Category Archives: Global HR Expertise

Hey HR! Here’s What Employees and Families Really Need When Relocating Internationally

Posted on December 13, 2011 by | 4 comments

Guest Author:
Rachel Yates – Definingmoves.com

[Editor’s Note:  We are very excited to share with you the assignee’s spouse perspective on international relocation, from someone who has lived through five such moves.  Rachel Yates edits a website, Defining Moves, devoted to assisting relocating families around the world. ]

I read the post from May, 2011 by Warren Heaps about global mobility policies for the 21st century on this site, and found it to be fascinating, mainly because I am part of the changing demographics Warren described. On paper, we are the traditional relocating family; husband as assignee, spouse as the accompanying partner, and two dependent children. We have relocated through three continents over the last 10 years, and we have struggled. And we are most definitely not alone.

So what do relocating individuals and families really need from HR?

Continue reading →

4 Comments

Posted in Expatriates, Global HR Expertise, Global Mobility Services, Policy Development, Relocation, Repatriation, Talent Management

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Ten Ways to Simplify Administration of Your International Assignment Program

Posted on December 8, 2011 by | 2 comments


Jennifer Stein – Global Tax Network

[Editor’s Note:  We are happy to welcome Jen Stein as a Guest Author.  Jen is the Managing Director of the Global Tax Network Chicago office.  She has more than 15 years of experience in expat and foreign national tax preparation and consulting, starting her career with Arthur Andersen, and then Ernst & Young, where she served for over 14 years.]

International assignment administration is complex. Sometimes it’s useful to take a step back and review basic components.  The list below, while not exhaustive, is a good starting point to help review your international assignment process and procedures.  Adopting one or all of these components may make your life easier when administering international assignments.

Continue reading →

2 Comments

Posted in Expatriate Selection, Expatriates, Global HR Expertise, International Assignee Selection, Policy Development, Repatriation, Talent Management

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Ten Questions HR Should Ask When Your Company Expands Internationally

Posted on December 4, 2011 by | 2 comments

Author:
Warren Heaps – Birches Group LLC

Companies are increasing the pace of international expansion, constantly seeking new opportunities and new markets.  One of the most commonly asked questions through our Ask the Experts feature and on other sites is how to prepare, from a human resources perspective, for international expansion.  It might be opening a new office, or just hiring one or two sales reps, but either way, there’s work to do.  If your company is expanding to a new country, what questions should you ask (and answer) as an international HR expert to help prepare your firm?

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2 Comments

Posted in Benefits, Compensation, Global HR Expertise, International Employment Law, International Expertise, International Payroll

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Job Evaluation: Why Bother?

Posted on September 8, 2011 by | 10 comments

Author:
Warren Heaps – Birches Group LLC

Recently on LinkedIn there was a somewhat heated and lengthy debate about job evaluation.  Many were questioning why companies should even bother with such an “archaic” exercise, while taking pot shots at a well-known job evaluation methodology that shall remain nameless (but begins with the letter H).  Some folks proclaimed market pricing was the solution to everything and rendered job evaluation a pointless and unnecessary process for a modern company.   Continue reading →

10 Comments

Posted in Compensation, Developing Markets, Global HR Expertise

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Creating Salary Scales in Developing Countries

Posted on August 17, 2011 by | 4 comments

Author:
Warren Heaps – Birches Group LLC

Many companies use salary scales together with salary grades to manage their compensation programs globally. There are many advantages to doing so, including cost management, positive employee relations and transparency which enables managers to be directly accountable for pay decisions.

In developing markets, creating salary scales is more challenging than in countries with more stable economic conditions. Developing country markets are volatile and often fluctuate from year to year based on a combination of factors. Cost of labor (supply and demand), tax and labor law changes, general economic conditions (such as inflation), business growth and expansion,  as well as unplanned events such as natural disasters, civil unrest and the like are all in the mix.

Continue reading →

4 Comments

Posted in Compensation, Developing Markets, Global HR Expertise

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Is There a Crystal Ball for Talent Planning and Global Mobility?

Posted on August 2, 2011 by | 3 comments

Guest Author:
Nikki Goodstein – Cisco Systems

[Editor’s Note:  We are happy to welcome Nikki Goodstein as a Guest Author.  Nikki is a leader in Compensation & Benefits at Cisco Systems, Inc. and has a depth of experience designing and implementing global mobility programs. Before establishing the strategy and redesigning the program at Cisco, she led Global Mobility at The Coca-Cola Company. Nikki began her international HR career at Johnson & Johnson as part of their international compensation organization and has held HR roles in both the business as a generalist and in centers of excellence.]

