It is often said that the world feels smaller than ever thanks to the advancements of modern technology, and that is never more evident than in the modern business environment. If your company is eager to stay ahead of the competition in today’s climate, managing remote teams and cross-cultural employees must be considered a priority. 

As remote work becomes more prevalent, businesses have the opportunity to tap into a global talent pool and hire employees from different countries and cultural backgrounds. However, if you have no experience in managing cross-cultural remote teams, it may present a range of challenges linked to communication, employee engagement, and cultural misunderstandings.

This guide will provide you with a comprehensive breakdown of the key considerations for managing cross-cultural remote teams and international employees, ranging from the benefits to building a strategy that can overcome potential obstacles. The road to truly embracing global talent starts now.

The Shift to Remote Work and Hiring from Different Regions

The shift towards remote and hybrid work is undeniable. Spearheaded by the impacts of COVID-19 lockdown, remote work has evolved from a rarity just a few short years ago to a significant part of the business landscape in 2023. In fact, around 30% of the UK’s full-time workforce now comprises employees that use the Work From Home (WFH) model. 

Perhaps more importantly, employer perspectives have evolved too. Companies have seen that remote work can boost productivity by 13% while modern tech communication systems make the process far smoother than many envisioned. In addition to embracing WFH models for existing employees, many businesses have opened their eyes to the possibilities gained by hiring remote workers from different regions.

The door to building global workforces is now fully open, with companies now hiring talent from Africa, Asia, the Americas, and Europe while they can also tap into the growing community of 35million+ digital nomads. It has resulted in a clear and conscious diversification of workforces, embracing employees from different cultures as well as timezones.

While the shift was accelerated by the pandemic, it is evidently here to stay. For those that embrace it, remote work and managing cross-cultural teams can deliver incredible results. However, building a strategy to overcome obstacles and maximise company output.

Challenges Faced and Hesitations Encountered

While 56% of global companies allow remote work, including 16% that are fully remote, the transition towards building and managing remote teams is one blighted by potential obstacles. 

As a team manager, you will encounter the challenges of managing remote teams as well as the task of managing employees from different backgrounds. Some of the most noticeable issues include; 

  • Clashing styles of work. Workers from some cultures are used to working with autonomy or having their opinions heard, whereas others may respond better to respecting the hierarchy and following their leader.
  • Contrasting levels of background info. If a gap exists between the information held by employees in one location versus others in another location, workflows will suffer, and conflicts may surface. 
  • Motivation and influences. With teams spread across multiple locations, you are going to find very different dynamics which can influence how teams interact. Also the way you manage and motivate will differ wildly based on that. 
  • Time zone differences. Having a team spread out across multiple continents presents a range of logistical challenges, not least in relation to communication and collaboration.

In addition to the challenges of managing people from multiple backgrounds without the benefits of face-to-face interactions, your business may hesitate to embrace this new model. Issues regarding language proficiency and establishing clear two-way communications. Similarly, concerns about integrating global talent into a settled team may raise some doubts.

Benefits of Hiring Cross-Cultural Employees:

The fact that hiring remote workers and cross-cultural employees has become prevalent proves that there are some obvious benefits. Nevertheless, it’s important to understand the benefits of making the transition as it will provide guidance for managing cross-cultural teams in the future.

“Extensive research into 1,7000 companies found that having above-average total diversity translates to a 19% increase in innovation revenues and a 9% boost to EBIT margins.”

Additional benefits gained from making this transition include, but are not limited to;

  • Increased employee happiness leads to a 13% increase in productivity, because millions of workers actively want remote opportunities.
  • The ability to tap into a wider talent pool with diverse skills and experiences can help the company find solutions to any issues it may encounter.
  • Improved decision-making as diverse teams are shown to outperform individual decision-makers in this sense on 66% of occasions.
  • Local market insights will enable the company to adapt its output according to the demands of each region with far greater proficiency.

The benefits above will also extend to office-based workers within the organisation, thus transforming the entire company for the better.

Making the Most of Cross-Cultural Employees: Tips and Strategies

Knowing that you want to start managing remote teams that include cross-cultural employees is one thing, but doing it effectively is another. As a growing number of companies look to use this model, implementing the right strategies is the only way you’ll stay ahead of the competition. 

