8 Top Global HR Practices of 2022

There’s so much to consider before taking your company to the world market—your language policies, time zone considerations, product packaging and a top-tier HR department equipped to handle the tough challenges of international hiring is arguably the most important consideration you’ll make when you expand globally.

In this article, we’ll explore eight global HR trends taking the world by storm. We’ll break down why you should consider international hiring, cover key tips for global HR operations and discuss how employer of record services can help streamline your international HR department.

As an HR manager, if you’re ready to chase and embrace worldwide talent, this is the guide for you. 

Why Hire Internationally?

Wondering how to make hiring more inclusive? What do you stand to gain when your business goes global? Let’s explore a few possibilities:

• New markets and customers – Hiring worldwide workers is the first step to global expansion. If you’re ready to grow your client pool or target audience, you’ll need to hire workers in your new markets.

• A diverse workforce – An employee pool with diverse backgrounds, identities, and cultures is an innovative one—with a bevvy of experiences under their belts, a diverse workforce generates distinct ideas and brings unique perspectives to the table. Don’t forget to comply with HR standards in whatever country you’re branching into.

• Technological advancement – International hiring requires some level of a worldwide communication system. And, if you hire remote employees in other countries, keeping up with the most powerful technologies can help your off-site employees work seamlessly with your team. International hiring can give you a technological—and, perhaps, productivity—edge over your competitors.

• A more inclusive workplace – When you hire worldwide, you must be sensitive to diverse cultures and values. Becoming educated on new perspectives and building a welcoming environment for international workers can create a more inclusive workplace for your domestic team as well. 

8 Ways to Strengthen Your Global HR Practices

Hiring globally can give your brand significant advantages. Let’s break down eight key international HR tips that will set your business apart on the world stage.

1. Audit your HR SOPs

When you’re ready to post job ads internationally, your HR Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) will need a facelift. While the existing policies may be perfectly suited to your domestic operations, international HR is a whole different playing field. 

You can audit and update your SOPs with the following procedure:

1. Review your current SOPs, highlighting areas that need to be modified to accommodate an international team.

2. Explore HR services and technologies that could fill the gaps in your current SOP, like payroll solutions.

3. Research global employment laws to make sure your SOPs are compliant with international regulations.

4. Update, review and publish your new SOP and set a date to review it in the future. 

With a strong, detailed SOP, you can streamline your HR procedures, making it even easier to welcome a worldwide workforce.

2. Revamp your compensation and benefits packages

When you reevaluate your HR SOP, you’ll likely discover that your compensation and benefits packages are tailored to your home country’s laws or industry standards. But, in order to be competitive in the international market, you’ll need to create benefits packages that are:

• Compliant with worldwide regulations
• Affordable for your business
• Attractive to prospective hires
• Tailored to industry standards in your new market

Evaluate how your benefits package measures up to international standards and the laws in your target country. Depending on your home country and the regulations in your new market, you might not have to make many changes. But, you should consider the following crucial elements:

• Whether or not your current benefits providers serve employees abroad
• Minimum benefits requirements and reporting regulations in your new country
• How your international benefits package compares to your domestic offerings
• The financial impacts of operating an international benefits package

Offering a compliant, attractive benefits package is part and parcel of expanding your global employee base. 

3. Create a safer workplace

You might be ready to take the world by storm, but are your current domestic employees prepared for your international hiring plans? If you’re planning on expanding your operations across the globe, your workplace needs to be friendly to international workers. 

Consider the following questions before posting an ad abroad:

• Are your domestic employees trained in cultural sensitivity?
• How will your company’s language policy change to accommodate non-native speakers?
• Does my target market have any specific accessibility or workplace discrimination laws?
• How tolerant are my current employees of people with diverse backgrounds?

If your domestic workplace isn’t very diverse, you may have challenges creating a safe, welcoming environment for international workers. Consider asking a resident of your target country to describe their ideal workplace culture and use this as a guide to reshape your inclusivity plan.

