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Global HR — 8 min

Global HR research: what you need to know

As remote work continues to gain momentum, more and more companies are turning to virtual team members across the world to thrive. This means that HR professionals face the challenge of managing a global workforce from their laptops.

To stay ahead, it’s important to be up-to-date with the latest global HR research. You’ll be able help your remote team grab opportunities and overcome challenges by leveraging the latest trends.

We’ll dive into key findings in global HR research, so you can apply them to build and manage a successful remote team. 

What does global human resources mean? 

The most valuable global hr research insights , how to simplify international worker management , use global hr research to elevate your business .

Global human resources (HR) refers to the management of human capital on a worldwide scale. It involves managing employees, contractors, and freelancers across multiple countries and cultures.

Global HR is a complex field that requires a deep understanding of local laws, customs, and business practices. You’ll want to consider the below key areas of global HR. 

International recruitment: Understand the local laws, regulations, and cultural differences in each country you’re hiring in that may affect the recruitment process. This helps you attract and retain the best talent from around the globe. 

Compensation and benefits: Implement a fair and competitive compensation and benefit plan. It should be based on the local costs of living, tax laws, and cultural norms.

Ensuring legal compliance: Ensure you’re compliant with the laws and regulations of every country you run your business in or have team members.

Performance management: Set goals, track performance, and give feedback to team members. This is to ensure that employee performance is consistent across all countries and match company standards. 

Your company can access a wider pool of talent and expand operations into new markets through global HR. However, you need to navigate language barriers, cultural differences, and legal requirements while managing human capital internationally.

Global HR platforms like Remote make it easier than ever for businesses of all sizes to operate on a global scale. Regardless of the size of your business, Remote helps you expand borders and access a worldwide talent pool. With a solid global HR strategy, your company can build a strong, diverse workforce that drives success and growth. 

You can use research findings to build a more inclusive and supportive workplace, or even assist your team members from different cultures and locations overcome challenges. Here are some of the latest findings in global HR research to help you: 

1. Skills-based hiring is on the rise 

Companies are approaching job candidates with specific skill sets. For instance, 56% of companies are now using “pre-assessments” to determine whether a job applicant has the right skills and capabilities to perform the job prior to hiring them. Qualifications or experience listed on a resume are no longer the focus. 

Additionally, LinkedIn launched a recruitment process that focuses on identifying and developing specific skills that are in demand across the job market. 

What this means is that companies can now identify candidates who possess the skills they need earlier in the hiring process — avoiding the expense of onboarding a team member who has the right educational background but is underqualified in skills.  

Many companies have jumped on board with this trend. Microsoft rolled out a global skills initiative helping 30 million people upskill in digital tools and AI. Microsoft is a strong advocate of the benefits of hiring “for skills, not just degrees,” as they believe it can help build a more versatile and diverse team. 

Research shows that hiring practices that focus solely on education or experience may become obsolete. Employers must focus on identifying the specific skills and competencies required for a job. Then, check whether a candidate actually has those skills before hiring them.  

Incorporate this research into your HR management by: 

Embracing remote-first recruiting processes 

Offering free training and development programs 

Using pre-assessments to evaluate candidates’ skills 

Skills-based hiring can be incredibly advantageous for both employers and job seekers, especially when it comes to global talent acquisition processes. Not only do pre-assessments open up the pool of applicants who may have been ruled out based on their educational background, but they also assess whether an applicant is a good fit for your company.  

2. Employee benefits must match the rising cost of living  

Increased cost of living affects employees around the globe, especially low- and middle-income earners. Inflation is also a global issue; in Zimbabwe, for instance, the cost of food rose by 340% in 2022. 

Change in the global economic market calls for comprehensive employee benefits that help ease financial burden on team members. Offering health benefits such as private health insurance, mental health services, and inclusive insurance plans, can support team members through economic uncertainty.  Offering remote work instead of sole in-office work also helps employees save costs.

You can incorporate this research into your HR management by: 

Providing remote work options with flexible schedules and time-off packages

Customizing benefits according to local economic conditions and cultural standards 

Including benefits that workers use regularly, such as gym memberships

For a global team, consider the economy of your team member's country, and the current cost of living in that country. You should reflect these two factors in a benefits plan to meet your employee's needs and expectations. 

3. Hybrid and remote work are no longer just a trend 

Hybrid and remote work are now a common arrangement. Only 37% of employees are working full-time in the office. Many other companies adopted a hybrid model of working: on average, 3.5 days in-office, and the remainder remotely. Other companies committed to full-time remote work as a permanent solution.  Despite this fact, some employers still believe that remote work leads to lower productivity and collaboration. While 71% of employees believed hybrid work helps work-life balance, 31% agreed hybrid work can limit access to work resources and equipment. 

