When Covid-19 first hit, working from home was a necessary substitute for what was, at the time, expected to be a short-term problem. Fast-forward two years — a tectonic plate shift has transformed the geography of work.

What does working remotely mean?

Remote work has gifted professionals the flexibility to work from anywhere outside the office. All that is required is a laptop and a solid internet connection. A remote “office” can be a home, a coworking space, or even a coffee shop.

Remote workers use digital tools to do more than complete projects, but as the sole means for communicating with their teams. The rise of digital tools like email, smartphones, and Zoom over the last 30 years paired with the mass adoption of remote work following Covid-19 has made the remote model a logically sound means of working.

Does remote work improve productivity?

That said, remote work is a benefit that was earned, not seized, by workers through two years of increased productivity rates during Covid-19. Evidence has shown that remote workers, in fact, thrive at home in contrast to an office environment. A survey by FlexJobs of more than 2,100 people who worked remotely during the pandemic found that 51 percent report being more productive working from home.

This is a considerable number, and one that contributes to squashing the myth that employees will become lazy if they remain remote. Surprisingly, an Economist Intelligence Unit (EIU) study sponsored by virtual-first company Dropbox found that office environment distractions like face-to-face interruptions, ringing phones, and loud conversations were causing 28 percent of total working hours per person to be lost annually. Further research by Global Workplace Analytics, pointed out that:

• Remote American Express workers produced 43 percent more than their office-based counterparts.
• Businesses can lose anywhere up to USD 600 billion annually due to workplace distractions.

Can remote working replace the office?

So, what does this all mean for the future of office work? As companies can lose so much time and money from using an office-based model, remote work may be an opportunity to lower overhead costs.

Of course, the mammoth of these overhead costs is office space itself, including rent, electricity, heating, security, insurance, etc.

This begs the question: Are office spaces still worth these expenses if knowledge workers no longer want or need them? Airbnb is one of the many high-profile companies to switch to a remote-first policy. Their CEO Brian Chesky had an interesting take on the debate surrounding the future of office work, asking:

“If the office didn’t exist, I like to ask, would we invent it? And if we invented it, what would it be invented for? … I think that for somebody whose job is on a laptop, the question is, what is an office meant to do?”

Do employees want to go back to the office?

All in all, studies continuously show that the majority of workers prefer not to work from an office. For example, one recent Pew study showed that close to 60 percent of remote workers in the U.S. want to work from home.

Buffer’s 2022 State of Remote Work report further affirms the permanence of this growing preference, showing that 97 percent of workers say they would like to stay working remotely forever.

Corporate real estate companies are responding to this trend as well. For instance, 52 percent of corporate real estate companies reported that they’re decreasing their office property portfolios over the next three years. This shift comes alongside high office vacancy rates in major cities like San Francisco, which is currently seeing a vacancy rate of 21.7 percent. This number was just 5.7 percent pre-Covid-19.

How does one explain this rejection of office culture and preference for remote work?

Remote work allows for a better diet, more exercise, and a healthier lifestyle. Not commuting to the office means professionals can get extra sleep in the morning, save money, spend more time with their families, work out, eat healthy meals, and other key tasks that were once made difficult by the need to spend their time in the office. It’s as simple as that.

What makes a great remote team?

So, does your company want to switch from an office environment and build a happy and productive remote team? Or maybe you have adopted a remote work model and want to increase efficiency among your workforce. Our eBook, “The Complete Guide to Building a Remote Global Team,” is an excellent starting point for companies looking to make the switch to a remote-first model.

In our eBook, you will learn:

• The top five benefits of building a remote, global team.
• What to expect when handling the logistics of hiring and managing people around the world.
• Strategies for attracting, engaging, and retaining top talent.

Download “The Complete Guide to Building a Remote Global Team” today and bring flexibility and further productivity to your team.

The post Is the Office Dead? The Great Debate Between Remote and In-Office Work appeared first on Globalization Partners.

Now, the lower house of the Netherlands’ parliament has approved legislation that makes working from home a legal right. The bill is awaiting final approval from the Senate before it can be enshrined into law.

How common is remote work in Europe?

Many European countries look set to follow the Dutch blueprint.

For instance, Ireland has passed a law allowing workers to request the right to work remotely. And although there is currently no legal right to work remotely in Germany, the country’s largest trade union has stated it will support any employee who wishes to ignore Tesla’s recent demand that all workers return to the office.

Meanwhile, Portugal has already largely adopted the remote model and is actively working to ensure a health work-life balance at home. In January this year, the country implemented a law prohibiting bosses from contacting remote employees outside working hours. Breaches will result in a fine for the employer. Furthermore, employers are legally required to cover the cost of utilities used in the home for business purposes, including electricity, internet service, and phone plans.

How do the Dutch support remote work?

The Netherlands is consistently ranked No. 1 on the Remote Workers Index. This index ranks countries on just about everything, from the number of Wi-Fi hotspots and coworking spaces, to the price of a cup of coffee.

Meanwhile, strict sick pay legislation exists in the Netherlands. For instance, employers are required to pay 70 percent of an employee’s last earned wage for two years if they become ill. Laws like this ultimately incentivize employers to ensure their workers have healthy working facilities at home.

The Dutch clearly have a deep sense of what they want to achieve for their workers. Interestingly, the Netherlands’ thriving role in creating a remote work culture dates back to 2016 and their Flexible Working Act. This six-year-old bill states that once employees have worked at a company for longer than six months, they can request that their working hours or work location be changed.

The fact that many Dutch workers were already working from home when the Covid pandemic struck meant the Netherlands’ physical infrastructure is particularly well developed for remote work.

For instance, 98 percent of households in the country have access to high-speed internet, the highest in Europe. Public and commercial remote-working facilities are plentiful. Public libraries can include coworking spaces, and as a bonus there is an endless number of coffee shops.

Are remote workers happier?

Why does the Netherlands’ progressive approach to remote work culture matter so much?

In 2015, a research study from Stanford University and the Harvard Business School found that, in the U.S., workplace stress contributes to roughly 120,000 deaths yearly and up to USD 190 billion in healthcare costs.

This statistic underlines the direct impact work has on our mental and emotional health. However, studies have found that remote work can reduce job-related stress.”

Simply put, it allows for a better diet, more exercise, and a healthier lifestyle. Not commuting to the office means you can get extra sleep in the morning, spend more time with your family, work out, eat a healthy breakfast, and more.

A FlexJobs study found that 70 percent of respondents said a fully remote job would considerably improve or positively impact their mental health. One of the most crucial aspects of the study found that 24 percent of workers would take a 10-20 percent pay cut, while 21 percent would give up some vacation time to work remotely.

One of the most crucial aspects of the study found that 24 percent of workers would take a 10-20 percent pay cut, while 21 percent would give up some vacation time to work remotely.
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Should remote working continue?

It’s not just employees that benefit from remote work either. A review by Global Workplace Analytics into the costs and benefits of remote work also found significant incentives for employers. For example:

• Nearly six out of 10 employers identified cost savings as a significant benefit of remote work.
• Multiple companies – such as Best Buy, British Telecom, and Dow Chemical – found that their remote employees were 35-40 percent more productive than their office counterparts.
• Companies can lose anywhere up to USD 600 billion a year due to in-office workplace distractions.

So, not only can office-based work be less time-efficient, it can also cost employers a large amount of money. Companies have a lot to gain from the benefits that remote work offers.

Are remote jobs the future?

It is no coincidence, given the flexibility afforded to Dutch workers, that they are consistently among the world’s happiest employees. Workers in the Netherlands spend 57.2 percent of their time happy. As the workforce ages, it is reasonable to assume that any resistance to remote work will fade, and workplace dynamics will continue to change. Already, 74 percent of millennial and Gen Z managers have team members who primarily work from home. By the end of this decade, these younger employees will account for 58 percent of the workforce. As such, they’re likely to reshape it.

When one looks at the successful model created by the Netherlands, the positive effects remote work has on our mental and emotional wellbeing, and the financial benefits for employers, it makes a strong case that remote work is here to stay and grow in popularity.

