One of the major benefits of today's technologies for businesses is that they are no longer limited to hiring people within a certain radius. They can find the most talented people for the job, regardless of whether they live in the same town, across the country or on the other side of the world. However, having a global workforce presents some unique challenges that business leaders must overcome.
Language Barriers
Even though you will be working with your global staff over the internet, you will still have occasions when you must speak to them over the phone or through messaging or teleconference systems. Language barriers make it difficult to understand each other, and this is often made worse over certain phone systems.
To ensure you can communicate clearly and effectively, you may want to invest in a few sessions with a business speech coach. This person can help you learn how to enunciate clearly so that others can understand you.
Language differences are more than just accents and enunciation. The words you use often have different meanings in other cultures. You must also be aware of how you can offend others by phrases you normally say in your own part of the world. Being aware of cultural differences is essential in communicating with employees from around the globe.
Time Barriers
Depending on where you hire your staff, they may start their work day just as you are getting ready for bed. Time differences can impact your project's delivery time and the ability to communicate with your global workforce.
You must plan ahead for how you will deal with these differences. There will be times when you need to have a meeting or you may want to see the response to an email or message. First, you need to ensure you have solid programs in place that allow you to keep track of your global staff even if you are not currently working.
Second, you need to figure out times outside of normal business hours when you are willing to work with your staff. Maybe you can get up earlier to meet with them before they end their day or stay up later as they begin their work day.
While this may seem complex, people who are working online often develop work hours that are not the norm in the traditional business world. As long as you know when your staff members are working and you plan ahead, communication can happen as needed even if they are half a world away.
Working with employees in another area of the country or somewhere else across the globe can be easy and effective if you know how to communicate with them and when. Develop a routine and schedule and consider hiring an executive speech coach to help you communicate clearly and concisely. Enjoy the benefits of hiring people from around the world to develop a team that will make your company a leader for today and tomorrow.
Claudette Roche is a dialect coach who teaches accent coach area. She teaches foreign and American accents to actors and business persons/executives. In 2010 she was named as one of The Top 5 Voice Coaches by Hollywood Weekly Magazine.