How to prepare employees to work in a global workforce

As technology has made the world smaller, the workplace has become smaller as well, with more employers hiring foreign nationals to work at U.S. offices and more workers collaborating with colleagues around the globe. But there are hurdles that go beyond time differences. There can be a divide between cultures and values. Luckily, however, there are simple steps HR can take to bridge those gaps. The workforce, in general, is more globally engaged than ever, Jim Link, CHRO of Randstad North America, told HR Dive in an email, "so really, the shift is less drastic than we may think as employees are already well-equipped to work with foreign workers." Their own Workplace 2025 research shows that virtual or remote employees make up 22% of organizations today and that globalization is a top reason to build an agile workforce.