Looking to scale internationally but worried about the logistics involved in building a remote team in new geographies? Then, don’t miss our on-demand webinar “Is Remote Work The Future? What Is So Great About It and How to Make It Work?”. You’ll learn:

• How to ensure legal and tax compliance during expansion.
• How to locate, attract, assess, and onboard a global remote team.
• How to benchmark salary and benefits, and what pitfalls to avoid.

Download Is Remote Work The Future? What Is So Great About It and How to Make It Work? now and help your company make the switch to remote.

The post What the World Can Learn from the Netherlands’ Remote Work Culture appeared first on Globalization Partners.

A sound global business strategy now involves one that compliantly allows your team members to work from new locations across the globe.

How do you create and implement an effective global mobility strategy?

Global mobility as a term and business strategy was only recently established in the present century to describe a company’s function when moving team members from one place to another.

To avoid any misunderstandings or issues in the long term, ensure your global mobility policy encompasses every aspect of employee relocation, from compensation for flights to compliance with international labor laws.

A global mobility strategy should cover:

• Data privacy regulations
• Information on salary adjustment by jurisdiction
• Local legal and tax laws
• Required visas
• Home and travel assistance
• Any support provided for family members

Why is global mobility important for your company?

According to coaching company Better Up, global mobility provides three significant benefits:

1. Increased creativity and flexibility
2. A stronger sense of inclusivity and belonging
3. Higher retention rates

Even if your company does not currently have plans to operate in another country, in an increasingly remote, globalized business world, ongoing trends like the “Great Migration” and “Great Resignation” may push your company to scale globally earlier than planned to stay ahead of the competition. After all, employees are beginning to expect that their employers will allow them to work from anywhere and support them in relocation processes. Having a mobility strategy in place will ensure you’re able to attract top talent, and prove to your shareholders, executives, and team members that you are ready to undertake future global challenges.

What are the challenges of global mobility?

While global mobility can have significant benefits for your company, it also comes with its challenges that your teams must be prepared to navigate.

1. Visa requirements: Relocating an employee involves obtaining the appropriate documentation and visas. Be very clear as to the level of support your company is able to provide throughout the visa process. As many countries, such as China, have stringent work visa requirements, you must ensure your employees have sufficient time to request and secure a visa before they begin working in the country — or your company could face significant penalties.
2. Expenses: Moving employees abroad could include expenses for travel and moving and shipping possessions. Many companies find it to be more cost-effective to give employees relocating internationally a set allowance to buy furnishings when they arrive at their destination.
3. Employee wages and benefits: Each country has specific rules regarding wages and benefits. For example, in some countries, health insurance is a required benefit, while in others, it’s not. The same is true of wages. Some countries require employers to pay a certain minimum hourly wage, while others leave it up to the employer to decide. Ensure you and your employees understand these regulations within the country they are moving to.
4. Family assistance: Relocating team members with families may cost significantly more than relocating an individual. For example, you may want to consider allocating a budget for schooling.
5. Compliance: Labor, tax, and payroll laws vary by country and are constantly evolving. For example, termination laws may be drastically different than what you’re used to in the country your HQ is in. Your company must have access to local HR and legal expertise to ensure you are in compliance with these regulations. Inability to follow these rules can lead to a tarnished company reputation as well as legal penalties.

How can your company overcome global mobility challenges?

While perhaps one of the standout benefits of supporting global employee relocation is that it helps retain your world-class talent, it is also a strategic way to test new international markets. If your product or service does particularly well in the new country, you may decide to grow a team there. Companies that choose to follow the traditional international employee relocation or hiring process will have to:

• Set up global entities
• Hire legal, tax, and finance experts in every country
• Meet capital requirements
• Keep up with changing in-country regulations

The good news is that you can choose to leverage an end-to-end solution that enables seamless global hiring and mobility wherever your employees can legally work. Globalization Partners’ Global Employment Platform enables companies to move and hire talent across 187 countries while in compliance with international labor laws — all while mitigating cost and risk. This way, you can focus your time and budget on key hiring and relocation processes.

Gone are the days of dedicating invaluable resources to lengthy, complex, and costly entity setup to facilitate relocation or international hiring. Global mobility has never looked this good.

The post How Can Your Company Overcome the Challenges of Global Mobility? appeared first on Globalization Partners.

Much of the discussion around data involves marketing and how you can use data to reach customers in more personalized and direct ways. But the transformational potential of data reaches beyond marketing. Used in the right way, it can improve almost every aspect of your company.

For example, data can be collected and analyzed to help improve workplace diversity. Society is full of variety, with different ethnicities, identities, and sexualities.

However, although there have been steps taken to improve equality, many companies still struggle to build a truly inclusive environment. But with the power of data, this can all change. Read on to find out how.

Diversify your workforce with people analytics

Of course, simply having data isn’t enough. You need to understand your data for it to be useful. For that, you need the right analytics. Your company is likely already collecting a large amount of data about your customers which can be processed into actionable information, such as improving customer journey orchestration.

This same process needs to happen internally if you want to build a more diverse work environment. This is known as people analytics.

Collecting people analytics

To carry out people analytics, you need to gather as much information about your workforce as you can. But you need to be vigilant and compliant with privacy laws in how you carry out this process; in particular, regarding sensitive personal information such as race, sexuality, gender, background, age, and more.

Before collecting any data it is vital to explain to your workforce how this data will be handled, its purpose, who it may be shared with, how it will be stored, and for how long. This demonstrates your desire to be completely transparent and helps employees feel more comfortable about sharing personal information. However, remember that this process should be entirely voluntary so respect the wishes of those who choose not to participate.

One way to collect data in a non-invasive way is to email a link to a survey. Recipients can then choose to participate or not. Make sure to include links or popups to concise and understandable information about all privacy laws. Moreover, make it clear that at any point participants can request that their personal data be deleted from your system.

Explain the importance of data

People will want to know why you want their information. Be clear about the reasons for collecting information and outline your goals. Sometimes it’s useful to create visualizations to better illustrate your objectives. It’s also a good idea to use digital asset management to ensure that files are available when you need them.

Remember, for effective people analytics, you need to gather data on both employees and applicants. You’ll need to be transparent with applicants as well as internal workers.

Analyze your data

With your data collected, you can start the process of analytics. At this stage, you can begin to unpack the information that you’ve collected. But first, you’ll need the right software.

There are many different analytics packages available, take time to research and find an option that works for you. Just remember, for data to be effective you’ll need lots of it.

Of course, having data also means that you need storage space. Again there are lots of options out there. One choice for larger companies is to use HDFS with Apache Hadoop (Hadoop vs HDFS).

Have a clear plan

There’s no point collecting data if you don’t know how you will use it. You might want to boost diversity in your company, but that is an extremely broad goal. Be more specific. For instance, are you looking to increase the number of LGBT employees? Or to boost the number of women in leadership positions?

With a set of goals, you’ll have a clear view of your objective. You can then go on to create metrics to measure your success.

Of course, you’ll need the infrastructure to search your data easily. ElasticSearch is one option that can come in handy. There are many ElasticSearch use cases that showcase how it can help you – these include log analysis and full-text search.

Start with a baseline

If you want to show progress, you need a baseline. As you begin to alter your tactics and move towards a more diverse workforce, new data should show a transformation. You can compare this data against your baseline to prove that you are moving in the right direction.

Create deadlines

For transparency and to show your success, you need to make your results public. But how often will you share your data? Depending on the sector, you might have to work with government bodies to be compliant with legislation.

But even if this isn’t the case, it’s better to create deadlines. If you release data at regular intervals, it proves that you’re tackling the issue seriously. On the other hand, avoid deadlines that are too tight, it’s useful to give yourself enough time to make progress.

Once data is analyzed, you’ll have a much clearer picture of your employees. But now you’ve got the information, how do you use it? Let’s find out.

Spot diversity gaps

You might think that your workforce is diverse already, but without data, you’re only guessing. With people analytics, you’ll get a much more precise picture.. You’ll gain access to some of the following information about your employees:

• Age
• Gender
• Sexuality
• Ethnicity

Are there certain groups that are underrepresented? If so, what steps can you take to increase inclusivity? When hiring future employees, you can make sure to address any gaps in diversity.

Reduce the element of bias in hiring

Whether we like it or not, we’re all influenced by bias in some way. When it comes to hiring, this can negatively impact the diversity of your company. While there’s no way to remove bias entirely, data can help to reduce it.

