How to Build An International Onboarding Strategy That Ensures Long-Term Retention

A new survey from BambooHR highlights a truth universally acknowledged in the global recruitment and HR industry - onboarding is crucial to long-term employee retention.?

The survey found that 97% of employees thought it important for onboarding to include tools and software to streamline the process—paired with thoughtful and effective practices, of course.?

We at Omnipresent certainly don’t disagree. But what the survey doesn’t cover is the importance of an international onboarding strategy. This is crucial at a time when more and more companies are hiring workers in multiple countries.?

International onboarding isn’t just another process in the operations department; it’s a defining moment, a chance to make a lasting first impression on a new remote employee. It sets the tone for the entire employee experience.?

Here are just a few ways this can be beneficial in the international context.?

• Better employee experience – tailoring your employee onboarding process to support new hires while addressing cultural differences helps new international hires adapt more quickly and feel more at home. It's the first step in a long-term, positive journey that demonstrates to new hires that you care about their development and want to foster a more inclusive work environment.

• Faster time-to-productivity – remote onboarding is an expensive and time-consuming process. A well-structured onboarding process can reduce the time it takes for new hires to reach their full productivity. The sooner they can begin contributing directly to the bottom line, the better.

• Legal compliance – by fully understanding and adhering to the specific legal requirements of each country, the onboarding process minimises the risk of costly legal complications.

• Enhanced team collaboration and communication – efficient onboarding fosters team cohesion by integrating new hires with their team and the broader organisation, promoting collaboration and shared goals.

• Stronger employer branding and culture – a smooth onboarding experience reflects well on the organisation's reputation, enhancing its attractiveness to future top talents wherever they may hail from.

What’s more, a genuinely international onboarding policy needs to take into account some of the complexities that arise from hiring remote or distributed workers worldwide.?

Cultural sensitivity

Melding various cultural expectations without in-person nuances can feel like walking a tightrope. And a mix-up here, even one that’s accidental, can lead to distrust or confusion.

Time zone tango

Synchronising schedules when remote team members are spread across the globe can breed frustration if not handled with care.

Personal connection deficit

Without those coffee breaks or water cooler chats (informal 'get-to-know-you' moments), building a cohesive remote team becomes a formidable task. The lack of personal connection can lead to feelings of isolation.

Instilling company culture from afar?

Translating company values, norms, and culture without the tangible ambiance of a physical office is no small feat. New remote employees may struggle to feel part of the team, impacting their long-term motivation and performance.

But in order for your company to provide a seamless onboarding, you need to do the relevant compliance groundwork.?Let's look at some examples.

Tailored employment offers & compliant contracts

Tailoring employment offers to global team members ensures compliance with local regulations and respects cultural differences. This also means that compliant employment contracts are an absolute must for international onboarding.?

Leave management

Each country has its own regulations regarding paid and unpaid leave. Reasons for leave can vary a lot, including vacations, illness, care-giving purposes, compassionate leave. You’ll need to make sure your annual leave policy is aligned with the paid time off regulations of a given country.?

Probation policies

You’ll need to draw up a probation policy that’s both transparent and in line with the relevant country’s employment laws.?

Offer competitive global benefits

Offering competitive global benefits is a difficult balancing act when you’re a globally distributed company. And in the onboarding process, it’s crucial that you signpost both the statutory benefits and the more market-competitive benefits you’re going to be offering your new hires.?

In a world where remote work is here to stay in some capacity, understanding and mastering international onboarding for global employment is more than a matter of convenience; it's a necessity.

This week’s edition is adapted from a longer Omnipresent article on international onboarding. Read more here.?

The Omni-Outlook

International Employee Transfer: Staying Compliant with TUPE Laws

Our latest masterclass on managing international employee transfer is next week.?

Post merger or acquisition, matching your employees’ benefits across multiple territories can become very complicated, very quickly.?

Register for our exclusive interview with Omnipresent’s Co-General Counsel James Mallett and leading global benefits expert Emma Gleaves, as they share strategies to help you

• Understand the key global laws governing employee benefits transfer, such as TUPE in the UK.
• Stay compliant with specific legislation as and when you expand into new markets.
• Minimise risks associated with cross-border employee transfers, whether these occur during mergers, acquisitions, or divestitures.

Click here to register

Contractor vs Employee: How to Avoid Misclassifying Your Global Workers in 2024?

Our latest whitepaper on contractor management is designed to help your leadership and HR team to:?

• Understand the legal frameworks of five key countries regarding worker classification.
• Gain guidance on accurately classifying workers across different contexts.
• Learn strategies for efficiently managing global workforces of all categories.

Download your copy here

In other global employment news…

• You can read the full BambooHR report on onboarding here
• May Day saw protests all over the world, designed to celebrate and speak up for workers’ rights.

About us

Global Team Trends is brought to you by Omnipresent.? Omnipresent is the only global employment platform built & supported by global employment experts in legal, benefits and HR.?

Our Employer of Record solution lets you easily and compliantly hire teams in a country where you don’t have a legal entity.?

Get in touch if you want to know more about who we are and how we can help you.?