, you will need to consider investing in training to develop and grow the team. It may be worth considering deploying a global senior employee to lead the development of a team in a new market to impart their knowledge and share best practice. Barry Thomas is the Managing Director of Cook Australia and Vice President and Director of Cook Medical Asia Pacific. Barry was awarded a 2012 Export Heroes Award from the Australian Institute of Export and has more than two decades of international leadership and expertise in the pharmaceutical and medical device industries. He is currently leading the establishment of a wholly owned subsidiary in China and the commissioning of a major distribution hub in Shanghai.

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