Already, data can prove the benefits of diversity. Here’s one example – companies in the top quartile for gender diversity are 25 percent more likely to have above-average profitability than companies in the fourth quartile.

By incorporating this information into the hiring process, you can make smarter, data-driven decisions. These should also be reflected on the company website so that there is no unconditional bias and it fully represents your inclusive values.

Ensure equal pay

Today, many companies have modernized the ways they handle their finances. This has involved switching to solutions such as cloud banking services. But in other ways, companies are still stuck in the past.

If you want to create an equal and inclusive workplace, people need to be paid equally. This seems like common sense, yet despite this, huge inequalities still exist. For example, women who are full-time, year-round employees make 83 cents for every dollar made by men.

If you want your workplace to be an equality leader, you need to look at the data. You might be surprised at what you learn. People analytics will pinpoint any gaps in your systems. But more than this, data will tell you what is causing the discrepancy. Armed with this information, you can alter your policies to reduce pay gaps.

Create fairer performance reviews

Performance reviews are an important tool in the workplace. If done correctly, they allow workers to measure their progress. Employees will feel encouraged if they receive praise. Constructive criticism can lead workers to seek self-improvement. But all too often, performance reviews aren’t handled fairly.

Studies have found that performance reviews of women typically contain more negative words than performance reviews of men. Similarly, people of color frequently receive lower performance scores than white workers.

But what can be done to address this? The best first step is to look at data pertaining to your review process. Is there evidence that underrepresented workers are being discriminated against? Use this data as a starting point for change.

Be transparent and share this information with employees. It’s better to be seen as working towards change, rather than being complacent.

It’s also important to listen to employee feedback throughout this process.

Lean on your data

Diversifying your workforce is a worthy goal. With the right data, you can create a clear set of equality goals. This is where people analytics comes in. Wondering how it can help you? Look at your data to provide insights into what is preventing you from having a diverse and inclusive workforce.

Remember, to have effective data you need proper storage. Solutions such as Apache Kudu can be an effective solution for larger companies.

With your data properly stored and indexed, you can use it to create actionable plans. As shown here, there are many different use cases for people analytics. Just remember, the process can be lengthy -and outsourcing your hiring can help reduce the load.

Seek help externally

Outsourcing your hiring process can be cheaper and more effective, and if you choose that route Globalization Partners has the solution for you. With G-P Recruit, you can quickly identify and hire new team members in key locations globally.

Working alongside Globalization Partners, you can create a strategy that helps diversify your workforce. You won’t need to worry about sourcing onboarding tools, finding a compliant payroll setup, or offboarding.

The benefits of a diverse workforce speak for themselves. So, don’t delay any further, create a plan and start diversifying.

–

Author bio:

Pohan Lin is the Senior Web Marketing and Localizations Manager at Databricks, a global Data and AI provider connecting the features of data warehouses and data lakes to create lakehouse architecture. With over 18 years of experience in web marketing, online SaaS business, online training platform administrator, and e-commerce growth. Pohan is passionate about innovation and is dedicated to communicating the significant impact data has in marketing. Pohan Lin has also published articles for domains such as SME-News.

The post People Analytics: How Data is Guiding Company Diversity and Inclusivity appeared first on Globalization Partners.

Many of us also use social media alongside the best eCommerce platforms to market ourselves and sell stuff online. But did you know that social media can also be used as an effective recruitment tool?

While it’s important that candidates keep in mind that employers can see their personal profiles, employers must also remember that they can just as easily be assessed by potential candidates as they determine whether companies are the right fit.

So, if you’re part of a company looking at the rich data social media offers to recruit new team members, here are a few things to keep in mind.

Attract attention on social media

Take a look at the statistics gathered by The Muse above. Companies that have incorporated social media into their recruitment efforts are successfully hiring their ideal candidate more seamlessly, quickly, and successfully than without it.

According to the same source, 14.4 million workers in the U.S. have used social media to find a job, and nearly 30 percent use it as their primary tool during their job search. With this in mind, appealing to top talent on social media is a key element to standing out as a desirable company to work for. This means you must cover certain basics, including the following:

Information about your company

Your social media “About Us” sections need to be up to date and relevant. Phone numbers, including virtual ones, should be easy to find.

You should also include any email addresses and physical addresses. Opening hours, if relevant, should be listed too. This can be added to a workflow creation flowchart to help your marketing team keep your social media platforms performing effectively.

You will want to include some information about what your company does as well. This should be specific enough to ensure clarity but still general enough to be understood by the average person. Sometimes, this can be the hardest part of having a social media presence –  figuring out how to concisely describe what you do.

You should also use SEO to identify the most effective terms to help your social media pages get found on search engines.

Pictures

Pictures tell you a lot about a person or company. Make sure they tell the story you want to convey about who you are and what you do.

While there are great options for copyright-free pictures on sites like Unsplash, most smartphones can take great, professional-looking photos too. It’s easy to produce these – and videos – for social media and video marketing with a little bit of creativity.

If you happen to have someone on the team with a high-quality camera, take advantage of this opportunity to upload images of your team and any enticing workspaces you may have.

Reviews

It doesn’t matter what your company sells, whether it’s smoothies, carpets, or non-fixed VoIP services, if you have great reviews rolling in, it is crucial that you’re highlighting them in your stories and posts on Instagram and Facebook.

It’s nice to bask in the glory of your hard work, and great customer reviews make you look professional and will attract potential employees. Almost 70 percent of consumers look at company reviews during their product or service research stage – this highlights how impactful reviews are for those assessing a company’s success. After all, who wouldn’t want to work for a company with a high success rate?

You don’t need to only include five-star testimonials. Throw in a couple of four-star reviews for credibility, and to make you look more human and relatable.

Trending, interactive content

Your company should also keep track of what’s trending. If there’s a growing preference for hybrid or remote work, write about it on social media. This also includes more niche products or services – if people are getting into IP phone systems, you could make a post titled “What Is an IP Phone System?”

It’s also important to consider your target audience. For example, if you specifically want to hire graduates, then learning about what people in that age group value and sharing on social media is an excellent way to appeal to this talent pool.

You can host giveaways and competitions to generate more visitors to your social media pages, and they might then spot that you’re hiring. The more active you are on social media with your marketing, the more relatable and genuine you’ll look to potential employees. This will give both your social media reports and hiring prospects a boost.

Finally, people will use social media to actively learn more about your company and ask questions through comments or messages, as well as share your content. Make sure you set aside time each  week to respond to comments and queries.

Values

Use your platforms to show what your values are. For example, if it’s Pride Month or Women’s International Day, highlight this via social. Your values tell people a lot about what to expect from your company culture if they choose to work with you, and for some, certain values (or a lack of them) can be a deal-breaker.

For example, you could show that you support gender pay parity by publicizing any active company campaigns. Similarly, if you are dedicated to ensuring the wellbeing of your employees through a healthy work-life balance policy, make sure you market this to candidates.

Actions speak louder than words. If you can back up claims as to what your company values with work policies or mission statements, it will make you look good to candidates.

How to use social media to find candidates

So far, we’ve covered how to make your company look good on social media and attract the right candidates. Now, perhaps you’ve done some labor forecasting and decided you want to execute your recruitment strategy. Let’s delve a little deeper into how you can actively scout for, contact, and hire the best people.

Advertising jobs

Social media can be used to advertise jobs to your followers, as well as help reach a larger audience. You can post on any social platform with links to your website, or if you post on LinkedIn, you can offer the option of applying through the platform with a CV or cover letter. This provides a flexible hiring method.

While LinkedIn  is a more traditional, professional-centered social media platform to use for recruiting, it’s far from the only option. Increasing numbers of companies are sourcing people via targeted ads on their Instagram stories, too.

Once you have received a number of submissions, you can simplify the hiring process by using applicant tracking systems to rank applications so you don’t have to read through ones that don’t end up meeting your requirements.

Contacting people directly

Headhunting isn’t a thing of the past. LinkedIn makes it easy to search for people with the skills you’re looking for, and to contact them directly about a job with your company.

The best way to do this is  to send a friendly yet professional message that shouldn’t feel copy-pasted. It should also include specific information about the open role and why you reached out to them, in particular, to work for you.

