The world has witnessed many globalisations over the past 100 years. The globalisation of trade created opportunities for manufacturing after World War II, while the globalisation of information in the 1990s allowed for the invention of international digital products and social media. Here, Matt Wilson talks us through the latest iteration: the globalisation of teams
Covid-19 has forever changed the way we work and made us reconsider what constitutes a workplace – and the term, ‘globalisation of teams’ has emerged in its wake. This transformation is set to drive innovation and growth; in fact, the way companies, or even entire nations, respond to it is likely to define and revolutionise the future global economy.
The pandemic meant many employees around the world had to work from home and, indeed, millions still do. On top of that, ‘digital nomadism’ took hold, as people realised they could work from anywhere. All of this has become possible by merging three technology trends:
- The digitalisation of knowledge industries and office tools enabling employees to interact more efficiently
- Social media and online job platforms making it easier to find potential candidates, no matter the geographical distance
- Accelerated performance of cloud collaboration and video conferencing
Organisations have shifted with the challenge, finding new ways to work productively, hire and increase innovation. Now that they’re not restricted by geographical borders, workforces are becoming increasingly diverse. According to our company’s YouGov survey of 2,000 senior UK leaders, 89 per cent of organisations are planning to adopt a remote or hybrid model within the next 12 months. We equate this to nearly 400,000 businesses across the UK.
Some 27 per cent of those senior UK leaders who responded to our survey also said they’re looking at fully remote work to boost their DE&I strategy, while 38 per cent of larger UK organisations plan to adopt a remote working model to grow into new markets and access a wider talent pool.
Stepping away from the brain hubs
Another significant change is that previous work styles led to a concentration of knowledge industries around so-called ‘brain hubs’, located in mega-cities such as London, New York and Shanghai. However, the emergence of global teams has led to an increased rate of innovation, collaboration and problem-solving across borders. We’ve seen this happening in the science field, with Covid research or the Large Hadron Collider, where experts from various countries have come together to solve scientific challenges, exchanging knowledge and experience.
As more and more companies embrace remote work, brain hubs are changing significantly, creating a ‘doughnut effect’, where people look for more affordable living options and better work/life balance away from cities and offices.
On the flip side, companies realised that they could expand their search for talent beyond their headquarters. This gives an opportunity for candidates located in low-income countries, who would not have had the same financial means or legal rights to work in brain hubs, to compete in a single global market. It’s also allowed many women and retirees to re-join the workforce and level the demographic playing field.
Yet, these newly created opportunities do not necessarily mean equal pay or flawless operations. In most cases, the switch to remote hybrid work accommodates organisations’ current employees, but doesn’t address newcomers who might struggle with adapting to the new company culture. This can create power asymmetries, but there are ways to mitigate issues.
Achieving balance
Whether the globalisation of teams succeeds or fails will depend on a workplace culture and a company’s ability to overcome known workplace challenges such as communication, DE&I issues and psychological barriers.
Putting every single team member in as equal a position as possible will help teams maximise diversity and fairness, especially if all teams work remotely. When everyone faces the same cultural, linguistic or geographical barriers, they are more invested in building a common team culture.
Re-evaluating company values, and weaving them into business operations as it develops, helps onboard employees at all stages. With that, ensuring the culture is instilled from the top down is crucial – people will rely on their line or local managers to lead by example.
It’s also important to create a psychologically safe environment where everyone can speak up and express themselves without fear. This can be achieved by setting clear communication and collaboration guidelines, as well as ensuring all team members have access to appropriate tools to achieve purposeful connections.
And finally, it’s vital to arrange offsite meetings to help strengthen team bonds and the company culture, as well as offering a safe space for people to meet each other in person.
While there are challenges when building a global team, a well-considered approach to creating a truly inclusive workplace where every employee can thrive and have a sense of belonging will help change society for the better. The globalisation of teams will have the power to offer a seat at the table for those who’ve previously been excluded from it and level the playing field for economies, systems and communities as a whole.
Matt Wilson is the co-CEO and co-Founder of Omnipresent, which provides international recruitment and relocation services
