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Cultural agility: How global teams can work across borders

January 20, 2025

5 Mins Approx

Cultural Agility  How Global Teams Can Work Across Borders

Businesses are no longer constrained by geographical boundaries when building their teams. That’s a good thing on multiple levels – Access to a more diverse talent pool is critical in addressing worker shortages, particularly in high-skill roles like technology

One survey found that nearly 80% of workers “say that they want to work for a company that values” inclusivity – their strong preference for diversity underscoring the importance of embracing global workforces in order to attract talent. 

Put simply, diversity is a business advantage. Unlocking the true potential of global teams, however, requires careful attention to the skills you’re hiring for – and cultural agility—the ability to navigate cultural differences and build bridges between team members—should be top of the list. 

This blog explores strategies for building cultural agility into your company and its workers, from inclusive onboarding processes to celebrating shared values and fostering understanding.

The role of inclusive onboarding

Bringing together diverse talent across cultural, generational, and working time zone divides requires careful planning, especially during the onboarding process. A strong onboarding program ensures new employees feel welcomed, informed, and aligned with the company’s culture. 

According to Gerry Menezes, Senior Vice President, People and Culture at Multiplier, comprehensive onboarding should address four key areas:

  • Organizational onboarding: Introduce employees to the company’s mission, leadership, financials, customers, and revenue streams.
  • Cultural onboarding: Educate employees on ways of working, governance, compliance, and organizational protocols.
  • Functional onboarding: Equip employees with knowledge about products, teams, and programs they will be working on.
  • Administrative onboarding: Address logistics such as workspace setup, tools for remote teams, payroll, reimbursements, and company policies.

Onboarding without these components, Menzes warns, can lead to lost time, lost productivity, and lost employees. “Not having a plan, and letting the new employee figure things out on their own, will ensure that the new employee is a lost employee on day one.”

It’s worth remembering that onboarding is also never a fire-and-forget process. While written documentation enables self-service, active engagement is equally critical. Reaching out and staying connected during the first 90 days and beyond helps establish a bond that extends beyond work priorities. These efforts pave the way for long-term retention and engagement.

Celebrating shared values

In a diverse global company, values are a rallying opportunity – something to unite and motivate employees. However, these values must be more than words on paper. They need to be actively lived and reinforced. 

For example, Multiplier has adopted the “Three Ts” as its guiding principles: Trust, Transparency, and Thoroughness. “These characteristics reflect an intrinsic drive to accomplish, to build and to create,” says Menezes. In its monthly townhall, Multiplier celebrates those who have most demonstrated those values, rewarding them for their efforts and setting a precedent for other employees to emulate.

Emphasizing the mission

This kind of common company culture is essential for uniting employees with different motivations and backgrounds. To achieve it, companies must take a top-down approach to define and communicate their mission.

“Be very mindful, conscientious, and intentional about who you are as an organization, what’s most important to you,” advises Addie Johnsen, Chief People Officer at Aperian. This clarity should permeate every touchpoint of the employee experience, from recruitment to performance reviews.

The importance of good communicators

Communication is another backbone of cultural agility. Without strong communicators, remote workplaces risk becoming transactional environments where employees deliver their tasks but lack emotional connection or affiliation with the organization.

“With good communication, you help people understand the purpose of why they are where they are, why they are doing what they are doing,” Menezes explains. Effective communication requires a deliberate approach to emphasize the mission and ignite employees’ intrinsic motivation.

To achieve this, companies should:

  • Recruit and develop leaders who are skilled in articulating the company’s vision and values.
  • Use multiple communication channels to ensure messages reach all employees.
  • Create opportunities for open dialogue and feedback to foster transparency and trust.

Fostering understanding across borders

Diversity inevitably brings differences in work styles, communication preferences, and cultural norms. Resolving these differences starts with understanding them. One way of achieving this is by giving global employee managers employee profiling and engagement tools like Aperian’s GlobeSmart Profile. That helps them understand who’s on their team and what their communication preferences are.

Surveys and assessments can also play a role in reducing ambiguity in a global workplace. Lauren Rollins, Manager of Global Talent Development at Akamai Technologies, shares how her organization uses assessments to gauge employees’ connections with their managers, teams, and the company culture. 

“We built an assessment where folks can give answers and understand the connection they feel with their manager, with Akamai culture, and with their team and the company. Understanding what motivates you, how you feel connected, and how you can better engage with your teammates and leaders really enables you to better meet the goals of the organization,” Rollins notes.

How global teams can work across borders

Cultural agility is vital for businesses operating on a global scale. By fostering inclusivity through comprehensive onboarding, celebrating shared values, and investing in effective communication, companies can build cohesive teams that transcend borders. Understanding and addressing differences within teams further strengthens bonds, enabling organizations to harness the full potential of their diverse workforces.

Ultimately, cultural agility allows businesses to not only attract top talent but also foster innovation and drive growth. To find out more about cultural agility, download our playbook featuring expert insight and information on the ins and outs of global workforce management.

Picture of William Smith
William Smith

Content Writer

Will is a Content Writer at Multiplier. With a background in technology journalism, he is passionate about busting jargon, getting to the heart of complex topics, and writing pieces you'll enjoy reading.

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