Social media is a tool to connect

Used correctly, social media is a definite asset to the recruitment process. Keeping your social platforms up to date and relevant will go a long way toward making you an attractive prospect to candidates and helping you stand out from the competition.

Social media is also a great tool for connecting with an international pool of candidates and for managing how you appear to them. So, go ahead and harness the power of social media in your recruitment drive.

–

About the author:

Richard Conn is the Senior Director for Demand Generation at 8×8, a leading communication platform with integrated contact center, voice, video, and chat functionality. Richard is an analytical and results-driven digital marketing leader with a track record of achieving good 8×8 reviews, and major ROI improvements in fast-paced, competitive B2B environments. Richard Conn also published articles for domains such as Socialbakers and LitExtension. Check out his LinkedIn.

The post Top Tips on How to Recruit Via Social Media appeared first on Globalization Partners.

Learn how we maintained our leadership position among a growing list of competitors that entered the market since the last report was conducted in 2020 and how our Global Employment Platform stands out from the competition.

The Research Findings

NelsonHall identified G-P as a leader in the overall market segment, as shown in the NEAT Chart below. Reflecting our ability to meet future client needs as well as delivering immediate benefits to our current global clients.

We continue to advance our technology and international expansion initiatives, and the research recognizes G-P’s expertise across many aspects in several key areas.

G-P Recruit

One of our latest products that highlights our commitment to technology-focused R&D as well as AI integration. G-P Recruit matches customers with a global network of recruiting specialists based on hiring location, industry sector, functional area, and level of role.

G-P Contractor

As customer demands grow, so does the ability of our platform to support compliant hiring globally. We recognize the need and demand of employers looking to hire contractors. G-P Contractor enables companies around the world to access key talent for fixed-term, highly critical projects and to facilitate payment.

G-P Open API

G-P’s open API makes it easier for organizations to hire and manage global talent by simplifying and automating tasks across multiple platforms including third party HCM solutions. Now users can retrieve and eliminate manual data entry between HR systems, reducing errors and supporting data governance processes.

Additional Research Findings Highlights G-P’s Many Strengths:

• Recent equity funding awards totaling $350m will secure continued technology advancements and international expansion initiatives and help ensure G-P’s place as the established provider of AI-enabled and technology-based global employer of record solutions.
• Our global infrastructure comprises a SOC 2-certified full technology stack and in-house HR, tax, and legal resources to support consistent service quality, minimize reliance on third-party in country providers (ICPs), and increase data security.
• Our robust strategic partner roadmap to meet current and anticipated future technology, customer, worker, and strategic growth initiatives.
• We have deep experience with M&A and PE/VC firms globally, the ability to offer Multicurrency payment options, including cryptocurrency.
• Our unprecedented 98% customer satisfaction rating.

Our Local Market Focus

Localization is important to us and it’s especially important to our customers. Being able to provide them with our deep knowledge of local customs and laws is one of the many factors that sets us apart from the competition. NelsonHall recognized our continued focus on local market presence to support a consistent customer experience across Asia Pacific, EMEA, North America, and Latin America targeting and supporting talent across all industries.

For the Full Report

Please download here

The post Globalization Partners Again Named Industry Leader by NelsonHall appeared first on Globalization Partners.

The Employer of Record (EOR) industry has been expanding at an incredible rate. Competition makes the market grow and improve, creating a space where consumers can choose among several providers. But it also allows subpar companies to acquire clients with misleading information such as “free” trials and cheaper prices that come with the non-benefit of fewer services.

Among the multiple providers in the market, Globalization Partners’ premium service is the best option for companies that want an efficient, compliant, and end-to-end solution to all their international hiring needs. Some services might be cheaper, but a sub-par service during global expansion will be more expensive in the long run. Don’t settle for second best when you can work with the pioneering brand in the industry.

Here are 10 reasons why you should choose the World’s #1 Global Employment Platform:

1. Clear pricing structures

A clear understanding of the pricing structure of a service is the first step toward a successful business relationship. When looking for a global employment platform some providers can seem straightforward at the beginning, or even offer free trials and a free first onboarding. But after the free trials, companies are landed with a complex pricing structure that becomes more expensive as they continue to scale.

G-P has a clear pricing structure that allows companies to plan their expansion and understand in detail the costs involved. If required, there is additional support to make sure that companies know exactly how much they will have to pay.

2. Support for contractors

Every country has different needs. A platform that offers tools for every need as they start their global growth. G-P Contractor allows companies to quickly hire and pay contractors through Globalization Partners’ market-leading platform. Streamline international hiring, onboarding, and the HR administrative process in a single platform.

3. Clarity about additional fees

As companies expand and face the challenges of global growth it is only natural that they will require additional support. Many service providers in the EOR industry say that they don’t charge additional fees, but then do so without warning when clients seek to use different parts of their services.

G-P is always clear about our fees. From the beginning, companies will know what services incur an additional cost, allowing them to decide which strategy is best. Moreover, customized payroll reports allow invoicing and payroll data to be analyzed in a single place. Communication and transparency with our clients are key.

4. Compliant hiring in 187 countries

A global employment platform must provide companies with fast and compliant hiring in countries around the world. Companies must take advantage of opportunities as soon as they appear, especially during global expansion. If companies hire the services of an EOR without a solid international structure to solve emergent hiring needs, they may lose an opportunity to leverage candidate skills in a competitive global market and cede market entry momentum to a competitor.

Work only with the best. G-P has a presence in 187 countries allowing companies to move quickly into new markets without additional complexities.

5. Support from local experts

Every country has challenges for companies looking to hire. Candidates have expectations that depend on their local job market, and laws and regulations vary from country to country. G-P provides support from local experts to offer companies the best service in the location where they wish to hire.

6. Around-the-clock support

Global companies need to learn how to work when their workforce is based in various time zones. Asynchronous communication allows organizations to manage their operations and solve non-critical problems efficiently. However, sometimes waiting is not an option. G-P offers companies around-the-clock support to solve any urgent situation as soon as possible. A good Employer of Record offers seamless, dependable support, regardless of time zone or country.

7. 150 currencies for payment convenience

Timely and accurate payments are fundamental for an EOR. The complexity of this issue varies from country to country. Some require payments to be made in their official currency, while others allow companies to pay in other currencies at the cost of additional taxes. Having entities in a country or legal ways to make payments is critical for a global employment platform, that’s why G-P offers instant payment in 150 currencies and with 99 percent payroll accuracy.

8. Self-service onboarding

G-P makes the hiring and onboarding process as simple as possible. Companies are empowered to take control of their expansion timeline with our self-service platform. Customers can access the country details, generate a compliant employment contract and send it for signature on a timescale that suits them best.

9. Partners ecosystem

Globalization Partners’ partnership program allows companies to offer their clients all the benefits and expertise from our Global Employment Platform. Companies identify their candidate and G-P takes on the responsibility of a legal employer. Additionally, partners have access to benefits such as dedicated account and support teams, incentive programs, training and enablement, and marketing tools and programs.

10. Visa sponsorship support

Managing visa programs in different countries, each with its own laws and regulations can be intimidating and complex. G-P offers visa sponsorship support in 31 countries, allowing companies to move employees from one place to another as quickly as possible.

Don’t take unnecessary risks working with subpar options:

We understand that global growth can be costly, and it’s tempting to cut some corners. However, working with a subpar employer of record can end up costing companies far more in the long run. If companies hire an inefficient global employment platform they might need to invest more money in services that are not covered such as support for contractors, hiring in certain countries, and visa sponsorships.
Don’t waste time and money ⸺ instead work with the best global employment platform in the market. Book a demo or request a proposal with G-P and start your global journey today.

The post Less Is NOT Always More: 10 Reasons Why You Should Choose the World’s #1 Global Employment Platform™ appeared first on Globalization Partners.

This means recruiting the best people for the job is paramount to success. And, if you want to find and secure the best talent, a collaborative hiring strategy is essential.

Not quite sure what this strategy entails or how you can implement it? No worries – that’s what our guide is here to explain.

Collaborative hiring strategies: A definition

Generally speaking, your HR department (or external agency) is responsible for developing and executing your recruitment strategy. With “collaborative hiring,” you actively engage people from other departments to assist with identifying and selecting the right candidates. You have complete control over who is on your collaborative hiring team.

