According to Globalization Partners, a company that provides in-country payroll in 187 countries around the world, there are 10 mistakes commonly made during a company’s global expansion.
The list of mistakes reads like this:
- Hiring too quickly
- Failing to consider long-term fit of employees
- Not selecting entrepreneurial leaders
- Dependence on independent contractors
- Failing to find the best global talent
- Waiting too long to figure out payroll
- Ignoring cross-cultural issues
- Limiting local autonomy
- Straying from what is known and successful
- Failing to understand in-country regulations
While many of these mistakes take significant thought and energy to address, there are some that are able to be quickly avoided by aligning with the right globally connected recruitment firm or agency. Some of these mistakes can cost your organization thousands of dollars (or more) in fines and lost time. By partnering with a firm that has a local connection in the market where you are hiring, nearly half of the listed global expansion mistakes can be avoided. Connected global recruiters can assist with the long-term fit of employees in a way that in-house recruitment functions or recruiters working a LinkedIn database from 8,000 miles away will never be able to assess fit. They also are local and understand the regulations, the cultural issues, what works locally, and where the best talent can be found.
Finding globally connected recruiters can be a challenge also. In some cases, the large franchised recruitment brands offer a way to reach across borders and find talent via a branch office. The NPAworldwide independent recruitment network has members offering a connection that is local, based where you are based, and connected to local recruitment agencies in the markets where you are hiring.
Whichever way you proceed, it is wise to have a globally connected recruiter with a live resource in the country you are hiring.