Making sure you track employee well-being in remote work environments 

Providing proper tools so employees can be productive while working remotely

Offering a flexible work schedule

Promoting your company as fully remote or hybrid on job listing platforms to increase employee interest  

4. Employee absenteeism rates have increased (and asynchronous work might be the solution) 

A key challenge that businesses face is increased employee absenteeism. For example, companies in Australia saw a 23% increase in employee absenteeism in 2023 compared to 2019. The most common reason workers aren’t showing up to work is that they are either sick with COVID-19 or are simply pretending to be sick. To properly address the factors leading to absenteeism, it’s important to recognize this research as a warning sign. Take appropriate measures to ensure your employees feel engaged and well looked after by your company.

One way to do this is by introducing asynchronous work . 

Asynchronous work is an arrangement where employees don’t need to work at the same times or in the same locations as their colleagues. Asynchronous work boosts creativity and productivity, while reducing stress and burnout. 

Monitoring employee well-being to reduce the likelihood of work-induced burnout

Offering your employees more flexible work arrangements, like remote work 

Developing a comprehensive absence management policy with clear guidelines

Implementing innovative strategies such as asynchronous and remote work can give employees the flexibility they need to manage their work-life balance. This will decrease the likelihood that they will ask for sick time, and decrease absences.

Managing international teams can be challenging, especially if your business is experiencing growing pains. You need to keep track of new legislations and global HR research, but it can be time-consuming and confusing. 

Fortunately, using a global HR platform with the support of industry HR professionals can simplify the process. Using a global HR service helps you stay compliant with local laws and regulations. 

Remote is a cloud-based global HR hub that centralizes your employee data, compliance contracts, and reports across multiple countries and jurisdictions in one secure location. 

Remote is trusted by big brands like DoorDash and GitLab, to manage their end-to-end employment lifecycles. Leveraging Remote’s platform means businesses can manage their global HR needs more efficiently and cost-effectively. This allows companies to to focus on their core operations and growth strategies. 

Remote offers a comprehensive suite, including the following: 

Human resources information systems

Employer of record services

Contractor management services

Payroll services

Remote’s platform can help you integrate important global research into your HR management, while also staying compliant with local laws and regulations at all times. 

Global HR research is an essential tool for organizations looking to build and manage successful global teams. From developing effective recruitment and retention strategies to navigating the complexities of working in different legal and regulatory environments, staying abreast of current research helps you build a strong and cohesive international remote team. 

For more information on the latest global HR research trends, take a look at Remote Tech Talent Report . Use our in-depth report to attract the world’s top tech talent to your organization.

Find new hiring opportunities with Remote's Top Tech Talent Report

Insights from 1400+ hiring managers to help you find and attract top remote professionals (with city profiles of 15 new talent hubs)

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The Illusion of Meeting Expectations

Productivity is top of mind in 2024. In the race for results, leaders have been tempted to shift focus from guiding performance to tracking output. But if you think current performance management practices are ‘good enough’ to meet the bar, you could be wearing rose-colored glasses. Many executives are. Our latest research shows a shocking perception gap between the experience of performance management for leaders and HR versus everybody else.

The right support tools and processes are also key. Disconnects in access to manager-employee conversations, feedback, development, and goal management track with a tumble in outcomes like productivity, belonging, and alignment — which all directly impact performance. So is the current system “good enough” to drive gritty 2024 productivity goals? All signs say no. If companies want to see performance boom, they can’t sleep on managing it. Instead, they must identify and bridge these gaps — and double down on meaningful performance support.

Top Findings From the Report

Mind the gap, performance management is not as good as you think it is, game changers for business, conversations and feedback, middle management crisis, the squeeze is real, “good enough” isn’t, what you leave on the table with an hcm-only approach, meet the moment, deliver impact through skills-based performance management, goal-getters, the high flyers of performance.

Execs and HR give performance management an A+ but 4 in 10 employees say it’s a big fail.

There’s a dangerous disconnect in performance management. Leaders and HR see performance management through a rosy lens. For them,  manager conversations, peer feedback, reviews, goals management, and career/skills development are overwhelmingly working. For employees and their managers — not so much.

This gap has a real impact on outcomes. Individual contributors are 17% less likely to say they are very productive, 37% less performance-enabled, and 3x less likely to feel supported in their skills development. Managers also rate these factors lower than leaders —  especially when it comes to productivity, where they dip even lower than individual contributors.

Find out in the full report.

Compared to hr and leaders, individual contributors are:, a failing grade for performance management, game changers for business.

Up to 2 in 5 employees are not getting conversations or feedback, and it is crushing their growth.