Depending on the role that needs to be filled, you might want to involve a sales leader, a marketing manager, or a tech expert. It’s entirely up to you.

Benefits of hiring collaboratively

A larger, higher-quality talent pool

Now that the traditional, in-office workplace as we know it is being replaced by hybrid or fully remote environments, almost every company can access a larger pool of global talent.

The downside of a global recruitment strategy is that, with a more extensive hiring pool to select from, you might find yourself pressed for time and resources. That’s when collaborative hiring can help.

When you build a collaborative hiring team composed of department leaders, you can easily split up the recruitment process by assigning specific tasks to specific people. This can make recruiting both local and global candidates quicker, simpler, and more successful. And, because different people bring different skills, qualities, and perspectives to the table, you’ll benefit from a more comprehensive and effective process.

Whether you’re looking for experts in key areas like intellectual property management, cloud technologies, data security, or email monitoring software, a collaborative approach to hiring can help you source the best people.

Higher employee retention rate

As the success of a company largely depends on its workforce, companies must avoid losing employees at a steady rate. Sometimes, updating your hiring process is the solution to high turnover risk.

Adopting a collaborative approach to recruitment is key to ensuring employees are happier, more satisfied, and more productive, as it shows them how much you value their skills, opinions, and suggestions.

Remember, when it comes to employee retention, you must also consider your HR talent – while they are usually on the other side of the table when it comes to hiring, it’s important to keep them top of mind when developing your retention strategy.

Cost savings

Together with tech like VoiP and WiFi calling you can dramatically slash business costs by rethinking your recruitment process.

Did you know the average cost of hiring just one employee is USD 1,633? Now, imagine if you had to build an entire team or even hire as few as three people. All these costs add up and become unsustainable in the long term.

However, by dividing up the tasks and responsibilities that are intrinsic to the hiring process, costs will go down, recruitment times will shrink, and employee engagement rates will soar.

Minimizing unconscious biases

Unconscious biases are prejudices concerning everything from a person’s religion to their sexual orientation, gender, ethnicity, appearance, disabilities, and more. We may not be aware of these biases, but we may unintentionally display them through our actions and decisions involving certain groups or individuals.

Unconscious biases within the hiring process are, unfortunately, common. However, when you involve several people in the process, it’s easier to catch any unintentional displays of bias and to focus strictly on candidates’ skills, experiences, and professional qualities.

7 steps to collaborative hiring

1. Get social

Inviting internal employees to join the recruitment process by promoting open roles on social media is an engaging and impactful way to update your acquisition process. For example, encouraging employees who would work closely with the new hire to promote the job vacancy on platforms like Facebook and LinkedIn will give potential candidates a sense of what their team would look like, and a chance to ask your employees about the role and the company.

With millions of people using these channels on a daily basis, getting access to the right talent at the right time becomes a cinch.

2. Launch an employee referral program

Try your hand at an employee referral program – one of the pillars of collaborative recruitment.

With these programs, you can involve your team members and encourage them to refer candidates for specific job vacancies. Then, if one of the candidates gets hired, the referring employee receives some form of reward, such as a cash bonus, gift voucher, or vacation day.

3. Interview candidates online

Next time you need to schedule an interview with a potential candidate, make sure it takes place online as a part of your virtual onboarding.

This means the best person from your collaborative hiring team can log in from wherever they are and run the call with ease, confidence, and expertise.

Need two or more people from your company to run or attend the interview? No problem. Digital interviews can accommodate as many virtual users as you like.

4. Prioritize communication

Communication skills are essential in collaborative recruitment precisely because of the number of people involved. As the employees you choose to be part of your recruitment team will likely come from different areas and departments within your company, you must make this a priority.

For this reason, ensure you communicate clearly and often with your recruiting team to avoid confusion about, for example,  VoIP number meaning, security protocols, or key aspects of the virtual hiring.

5. Consider using an ATS

Using an applicant tracking system, also known as an ATS, is another way to ensure your collaborative hiring strategy is efficient and hassle-free. ATS programs let you categorize all the applicants your recruitment team is planning to interview.

By doing so, candidates can be ranked, classified, and managed using the right keywords, allowing your team to identify the top applicants and schedule an interview with them.

6. Train your team

Do members of your collaborative hiring team ask you questions like “what is a virtual phone system?” Then you might need to introduce some training. However, remember training programs shouldn’t just be about technology.

Teaching your team how to conduct a proper interview, eliminate their unconscious biases, and communicate with candidates are equally important skills to master in collaborative recruitment.

7. Leverage the right tech

Technology, such as video conferencing tools, collaboration platforms, automated email, and automated onboarding webinars can simplify and streamline your collaborative hiring strategy.

Quote tools are another great way to expand your in-house tech landscape, especially if you work with external hiring agencies and often need to put together and share quotes and estimates with third parties.

Make your hiring process more successful with collaborative recruitment

If you want your company to remain productive, successful, and competitive, you need to foster an inclusive culture that ensures employees remain motivated and satisfied. What better way to hire and retain these team members than through a collaborative hiring strategy?

By engaging internal employees across your company to help you make important hiring decisions, you’ll benefit from a simpler, faster, and more cost-efficient recruitment process.

Globalization Partners’ Global Employment Platform automates key processes like employee contract generation and payroll setup to streamline the hiring and onboarding process of your global talent. Reach out to our team of HR experts to help you get started.

Want to learn more about how you can hire anyone, anywhere in minutes? Take a quick tour of our platform.

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About the author:
Richard Conn is the Senior Director for Demand Generation at 8×8, the best business phone platform with integrated contact center, voice, video, and chat functionality. Richard is an analytical & results-driven digital marketing leader with a track record of achieving major ROI improvements in fast-paced, competitive B2B environments. Richard Conn also publishes articles for domains such as LitExtension and PropTechNOW. Check out his LinkedIn profile here.

The post 7 Tips for Developing a Collaborative Hiring Strategy appeared first on Globalization Partners.

Research by Brandon Hall Group found that companies with a strong onboarding program improve retention by 82 percent.  However, the offboarding experience is often overlooked, but no less important, as departing on a bitter note can have long-term consequences. According to a Glassdoor survey, 70 percent of job seekers research company reviews — many of which are written by former employees — before making career decisions.

In a remote work setting, creating a structured onboarding and offboarding program has an added complexity; there are distinct challenges such as communication gaps, differing time zones, as well as contrasting cultural backgrounds, so it’s important to adjust your existing processes to this new way of working.

A fundamental aspect to keep in mind when designing onboarding and offboarding programs is compliance. Managing global teams means juggling varying laws and regulations, so compliance should remain a top priority during each stage of the employee lifecycle to protect your company’s assets and information, avoid legal problems, and keep your reputation intact. In this article, we will explain how to ensure compliance for remote teams throughout the onboarding and offboarding stages.

What is onboarding?

Normally, a new employee’s first week is dedicated to onboarding, which consists of activities that familiarize them with the company’s vision, mission, values, and culture. This helps new hires get to know the organizational structure and the particularities of their role. Simply put, it’s the first impression your new talent will have of your company.

Despite its importance, a study by Gallup showed that only 12 percent of employees think their employer does a great job onboarding new team members. Onboarding shouldn’t be reduced to introduction meetings and manager check-ins. You can go the extra mile by assigning a senior employee to each new hire; this will give them a fellow peer to turn to if they have questions during their first week on the job.

A structured onboarding process is key to making remote employees feel connected to a company, even if they are scattered all over the world. It also helps speed time to productivity and reduces the margin of error in the long run.

You can ensure a compliant onboarding process by completing the following tasks:

Verify and collect required paperwork: Paperwork can be extremely tedious, but documentation, such as employment contracts, are vital to meet in-country standards as well as clearly outline job expectations for your new talent.

To make this process fully compliant, make sure your new hires understand the employment terms and sign confidentiality agreements, anti-harassment policies, health insurance forms, and termination clauses.  To make this process fully compliant, make sure your new hires understand the employment terms and sign confidentiality agreements, anti-harassment policies, health insurance forms, and termination clauses.

An important point to consider during this initial phase is employee privacy. The obligations and rights concerning the employer-employee relationship can vary significantly from country to country, and these nuances must be factored in when creating policies for international teams.

