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The internet is a wonderful thing that has provided mankind with many conveniences. From getting rid of paper in the office to making communication and collaboration nearly instantaneous, it seems that there is nothing this technology cannot do. It is no wonder, then, why companies have started taking advantage of this and other technologies in order to make their business run more efficiently than ever before.
One way to grow your business is by establishing branches in different parts of the globe, ensuring that you are able to get and retain talent regardless of their location. But before you start hiring tons of promising recruits from around the globe, there are a few things that you should know.
In this article, we will give you four things that you should keep in mind if you plan to start expanding your media monitoring team internationally.
Build Trust
If you want to successfully manage an international team, you will need to build trust between all team members. This is even more important than having nonrepudiation strategies in use. A team is not able to function without trust in one another. You want to build trust by defining and discussing core team values as a group. Talk about how you will work together to achieve all your desired outcomes. Make sure to allow extra time for everyone to get to know each other personally as well as professionally. Building team trust is a must if you want to manage your team successfully.
Keep Track of Different Time Zones
Keeping track of time zones is necessary to scale a digital remote business. It can be a huge headache having to remember who is awake in what part of the country, but this is something that comes with the benefits of going global. To help you out, you can assign specific point persons that you can talk to at specific times of the day.
Sit down with them and decide on a schedule that works for everybody involved. If you have to, you could even install several different clocks in your office so that everybody knows what time it is in another branch of the company. This is very common in digital banking branches. Just make sure that you respect everybody’s schedule.
No employee appreciates being woken up at three o’clock in the morning for something that be resolved by somebody who is actually awake at that time. If it is not an urgent matter, just leave them a message or shoot them an email that they can return to whenever they are ready for work.
Have A Strong Structural Setup
If you want to succeed when managing an international team, you absolutely must have a clearly defined structure in place prior to onboarding international employees. In addition to having a clear and definite management and telecommunications structure, you should also do the same for defining brand objectives and expectations. If you have all this structure in place prior to bringing an international team on board, you will make it easier to improve and grow your international teams going forward.
Be Aware Of Differences In Culture
Of course, not all countries are the same. If you are not careful, you may end up accidentally offending your foreign employees or clients. Thus, you will have to take time to educate yourself on whatever countries you are planning to set up your business expansions in. Decide on how you will tackle the issues of language barriers, according to Chron. For instance, you may want to try hiring a translator who can help ensure that you are communicating correctly with your foreign employees.
If you are not too keen on the idea of hiring a dedicated translator, then you may want to hire employees who have a good grasp of the English language. You must also figure out how you will learn about local etiquette, societal and cultural issues including their methods of conducting business in that specific country.
Devise New Conflict Resolution Strategies
Due to the cultural differences between employees, there are sure to be conflicts. The traditional conflict resolution strategies used in business will not work when your team is located all over the globe and carries different cultural norms with them. Use the knowledge you have acquired on your employees’ cultural norms to develop a new conflict resolution strategy that is effective in solving conflicts across various cultures. This practice is even used by the NBA general manager. Doing so will prepare you to successfully manage an international team.
Use The Best Tools For Your Needs
If you want the smoothest communication possible, you can’t just settle for the second best in terms of software and equipment. Since you cannot be there to talk to your new employees personally, you will need a system that will make communications as painless as possible. That is why you may want to look into more robust video conferencing for business solutions. If you are worried that your sensitive information may be exposed to unauthorized individuals, fear not, as these types of solutions already have built-in encryption methods. This ensures that your meetings are secure and free from any prying eyes or ears. By using these types of systems, it is almost as if you are in the same room as your other employees. This can boost moral and camaraderie in the office, making employees feel like they are cared for versus being just cogs in a machine. Be sure to have an eagle eye when selecting the best tools for international business.
Know Tax Codes And Compliance Issues
Though taxes are already hard enough figure out in the United States, it can be even more complicated once you bring an internationally based teams into the picture. Remember: taxes do not work the same way in other countries as they do in the U.S.. You will need to have accounting software in place that can manage different countries and territories. In fact, taxes might be even higher in other countries! You have to take that into consideration before setting up shop in a new area, or else your business may just go under. According to a report, some foreign banks may not feel confident about working with a company based in the U.S. because of the added complications to administrative tasks. In the end, you may end up having to put up a new business identity and bank account specific to that country, separate from your existing account.
Establish Standards For Collaboration Software
Similarly, you will need a collaboration software that works across borders, with multiple languages, currencies and compliance laws. Many cloud based collaborations platforms allow teams around the world to login at anytime, respond to comments and compete tasks together. Ideally, users should have a standard platform for chatting, sharing, whiteboarding and scheduling meetings. This type of environment is essential to managing an international team.
Embrace Obstacles
To succeed in international team management, you need to embrace every potential obstacle. Common distractions that come with working virtually from home can seriously impact employee productivity. Instead, you should try offering your team a separate space to work — such as a co-working location. This will provide them with a high-quality, professional workspace that stimulates efficiency. Think of the old saying and make lemonade from lemons. Surely, embracing obstacles is necessary when managing a global team.
While expanding your business can be intimidating, you can pull it off smoothly if you do enough research and preparation in advance. Keep these tips in mind so that you will not find yourself blindsided by any unexpected hindrances during the process of making your business go global, and be sure to download a free conference calling software to prepare yourself now.