4. Hire inclusively

Inclusivity must play a major role in any global HR policy. And—as we touched on above—if your current hiring policies don’t prioritize inclusivity, it’s time to revise them before you engage with diverse applicants. 

While you should take steps to promote inclusivity in your domestic facilities, the following inclusive hiring practices will help you create a culturally sensitive and diverse workplace:

• Create an EEO statement – An Equal Employment Opportunity (EEO) statement will help your company stay compliant and achieve long-term inclusivity benchmarks.

• Provide accessibility information to candidates – Building an accessibility information document for applicants can provide employees with disabilities the information they need to apply for—or pass on—your postings.

• Use a payroll service – An international-friendly payroll management system like Playroll can transform and streamline your inclusive hiring practices. We handle the nitty-gritty of running an international company while you reap the benefits of a diverse, global workforce.

5. Improve your job descriptions

Part of the challenge of international recruitment is attracting the right talent. Have you been using the same job description templates for multiple years? Or do you fly by the seat of your pants, writing an impromptu job description whenever you need to hire someone new? In either case, it’s time for a reboot.

In the world of global HR, job descriptions have shifted focus. While the job ads of yore emphasized applicant requirements, today’s ads focus more on the actual role a prospective employee will fill. 

Before you post your next ad, consider your requirements for each open position, eliminating unnecessary or outdated items. For instance, if you’re hiring for a desk-based position and your job description template requires applicants to lift 50 pounds, that boilerplate requirement probably isn’t necessary. 

In the event that you do need to list a requirement, justify it. If the employee in the desk position sometimes has to receive heavy packages, move furniture, or tote stuffed banking boxes, provide such justifications in the ad. 

6. Increase transparency

Transparency in the workplace is more important than ever—employees in trusting, communicative and transparent workplaces are happier and more successful.

Increase your transparency by publishing as much information about your workplace as you can. Consider sharing the following:

• Employee pay scales at multiple levels
• Employee benefits packages
• Workplace documents, like
• SOPs (if they don’t include trade secrets)
• EEOs
• Accessibility audits
• Employee handbooks
• Sick pay, vacation, and personal leave policies
• The average hiring, onboarding, and training timelines for new employees

Transparency in hiring benefits employers, too. Instead of interviewing candidates who won’t accept your benefits package offer, for instance, you can spend your time vetting people who know what to expect.

7. Rethink interviewing

As the workforce adapts to new technologies, so do interview trends. Consider the following changes that could breathe new life into your interview process:

• Panel interviews – Rather than using one or two interviewers, assemble a panel to assess potential hires. Good candidates for an interview panel might include representatives from each department or the applicant’s future team members.

• Improved questions – It’s easy for applicants to rehearse for an interview if they’re familiar with old-hat prompts. But, if you’re looking for more off-the-cuff responses, ask more compelling questions. Consider outsourcing potential questions from multiple departments or company leadership.

• Mock procedures – Consider combining a traditional interview with a simulated task. If you’re hiring a call centre employee, for instance, consider observing applicants on the phone with simulated customers in need of support. 

8. Use an international payroll solution

Newly minted international employers have many hurdles to overcome. An international payroll services provider like Playroll can help global business owners streamline their HR procedures, stay in compliance and focus on doing what they love—running a company they’re passionate about. 

Utilizing payroll services provides numerous advantages:

• It can decrease the cost of HR operations, especially during international expansion.
• Instead of giving your domestic HR team new responsibilities, you can rely on seasoned experts. 
• Our all-in-one platform helps you track HR costs, onboard new employees, securely collect their personal information and pay them in their native currency.
• Payroll is an employer of record—you won’t have to worry about setting up new entities abroad. 

In a fast-paced global market, your business needs the best tools to stay competitive—especially for HR compliance. 

Attract a Worldwide Workforce with Playroll

If your business is ready to grow, your HR operations need to scale, too. With the eight top international HR practices above, you can prepare your global business for the tribulations and profit potential of the world market.

Playroll is everything you’re looking for in a payroll management system. We’re an employer of record, we offer a cutting-edge management platform, and our team of experts can help you handle any global HR task with efficiency and accuracy.