While employers usually have access to information on company-owned equipment, it’s still important to have your employees’ consent. A company can typically monitor the following aspects:

• Business emails
• Work management platforms
• Web browsing history
• Geographic location

Communicate workflow processes: According to SHRM, poor communication can lead to damaged relationships, broken trust, and higher levels of anger and hostility in the workplace.

Therefore, communicating your company’s workflow processes in a clear and dynamic way will help streamline assignments, increase team morale, and, above all, help employees understand job expectations.

You can communicate and reaffirm company processes through virtual meetings, handbooks, and emails. All information must be shared and answered via company email and a secure server to reduce information breaches.

Provide job-specific training: A study conducted by Upwork predicted that in the next five years, 36.2 million employees will work remotely. That represents an 87 percent increase compared to pre-pandemic statistics. Therefore, traditional training programs must be reevaluated to help remote workforces thrive.

If a company does not properly vet an employee or fails to provide job-specific training, it can lead to costly lawsuits for workplace negligence.

For example, if a worker is asked to use a piece of equipment but lacks the necessary technical skills, the employer could potentially be held responsible for any damage the employee causes to themselves or others at the workplace for not providing the proper training procedures in advance.

What is offboarding?

Ending an employment relationship is never a pleasant thing to do, whether it’s a voluntary resignation or a layoff. However, you can make this a smooth transition by creating a structured offboarding program — this not only helps avoid future legal problems, but it nurtures your employer brand.

A report by People Path and Cornell University found that about one-third of former employees maintain connections to previous employers; and 15 percent of new hires come from referrals from former employees. Therefore, leaving a good impression on departing employees can make your company stand out and help attract future global talent.

You can ensure a compliant offboarding process with the following actions:

Notify employment termination: When terminating a remote employee, it is best to do so face to face in a video call. That way you can have a private conversation and calmly explain the reasons behind the termination.

Termination policies are different in every country, which makes compliance vital to avoid future legal consequences for your company.

For example, in the United States, at-will employment allows employers to freely terminate workers at any time without prior notice.

In the UK, on the other hand, employers must give one week’s notice for each year of service, or 12 weeks’ notice if employed for 12 years or more. Staying on top of these country-specific regulations will help ensure compliance during the offboarding process.

In the UK, on the other hand, employers must give one week’s notice for each year of service, or 12 weeks’ notice if employed for 12 years or more. Staying on top of these country-specific regulations will help ensure compliance during the offboarding process.

Protect intellectual property: Did you know that 20 percent of companies have experienced data breaches from former employees?

Here are a few actionable tips to keep data safe:

• Boost cross-functional collaboration between HR and IT departments.
• Avoid using shared accounts.
• Change passwords on a regular basis.
• Deactivate departing employees’ logins and email account immediately.
• Schedule periodic data backups.

Remote workforces are more susceptible to data breaches because dataflow cannot be monitored in the same way as on-site teams. A few additional contributing factors are:

• Using personal devices to access sensitive company information.
• Connecting to public Wi-Fi networks.
• Storing company data in the cloud.

The legal consequences of data breaches can be disastrous for both your reputation and your finances. For example, British Airways had to pay a GBP 20 million fine in 2020 for security flaws that facilitated a cyber-attack, which resulted in the leak of personal data of customers and staff.

Provide the adequate severance and compensation for dismissal: The final severance payment an employee is entitled to is calculated based on the reasons for termination and the length of service — it’s important to research in-country regulations to avoid legal problems such as lawsuits for unjust payment.

For example, there is no statutory severance in Germany; however, many employers provide 50 percent of the monthly salary per year of service. In China, on the other hand, severance pay is equivalent to one month’s full salary for each year of service.

Any misstep in the termination process, particularly in terms of severance payment obligations, can raise serious and costly compliance issues.

The key to a successful onboarding and offboarding experience

Remember that an employee’s first impression is just as important as the final farewell. If these processes are disregarded, it not only affects your employees’ performance, but it can also tarnish your reputation, making it difficult to retain and acquire future talent.

Compliance helps you avoid legal problems and safeguard company assets. In the long run, a structured onboarding and offboarding program can help you become an employer of choice and stand out on a global scale.

For more information on how to create a best-in-class onboarding and offboarding experience for remote teams, contact Globalization Partners. Our fully compliant Global Employment Platform helps companies build and scale international teams, and enables companies to manage the entire HR process, from recruiting and onboarding to compliant payroll setup and offboarding – all with one platform.

Learn more about our platform and request a proposal today.

For more on this topic, check out our two new playbooks:

• Your Global Compliance Playbook: Onboarding Best Practices (globalization-partners.com)
• Your Global Compliance Playbook: Offboarding Best Practices (globalization-partners.com)

The post How to Compliantly Onboard and Offboard Remote Employees appeared first on Globalization Partners.

We’ll start by setting out what we mean by risk management before collating a list of seven best practices.

What is risk management?

In order to create a positive environment where people can work safely and productively together, an organization needs to prioritize risk management. It’s important that international HR teams maintain a global mindset while establishing and implementing a risk management strategy.

Best Practices

1. Positive recruiting experience

Recruitment is a fundamental part of ensuring that your workforce has the talent and the skillsets to take your business to the next level of success. So, in order to reduce the risk of taking on individuals who aren’t able to contribute to what your organization needs, you need to pay attention to the processes that form your recruitment journey.

This includes all steps, from the initial job opening onwards. It’s imperative that the recruitment process primarily appeals to the preferred candidate type. Be sure that the elements that make up your recruitment process give the candidate a positive experience. Sixty-three percent of job applicants say they’re likely to reject a job offer if they had a bad experience during recruitment. Think of the risk of potential talent loss this represents, as well as risk to your company’s reputation.

For global HR, it might mean thinking about how locals will view your company image wherever you’re recruiting. Some companies present different images to different parts of the world. Or, it might mean creating a more universal brand image that speaks to a larger, worldwide audience.

Effective onboarding

Just like the recruitment process, a poor employee onboarding experience can have costly consequences. Firstly, your business faces the cost of onboarding (the average in the U.S. is estimated at USD 4,000 by some sources).

Secondly, your business could lose potential talent that may have stayed if they experienced a positive onboarding process. Talented employees who were previously excited about working at your company could be driven away and may start searching for a new job almost immediately.

Not only does this cost you financially, as you have to begin the recruitment and onboarding processes all over again, but you have also lost the skills they could have used to drive your business forward.

One strategy to ensure a positive employee onboarding that increases retention rates is to ask current and previous new hires for feedback using a range of team communication tools, and factor in their observations in order to continually improve your onboarding.

2. Top leadership

A good leader can be the difference between an early employee resignation and a long and productive tenure.

Train your managers well and ensure that they stick to the company’s goal and mission, wherever in the world they are. Encourage them to use technology where appropriate, such as computer telephony integration (CTI), to enhance communication and thereby consistency across the organization.

3. Employee development

A key element in making an employee feel valued is to encourage personal and professional development.

Make professional development opportunities available to employees, particularly training around skills development to help them succeed in their roles. For example, software engineers may benefit from training that teaches them about product development and the use of scrum artifacts.

Every company benefits from having an engaged, skilled workforce. And ultimately, showing employees you’re invested in their career growth will ensure you retain your top talent. Otherwise, the risk of high talent turnover will remain a significant obstacle to your company’s success.

4. Secure data

It’s crucial that global HR works to ensure employees understand and follow company rules and policies, particularly around the use of company technology to protect sensitive data.

Your company might, for example, implement new automated proposal software, but if employees aren’t given the training to properly use it, the risk of issues related to compliance and data privacy increases.

Securing sensitive company and employee data is a major challenge that often interferes with global operations – the bigger and more data-focused the company, the greater the vulnerability to breaches.

The impact of a data breach on your business could be significant, including risk of a tarnished reputation and financial loss. According to IBM, the average global cost of a data breach in 2021 was USD 4.24 million. There are even certain industries like healthcare that would see nearly double that cost.

However, cost isn’t the only factor to consider when evaluating the risk of data breaches – there’s also the risk of employee and customer details being made public. Global HR teams should center their risk management strategy around protecting their workforce by enforcing the highest standards of data security.

