Wednesday, February 15, 2012

Managing Employees Globally Is Just Not the Same....

So...your employees don't live in the same town, or for that fact, the same country.  Do you manage them the same?  Absolutely not.  Interacting with employees internationally brings to bear some difference of skill.  First, you have to recognize cultural differences.  They may live in a country where an afternoon siesta is just a part of life, or where most people are not comfortable with telling you when they don't agree.  Then , there's the issue of technological functionality- is their internet and phone service good enough for the kind of contact you need in order to stay in touch?  Global employee management is at best stressfull and difficult.  Here are some tips:
1. Study the culture, the nuances, the businesses ethics and practices.
2.  Use some form of video conferencing to be able to 'face to face' them on a regular basis.
3.  Communicate, communicate, communicate. 
4.  Set clear and realistic expectations of what they are to do, and when they are to do it.
5.  Ask questions.  Verify what you know.  Inspect what you expect.
Simple ideas, but they'll help.