In today’s interconnected world, HR leaders face many challenges when it comes to building cohesive teams across diverse cultures, languages, and time zones, says Tessa Boshoff.
As workforces become more international, the need for effective strategies to unite global teams has never been more crucial.
Here are 5 key approaches HR professionals can implement to foster unity and productivity in multinational organisations:
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Cultivate a Shared Culture with Local Nuances
A unified company culture forms the foundation of any successful global team. However, this does not mean enforcing a one-size-fits-all approach. Instead, HR leaders should focus on establishing core values and principles that resonate across cultures while allowing flexibility in how they’re expressed locally.
Implementing standardised onboarding modules ensures all employees, regardless of location, start with a common understanding. These modules might cover the organisation’s mission, values, and key processes through interactive e-learning modules or video presentations from senior leadership.
At the same time, it’s vital to encourage local offices to celebrate their unique traditions and holidays, while also building visibility of these events across company offices. This could involve creating newsletters that highlight various holidays, explaining their background and typical celebrations. For organisations with food-loving employees, sharing local recipes can be a great way to engage staff. Encouraging employees to bring local dishes when they travel or to celebrate special occasions can further foster cultural exchange. Some offices even organise food-related competitions to bring people together.
When creating HR tooling, gain feedback on what’s required before beginning the build so that the solution is designed with the users in mind. Having an 80/20 rule (80% standardised / 20% local customisation) helps to bring consistency and an appreciation of local nuances when operating in a franchising environment.
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Invest in Cross-Cultural Communication Training
Effective communication is the lifeblood of any team, becoming even more critical in a global context. While establishing a common business language (often English) is important, true cross-cultural communication goes beyond language proficiency.
HR departments should invest in comprehensive cross-cultural training programmes. These programmes should cover not just language skills, but also non-verbal communication, cultural norms, and business etiquette across different regions. Understanding that direct feedback, highly valued in some cultures, may be perceived as rude in others can prevent potential misunderstandings and unnecessary conflicts.
Additionally, implementing a buddy system, pairing employees from different regions, can foster organic cross-cultural learning. This peer-to-peer approach allows for real-world application of communication skills and builds personal connections across the global team.
Layering this with awareness of different leadership and various working styles (such as people with introversion or extroversion preferences, or various personality types) adds a deeper interpersonal understanding. This approach can be valuable for teams and companies of various sizes, enhancing collaboration and mutual respect.
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Leverage Technology for Collaboration and Continuous Learning
In this digital age, technology is an essential tool for bridging geographical divides. HR teams should work closely with IT departments to implement easy to use collaboration platforms that allow for seamless communication and project management across time zones. At Wall Street English International the teams have their own preferences and use tools like Notion, Asana and Miro for hybrid collaboration.
Beyond basic collaboration tools, consider adopting a Learning Management System (LMS) to standardise training across global operations. An effective LMS can deliver consistent core content while allowing for customisation to meet local needs. At Wall Street English International, the preferred platform used is LearnUpon, which has been customised with our branding and houses more than 160+ training resources.
Some organisations use platforms that bring company goals together and align individual objectives, ensuring everyone is working towards a common focus. These systems can also include profiling elements where employees can share their skills, interests, hobbies, and even personal details like birthdays or favourite dishes, creating an additional layer of bonding among team members. At Wall Street English International, Zoho People is the preferred HRIS where appraisals, skills banks, leave and attendance are managed.
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Develop Inclusive Policies and Performance Management Practices
Creating policies that work across different cultural and legal landscapes requires some careful thinking and balance. Start by establishing a core set of global policies aligned with company values and international standards. Then, work with local HR teams to adapt these as needed to comply with regional laws and cultural norms.
Performance management is a key area where this balance is crucial. Implement a system that aligns individual objectives with broader company goals, ensuring everyone works towards the same vision. However, keep in mind that feedback styles and performance review norms vary widely between cultures.
For instance, the frequency and formality of performance reviews can differ greatly. In some cultures, frequent informal check-ins might be the norm, while others expect more structured annual reviews. Similarly, the emphasis placed on individual versus team performance can vary. HR leaders should provide training for managers and consider adapting performance management processes to suit different regional expectations while maintaining overall consistency in standards.
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Foster Global Leadership Development and Diverse Career Paths
Building a truly global organisation requires developing leaders who can thrive in diverse, multinational environments. This development starts with how HR approaches talent acquisition and development.
Implement internship programmes that attract diverse, international talent. When filling specialist roles, look beyond local talent pools to find the best global fit for the organisation. This might involve partnering with international universities or attending global job fairs. In recent years, five interns have successfully moved into permanent positions at the Wall Street English International head office in Barcelona.
Create opportunities for international assignments or job rotations. These experiences are invaluable for developing global mindsets and fostering cross-cultural understanding. They also help employees see career growth opportunities beyond their local office, which can improve retention rates. Many organisations find that employees at various levels benefit from working in different geographical locations over time. Sharing success stories of people who have lived and worked in various locations internationally can inspire others and help teams visualise the possibilities for their own career paths.
Mentorship programmes that connect employees with leaders from different regions can also be powerful. These programmes not only aid in professional development but also help break down cultural silos within the organisation. Some companies implement company-wide mentorship initiatives where staff volunteer to mentor colleagues on a variety of topics. These can range from practical skills like effectively using new collaboration tools or storytelling with data, to more nuanced areas such as working successfully with franchise networks. Such programmes can also serve to bring multiple generations together, fostering cross-generational learning and understanding.
Building cohesive global teams is an ongoing process that requires intentional effort and continuous adaptation. By focusing on creating a shared culture, improving cross-cultural communication, leveraging technology, developing inclusive policies, and fostering diverse leadership, HR leaders can create strong, unified teams that span borders and cultures.
In our borderless world, the ability to effectively manage global teams is becoming a critical competitive advantage. By implementing these strategies, HR professionals can help their organisations not just navigate the challenges of a global workforce, but truly thrive in it, creating a workplace where diversity is not just accepted, but celebrated as a key driver of success.
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By Tessa Boshoff, VP of HR at Wall Street English.
In 2019, Tessa Boshoff was appointed Vice President of Human Resources at Wall Street English, a leading global EdTech company specialising in English language training. She has since been responsible for defining and implementing human resource strategies to maintain the diverse culture that spans across 35 territories. Her previous HR management roles notably include The Body Shop International, Restaurant Associates (one of world’s largest food service organisations), Goldman Sachs, and Karen Millen.