5. Detailed records

To avoid the possibility of noncompliance with local labor laws and regulations, ensure that your company has the required HR and legal expertise to support your teams. Issues with payroll or employee contracts can also be avoided with advanced technology like a proficient administration system and a global employment platform. For example, a good time tracker accurately reports employee time sheets for any confusion over hours worked, while a global employment platform can also help companies track time and expense reports, and automates compliant payroll and benefits setup.

Having adequate backup in terms of detailed records of all transactions and contract agreements will prove invaluable. This can mitigate risks to your company if there are ever false claims during offboarding.

6. Employee wellbeing

One way to promote and support the wellbeing of your workforce is to reward employees for a job well done, whether it’s through a team-wide email recognizing them for their accomplishments or even providing small motivational gifts.

Setting up regular team-building exercises to foster an inclusive work culture and providing resources that support your employees’ mental and physical wellbeing can go a long way as well.

The results of an unhappy workforce that feels unsupported by their leaders – whether these feelings stem from the fact that they’re overworked, their ideas are not heard, their benefits packages are not competitive, etc. – can lead to costly turnover rates that significantly damage your company’s reputation and bottom line.

Checking in on employee wellbeing and ensuring clear and regular communication through effective video conferencing platforms will ensure your company is not at risk of these setbacks.

7. Termination procedures

Just as it’s important to get the recruitment and onboarding right, it’s vital that the other end of the employee journey is handled with care. The employee must be treated fairly throughout the offboarding experience.

In the unfortunate case of employee terminations, ensure that your company has established legitimate reasoning to justify the process along with examples to support these reasons. Justifications should be based on the employee’s ability to meet the role requirements and perform their duties as stated in their employment contract.

Regulations around lawful terminations vary from country to country, so the first step in avoiding risk of expensive litigation is to familiarize yourself with the local labor laws. Without the proper knowledge and legal expertise, you may end up owing fines due to unjust terminations, and your company’s ethical profile could be compromised.

Conclusion

Risk management is a central part of global HR.  Once your company has begun working to minimize risks to your organization and its employees, you are in a better position to succeed.

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About the author:

Grace Lau is the Director of Growth Content at Dialpad, an AI-powered cloud communication and automated phone service platform for better and easier team collaboration. She has over 10 years of experience in content writing and strategy. Currently, she is responsible for leading branded and editorial content strategies, partnering with SEO and Ops teams to build and nurture content. Here is her LinkedIn.

The post 7 Risk Management Best Practices: A Guide for Global HR appeared first on Globalization Partners.

Although 44 percent of companies in the world don’t allow remote work, even on a partial basis, there will be a point at which they will have to evaluate the benefits of remote work in hiring and retaining top talent as well as maximizing the employee experience for enhanced productivity.

Remote work trends

At the beginning of the pandemic, companies transferred office-based practices directly to the remote work environment. The office-centered workplace was defined by a lack of flexibility, strict schedules, and endless meetings. Not only are these practices outdated, but when transferred directly to the remote work environment they are damaging to employees’ wellbeing, with workers feeling drained by meetings, the need to be “always on”, and overall fatigue and burnout.

Remote working creates the opportunity to reimagine the workplace and to restructure how we measure productivity and success rather than limiting it to a 9-to-5 office-based presence. Let’s look at the most popular trends shaping the world of remote working.

1. Flexibility

Office-based, strict schedules have become unpopular with employees. In fact, 97 percent of employees claim that flexibility in their jobs has a positive impact on their quality of life and is also a reason to stay longer with an employer. Employees say they also want the autonomy to manage their own work schedules.

2. Communication and automation tools

Technology is the engine behind the surge in remote work opportunities. Companies need to ensure communication and information are accessible to everyone online. This involves providing tools and software that eliminate the barriers between virtual and physical workplaces and open new ways to interact and collaborate.

One of the largest challenges companies have faced since the onset of remote work is preventing the feeling of loneliness and the lack of inclusion among employees. With the use of communication tools such as Zoom or Slack, companies have begun fostering social interaction, inclusivity, and engagement to create positive team dynamics and mitigate the effects of isolation.

Another important digital trend to keep in mind is automation. With global hiring gaining importance for companies looking to stay one step ahead of their competition, leveraging platforms that automate key processes like contract generation, entity setup, onboarding, and payroll can make or break a company’s success in today’s business world. Automation tools can help organizations simplify processes, improve planning, and manage tasks promptly to save time and effort. Ultimately, this speeds up workflows to increase efficiency and, therefore, accelerates time to market and improves the employee experience.

3. Hybrid work models

As well as being fully remote, jobs are increasingly being structured as partially remote. This type of hybrid work model is preferred by 59 percent of employees, according to a study carried out by Gallup.

Employees also say they want autonomy in deciding when to work remotely and when to work in the office. It is fundamental that companies work on agreements with their employees on how best to organize hybrid work models.

4. Health and wellbeing

Remote work has highlighted the importance of employees’ health and well-being. Too many hours online and the hyperconnectivity faced by employees are causing stress and burnout.

Companies must create corporate cultures and work environments that prioritize their employees’ health by promoting work-life balance, mental health, the right to disconnect, and privacy.

5. Home office expenses

The transition to remote work was abrupt at the beginning of the pandemic. Employees had to improvise as they learned how to work from home — working from sofas or kitchen tables became the norm.  However, this was not a long-term solution. Remote employees need adequate set-ups that include desks, chairs, and digital tools that allow them to perform their work in a way that supports their wellbeing.

To attract and retain top talent, it has become increasingly important to invest in providing employees with proper equipment to mirror the office space at home. This could take the form of reimbursing expenses related to work such as broadband and electricity.

6. Work from anywhere

While hybrid work models are growing in popularity, so is the work-from-anywhere arrangement. Remote employees want the chance to relocate if desired. However, companies must establish a relocation policy that communicates its rules and guidelines so there are no surprises throughout the process. Are there any locations that are off-limits? Will salary change upon relocation? Answer all of these common queries in your policy.

The flexibility to work from anywhere not only benefits employees, but also companies. Since employees do not have to work on-site, companies have the flexibility to consider implementing a global hiring strategy. Scaling to new countries no longer has to be a costly, time-consuming process — with a global employment platform, companies can start building international teams, regardless of their location, in just a few clicks.

Work, like many other factors in life, is constantly evolving. To succeed in the remote work era, it is essential to stay up to date with the latest trends and to listen actively to what employees say they need.

Globalization Partners is with you every step of the way. Our fully compliant, AI-driven Global Employment Platform streamlines and automates recruiting, onboarding, payroll, hiring, and HR processes. Our technology makes it easy to swiftly diversify your talent base and build international teams, all while maintaining compliance with country-specific labor and tax laws — so you can focus on keeping your workforce happy and engaged.

Schedule a demo and start hiring today.

The post 6 Key Remote Work Trends to Improve Employee Experience appeared first on Globalization Partners.

International relocation is a great way to get your foot in the global market door. By sending employees abroad, you’ll be able to begin expanding your company without needing to fully commit to a branch office or subsidiary.

Plus, employees nowadays embrace global mobility. Even with Covid-19, employees are more willing to relocate than ever before. According to a survey by Wakefield Research, 80 percent of employees said that they were open to relocation during the pandemic, and 31 percent of those employees stated they would relocate internationally. Having a comprehensive relocation package can make your company more appealing to potential hires.

Whether you’re relocating employees to another country for a short-term period or a few years, here are some key considerations.

How long does it take to move an employee internationally?

Sending employees to another country is a long process. Typically, an international relocation will take around one to three months. This period encompasses the time it will take for the employee to obtain proper documentation, find a new home in the destination country, resolve their living situation in their home country, and ship their belongings to the new location.

Ultimately, the timeline for an international move depends on several factors, including:

1. The distance between the home country and target destination
2. The political relationship between both countries
3. Existing travel restrictions
4. Visa and passport processing

It’s best to begin organizing as soon as possible to ensure a smooth transition.

How to plan an international relocation for an employee

When sending employees abroad, you’ll need to take a series of steps to ensure a compliant and straightforward move. Knowing what to expect in terms of labor laws and tax rules can help you avoid potential issues moving forward – and providing appropriate support to your international employees can help ensure their success.

1. Obtain documentation

The required documentation will differ depending on the country and the length of the employee’s stay in the host country.