Given that remote working and cross-cultural workforces are the present and future of business, now is the time to pay extra attention to the process. Ultimately, the key is to focus on active listening, creating clarity, and embracing adaptability. 

Here are six of the best tips that will enable you to do this in style;

  • Improve remote collaboration with the best digital tools on the market. This will make it easier for teams to build familiarity, while employee wellbeing features can help highlight any issues that may surface.
  • Foster an inclusive environment and remove potentially tone-deaf practices. Actively encourage different viewpoints, ideas, and ways of working so that teams can collectively bring more to the table.
  • Organise virtual team-building exercises, such as cultural exchanges and traditions sharing, to celebrate diversity and give team members a better understanding of each other.
  • Focus on clear communication, which means removing slang and ambiguity from the equation. It can boost productivity by 25% or more while also making international remote employees feel more comfortable and confident during interactions. 
  • Bridge any informational gaps that exist between different teams by actively investing in staff training, professional development, and other learning opportunities that will promote unity and consistency across the workforce.
  • Create a defined cross-cultural policy that employees and managers can revert to when issues arise. A cultural awareness programme may also be beneficial as success can only be achieved with a company-wide buy-in.

Framework for Maximising Cross-Cultural Employees:

Knowing how to manage remote teams will provide a great foundation for managing cross-cultural remote teams. Nevertheless, creating a clear framework will deliver significant benefits for international remote workers while directing the integration of future candidates that fit this criteria.

Preparing for Onboarding and Integration:

First impressions count for an employee, which is why a strong onboarding programme that covers cultural orientation and training should be at the top of the agenda. Otherwise, employees can become unengaged with the business before they’ve even started work. Key aspects to consider include;

  • Build a big picture of the company and ensure onboarding is contextualised by it. Celebrating small wins along the way can promote inclusion too.
  • Give people time to settle in and consider using different media types, which can help retention while also overcoming language barriers.
  • Assigning a mentor who can guide the new candidate through the onboarding and integration procedures.

Promoting Cross-Cultural Communication and Collaboration:

Clear communication and collaboration are at the heart of all business success, especially when teams work remotely. Encouraging open and inclusive communication channels to facilitate cross-cultural interactions will lead to greater unity across the team. Further steps to unlock smooth collaborations include;

  • Implementing regular team meetings and virtual social events to foster relationship-building.
  • Encouraging active listening with a focus on clarity, listening to feelings, avoiding prejudice, and preventing distractions.
  • Being open to learning by implementing feedback loops and making the adjustments needed to support relevant remote-based workers.

Providing Resources and Support:

As a manager, you need to monitor remote employees without micromanaging them. The most effective way to achieve this is to ensure that they have the necessary support resources to develop at their own pace while still knowing that they can reach out for help if needed. Examples include

  • Providing translation tools and other items that can help break down any language barriers.
  • Offer guides and training materials that help develop a cultural understanding of the company and its workforce.
  • Arrange catch-ups and interact with international remote workers to confirm they have not become isolated.

Embracing Diversity in Work Practices:

For diversity to work when managing cross-cultural remote teams, you must implement inclusive policies and practices that celebrate diverse perspectives and contributions. Crucially, you must create a fair playing field for all employees in all locations. To do this, you can;

  • Accommodate different time zones and scheduling needs with ideas like scheduling overlaps.
  • Ensure that all culturally significant dates are acknowledged while workers that follow them can celebrate.
  • Be aware of unconscious bias and promote open communication about it. Also, promote equal pay and mix up your teams.

Conclusion:

Effectively managing cross-cultural remote teams yields a plethora of benefits for companies of all sizes and industry backgrounds. It allows you to access top talent, unlock increased innovation, and establish a level of cultural diversity that enables you to thrive in the modern world.

While challenges are likely to arise, adopting the right values and following a clear framework that actively promotes inclusivity and clear communication will enable you to unlock the desired results. Tools like Microsoft Teams and Analytics 365 build the perfect foundation to establish winning habits and cultivate a culture of continuous improvement. In turn, this will support managers, office-based workers, and remote employees from around the globe.

Remote work and cultural diversity are the future of business. Embrace it today, and it will set you up for years to come.