Manager conversations and peer feedback are game-changers for retention and productivity — but more than 1 in 5 employees are still not getting either. This has a manifest impact on outcomes, at a time when top talent is in demand and skill gaps are a big concern.

Fissures between the “haves” and “have nots” directly map to shortfalls in how supported employees feel in their performance, their ability to build their skills, and whether they see a path for growth in their organization.

Haves vs. Have nots

People managers lack the clarity and support they need to deliver results.

Middle managers serve as the bridge between leadership's vision and strategic direction, and the execution of these by employees. They support teams relationally and help employees remain on track and engaged. Yet, underinvestment in managers coupled with high expectations from all sides threatens to undermine the foundational support they provide.

Our data shows them squeezed from all sides — struggling to stay effective and productive. There is a troubling disconnect between the level of assistance people managers say they receive and the level of support that higher-level managers, HR, and leaders feel. Only about 1 in 3 middle managers said they have the clarity, organizational support, and resources to succeed and to coach employees effectively on skills and career development.

“Good enough” Isn’t

What you leave on the table with an hcm-only approach
.

HCMs perform 70% better with an assist from purpose-built performance management software.

When it comes to managing performance, the data shows that  HCMs perform no better than manual spreadsheets — and in a few cases, they are worse. Yet, two-thirds of respondents use an HCM or ERP system precisely for performance-related activities.

Clearly, a majority of employees and organizations are missing out on the multiplier effect of modern performance management by relying solely on large, one-size-fits-all systems. Combining an HCM with a purpose-built, best-of-breed platform for performance management boosts outcomes across the board for engagement, belonging, enablement, goals relevance, career development, and opportunities for advancement.

HCMs are 70% more effective with an assist from purpose-built performance management software.*

Hcm + dedicated software.

Companies are failing 1 out of 2 employees in developing skills and careers.

Organizations are hyper-focused on building skills to make the best use of their talent while fortifying their ability to address constantly changing conditions. And employees desire similar security and promise. Employees at all levels told us they want skill and career development — but only 54% rate these programs as a success.

The addition of purpose-built solutions yields dividends. Employees with software specifically designed for performance management were nearly 3x more likely to feel they always receive the support they needed to develop their skills and nearly 2x more likely to say they see a clear pathway for advancement in their company than those relying on only an HCM for skill development.

Employees see a clear pathway for advancement in their company.

Productivity and feelings of belonging soar when employees feel aligned to company goals.

Organizational impact goes hand in hand with goal alignment. Employees say they are more productive when they are able to set and accomplish goals in sync with their company’s goals. And they are 3.6x more likely to feel those goals align when they have frequent manager conversations, coaching, and feedback.

Here, again, purposeful technology matters. The combination of an HCM plus a purpose-built solution was a winner for 92% of respondents. And sometimes, the wrong technology can be worse than having none at all — HCMs without the addition of a purpose-built solution produced even less alignment than manual solutions.

Employees feel their goals are always relevant to and help their organization to achieve its overall goals.

Crossing the great divide.

The 2024 State of Performance Management report exposes striking disconnects in experience — whether based on organizational role or access to effective tools and thoughtful performance management processes.

The impact these factors have on outcomes that matter most to organizations makes clear the vital need to bridge the experience gap — a need that will only become more crucial as enterprises race to meet the demands of the marketplace and the needs of their workforce.

Download your copy of the full report.

Discover betterworks.

Founded in 2013, Betterworks is the pioneer in intelligent performance management solutions that help workforces and organizations achieve their highest potential. Betterworks reimagines performance management for all with an enterprise-ready platform that fosters greater manager effectiveness and employee performance, leading to higher satisfaction and retention and better business outcomes.

Our customers’ employees are proven more engaged and satisfied in their roles, which is why industry leaders like Colgate-Palmolive, Intuit, Udemy, Freddie Mac, Vertiv, and the University of Phoenix rely on Betterworks to manage and enable excellent performance. Betterworks is backed by Kleiner Perkins, Emergence Capital, and John Doerr. For more information, please visit www.betterworks.com .

A few words on terminology

We use the terms HCM, ERP, and purpose-built performance management solutions in this report. Here are their definitions: HCM (human capital management) – An integrated suite of technologies that help companies manage all aspects of the employee life cycle overseen by HR, including recruiting, training, payroll, compensation, and performance management. ERP (enterprise resource planning) — Software that organizations use to manage day-to-day business activities such as accounting, procurement, project management, risk management, and supply chain operations. Purpose-built performance management — Software that is specifically designed for performance management, enabling lightweight and continuous performance enablement in the flow of work through agile goal-setting, manager-employee conversations, peer feedback and recognition, and employee surveys.

Thank you for downloading the full report!

2024 Global HR Research Report The State of Performance Enablement

Global HR Research

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