There are three different types of global relocation for employees:

1. Travel: An assignment typicallyshorter than a year, which will have a specified end date. This assignment will require your employee to obtain a business or tourist visa, which determines the kind of work they can legally do within the host country.
2. Short-term: A short-term relocation assignment usually lasts longer than a travel assignment but still has a fixed end date. Your employee will move to the country under a residence visa rather than a tourist or business visa.
3. Long-term: An employee will live abroad for an extended period of time that may or may not have a fixed end date. As with a short-term relocation, your employee will enter the country under a residence visa. For long-term relocation assignments, employers should familiarize themselves with labor laws in the destination country to avoid accidentally violating them.

Each country and type of assignment will require different documentation. In general, the following documentation is necessary for working and living abroad:

1. Passport
2. Appropriate visa
3. Official work permit
4. Social security card
5. Birth certificate
6. Medical records
7. International health insurance card

Some documents, like birth certificates and social security cards, are papers your employees will already have. However, your human resources department will likely need to assist your employees in obtaining documents like visas, work permits, international health insurance, and passports. Submit all applications early to allow for processing time, which generally takes around a month without delays.

2. Understand local regulations

Before you send employees internationally to work, you should conduct extensive research on labor and tax laws in your destination country.

For example, a U.S.-based employer needs to know that at-will employment is primarily an American concept. At-will employment is a work arrangement where the employee can be terminated for any reason. But in other countries, like Italy, employees work under contract and thus receive protection from potentially unfair dismissal.

Familiarizing yourself with legal nuances can mean the difference between a successful assignment and a failed one. An international database is a great tool for learning about your country of interest.

3. Determine benefits and compensation

There is no one-size-fits-all relocation package because every employee’s situation is different. For instance, a single employee will have different needs than a married employee who plans to bring their family.

The benefits you include as part of a relocation package should depend on the length of the assignment and the provisions you already offer. Many relocation packages include the following:

1. Health insurance: It’s best to provide the same coverage you would ordinarily grant your home-based employees, like medical and dental insurance, through an international medical insurance policy.
2. Hardship allowance: Also known as a post hardship differential, this allowance is additional compensation for employees who take on assignments in locations where living and working conditions are significantly more difficult. This compensation is usually between 5 to 35 percent of an employee’s base salary depending on the circumstances of their host country.
3. Time off: Best practices dictate that you provide the same vacation policy to your international employees as you would to your employees at home. However, be sure to follow the host country’s policy if national rules dictating paid time off are different. You should also follow the host country’s calendar when planning paid holidays.
4. Cost of Living Allowance (COLA): A COLA is a nontaxable allowance meant to account for a higher cost of living in the host country.
5. Housing allowance: This allowance covers the cost of renting or owning a home in the host country. The amount you provide will vary depending on the circumstances of the employee in question as well as the cost of living in the host country, the type of home they will occupy, the neighborhood they choose, and their family size – if applicable.

How to help an employee move internationally

As an employer, you might want to contribute to certain costs to ensure your employees make a smooth, successful transition into their new homes. Consider the following aspects of the move.

1. Moving immediate family and pets

Employees moving internationally with their families — including their pets — will encounter unique challenges that single employees will not. They’ll need to move more belongings and more people, so they’ll need additional support from their employer. It’s also important to consider that employees who are single parents may need more assistance than those who live in two-parent households.

Moving pets can be especially complicated, as each country has different laws regarding which animals can cross its borders. As with every step of the moving process, it’s best to plan as far ahead as possible. Pets may need additional vaccines or a microchip to cross the border. Pet relocation services are also available for those worried about moving their pets on their own.

Whether or not you include these services in your employees’ relocation packages can depend on the overall cost of the move, the employees’ ability to pay for themselves, and the amount your company can afford to contribute. Make sure to map out these expenses in advance so you can make an informed decision.

2. Moving belongings

Moving a house full of belongings will most likely take longer than moving the contents of a small apartment. The timing also depends on the kinds of items the employee needs to take. For example, most moving companies won’t transport personal items like records, computers, or jewelry, so employees may need to use a parcel delivery service, which will take more time.

There are three ways to transport belongings:

1. Air: While air shipping is the most expensive method, it’s also the fastest way to send items to countries not connected by land. Depending on distance and flight availability, it can take about eight to 10 days to ship by air.
2. Sea: Shipping by sea is the most popular and economical option, although it takes the longest. Shipments by sea typically take around 25 to 31 days.
3. Ground: Ground shipping can be just as quick as air travel for countries near each other. However, this option is only viable for moves between two nations connected by land.

As an employer, you’re not legally required to assist with moving costs. However, if you want to provide extra help, you could include moving expenses in the relocation package. You could reimburse your employees with the cost of moving, or you could pay for it outright depending on the agreed terms.

3. Integrating into the new workplace

Those beginning work in a new place will need time to adjust before jumping back into their usual workflow. This fact is especially true for expatriates adapting to a new country. You will need to have realistic expectations about the amount of work your employees can produce until they have acclimated to their new environment. Make sure you keep deadlines reasonable and account for an initial period of lower productivity.

To help your employees with the integration, keep open, continuous communication with their new office. Every workplace has its own established dynamic, and your employees may take some time to adjust. This can help ensure that they receive a warm welcome upon arrival. Similarly, reviewing the host country’s business culture can help team members navigate their new office’s social landscape. In no time, they’ll learn how to fit in with their new co-workers.

4. Engaging with your international employees

Struggling employees are more likely to fail an international assignment than employees who receive support from their companies. Employers must provide constant reassurance for team members to flourish while still maintaining the organization’s bottom line.

You can make the transition easier for your employees by offering personal support through your human resources department. HR should conduct regular check-ins with your employees to ensure they’re doing well. Consider implementing an open-door policy where employees are able and encouraged to speak with HR any time they need or would like additional support.

How to pay employees relocating internationally

If you’re planning on taking a more traditional route, you’ll need to register your company as an entity in your host country. This step allows your company to become established as a legal employer within the country. It’s best to set up your entity before your first payroll period.

It’s also crucial to understand how conversion rates can affect your employees’ paychecks and your budget. Conversion rates tend to fluctuate depending on economic changes like inflation, so you should always account for these variations. Check your host country’s financial condition frequently.

You’ll need to become familiar with local tax laws so you can remain compliant with your host country’s rules. The percentage you’ll need to withhold from a usual paycheck, for example, can change from country to country. You will have to pay other tax obligations as an employer, like fringe benefits taxes or health care, which can vary depending on location.

Even if you’re not ready or willing to set up a legal entity in your host country, you can still legally pay your employees. Consider partnering with an Employer of Record that can take care of payroll and tax responsibilities for you.

Gaining international presence with an Employer of Record

An Employer of Record is a legal means of outsourcing payroll, human resources, and tax responsibilities when hiring or sending employees abroad. Your Employer of Record may be the employer on paper, but your team members still work for your company.

The ideal Employer of Record will have the following traits:

1. Self-contained: Make sure your Employer of Record doesn’t outsource its functions to another third party.
2. Global: Find an Employer of Record that provides services in your destination country or in any other location you plan to expand to in the future.
3. Established: You want to choose an experienced Employer of Record with a good reputation.
4. Transparent: Your Employer of Record should disclose exactly how much you should expect to pay at the end of each month.
5. Available: Find an Employer of Record that has representatives and in-country experts available whenever you or your employees need support.

The advantages of working with an Employer of Record

Working with an Employer of Record allows you to maintain compliance with local employment law while eliminating the need to set up a legal entity in your host country. This method is ideal for companies that want to test out international markets before creating a more permanent strategy.
An Employer of Record will take over your administrative responsibilities so you can focus on growing and managing your company.

Learn more about Globalization Partners’ solution

Globalization Partners is an Employer of Record operating in 187 countries with a 98 percent customer satisfaction rating. Our global employment platform enables you to hire anyone, anywhere, so you can build your company abroad with ease. Our AI-driven platform allows you to manage your team from any device and access information like salary, paid time off, and benefits. Plus, our technology automates payments for you in all supported currencies, including cryptocurrencies. You can relax knowing your employees will receive correctly taxed payments on time.

Our regional experts are available 24/7 to provide support when you need it most.

If you’re interested in learning how we can make international growth easy for your company, request a proposal today.

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