Sorry, there is no talent planning “crystal ball,” but that does not mean you don’t need a plan!

Many companies with mature global mobility programs have evolved to measuring assignment success by leveraging available data across several key employment metrics:  performance over time, promotions/career opportunities, years with the company post repatriation, engagement scores reflecting manager performance, etc.  When consolidated into a dashboard, these metrics can help tell the story of success or challenges in your global mobility program.

Continue reading →

3 Comments

Posted in Expatriate Selection, Expatriates, Global HR Expertise, International Assignee Recruitment, International Assignee Selection, Policy Development, Repatriation, Talent Management

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Square Peg in a Round Hole: Balancing the Global Salary Budget

Posted on July 26, 2011 by | 2 comments

Author:
Warren Heaps – Birches Group LLC

Managing salary budgets on a global basis is a real challenge.  In some companies, the process is often dictated by the corporate finance department, which establishes the amount of growth in the budget “salary line” which is acceptable for the following budget year, say 3%.  That’s 3% in the currency used for budgeting, usually the headquarters country currency.

So how do compensation professionals make the global salary budget “come in at 3%?”  It’s kind of like fitting a square peg in a round hole.

Continue reading →

2 Comments

Posted in Compensation, Developing Markets, Global HR Expertise, International Expertise

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What You Wish You Knew For Your Global HR Career

Posted on July 14, 2011 by | 8 comments

Author:
Warren Heaps – Birches Group LLC

I spotted a question recently from one of my LinkedIn connections, Don Schepens, that I want to share with you.  Don is the head of the HR program at Grant MacEwan University in Edmonton, Alberta (Canada), and is also very involved in the human resources community there through the Human Resources Institute of Alberta.

The question:

“For those of you who have been around for a while (seasoned?), and to help out my HR students, “What is the one thing you wish you would have known starting out?”

I thought this was a great question, and of course, provided an answer to Don.

Continue reading →

8 Comments

Posted in General, Global HR Expertise, International Expertise, Professional Development

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Workplace Bullying: A Global Issue

Posted on July 5, 2011 by | 9 comments

Guest Author:
Ellen Pinkos Cobb – The Isosceles Group

[Editor’s Note:  We are pleased to feature this article on Global Workforce Bullying by guest author Ellen Pinkos Cobb.  Ellen is an attorney with many years of experience in the employment law field, and has spent the past two years extensively focusing on psychosocial workplace issues.  She is a Senior Regulatory & Legal Analyst for The Isosceles Group, a consulting firm specializing in Environmental, Health and Safety management services.  Ellen is based in the firm’s Boston office.] 

Think about sexual harassment.  It’s not done.  And yet, it was done, flagrantly, constantly, with a wink and a nod, until not that long ago.  It still happens, but less, and public perception has changed.

In the United States, workplace bullying has been found to be four times more prevalent than sexual harassment.  At the Work, Stress, and Health 2011 conference in May, bullying expert Staale Einarsen of Norway described the workplace bullying field as “exploding.”

Continue reading →

9 Comments

Posted in Code of Conduct, General, Global HR Expertise, International Employment Law

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Ten Tips for Managing Employment Contracts

Posted on June 23, 2011 by | 6 comments

Guest Author:
Joan Keston –  Keston & Associates, Ltd.

[Editor’s Note:  We are happy to welcome Joan Keston as a Guest Author.  Joan is an experienced attorney and Managing Principal at Keston & Associates, a consulting firm that helps companies achieve a stable international presence by providing a broad range of legal services for international corporate and employment law, and global governance.  She assists public and private companies, NGOs and non-profits, US and foreign entities.]

Employment contracts are a requirement in many countries.  Drafting employment contracts is a blending of the company employment policies and practices, usually based on employment law of the country where the company’s headquarters is located, and the employment/labor law of the country where the employee is working.

Jurisprudence varies greatly among countries, and this will affect basic contract law and corporate law, as well as legal principles.  Layered on top of these differences is employment/labor legislation, an area that is extremely nationalistic and specialized.  The differences are accentuated more so in developing countries.

Managing these contracts is a challenge.  Here are ten best practices to consider: Continue reading →

6 Comments

Posted in Global HR Expertise, International Employment Law

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