Fundamentals of Human Resource Management 6th Edition by Raymond Noe, John Hollenbeck, Barry Gerhart,Patrick Wright

Exercise 28

Supporting a Multinational Strategy
When organizations are making decisions about where and how to operate, HR professionals should help to ensure that decisions about hiring, training, rewarding, and so on are aligned with their organization's strategy. Here are some ideas for managing global human resources:
• Develop a "global mind-set." Learn about the global business environment, including the legal, economic, and cultural issues affecting the various locations where the organization operates or may decide to operate. Practice empathy and diplomacy, and think of differences as something interesting to explore.
• Build an HR department that reflects the organization's global diversity. Ensure that the people in HR represent the people in the organization.
• Build a network of relationships with co-workers in other locations. Use the resources available, such as the corporate intranet, company meetings, and if possible, travel to other facilities.
• Learn what the HR best practices are in other countries. Instead of assuming that HR practices used in headquarters will work as well in all locations, weigh the pros and cons of different approaches in each context.
• Be sure training and development programs address talent needs globally. Identify and develop high-potential employees in all the locations where the organization operates. Review training materials to find and correct cultural assumptions that may not apply to all trainees or situations.
• Use company databases to create, analyze, and make available information about employees' skills, including international experience and languages spoken, so the best individuals can be tapped as positions open up.
How might a global mind-set help an HR manager follow the other guidelines listed