A global workforce is now a necessity for most organizations which expect to be in the thick of things in the world of business; however, it is also important to point out that the workforce that might be scattered at different locations in the world needs to be managed astutely in order to get the best out of them.

Effective and worthwhile communication is the most important part as far as managing an international mobile workforce is concerned and that is something that can be easily achieved if the company in question embraces new age technology. Over the years plenty of tools have been invented that have made it easy for managers to communicate with their international mobile workforce by way of video calls and similar methods.

Managers Should Avoid Micro-Managing

It is tough to manage every little aspect of a global workforce, especially when they include sales, marketing, human resources, and accounting, among others. Everything usually goes on as smoothly as possible since at the end of the day they are all professionals. It is of course true that the correct technology must be used, but it is important for the manager in question to let the employees take responsibility for their own work and should avoid to micro-manage a global workforce.

Create Deadlines and Targets

Following on from the last point about not micro -managing the workforce it is important to point out that a far better way of making sure that the employees of the organization are working diligently is by setting strict deadlines and providing them with targets regarding their particular job profile. If that happens then the manager would be able to ascertain how diligently everyone is working and if anyone fails to adhere to the deadlines repeatedly then he can call him up for an explanation.

Use the Latest Technology

It is often stated that ‘new and improved’ was the greatest marketing slogan ever but in terms of usage of technology it must be stated that the new communication tools that are being produced by tech companies are almost always an improvement on the existing tools which is why it is important for managers to keep pace. For instance, the tools that facilitate online conference calls may introduce an improved version of the product that may help project managers in staying in touch with different departments of their workforce throughout the day. Most of these tools can be used via mobile phones as well so there is no problem in setting up a conference call at any time during the day in any part of the world. However, it is important to keep in mind that newer features may surface periodically and so it is important to keep up so that the newer features can be used to improve productivity.

Be a Role Model

In any industry, the leader or the manager in charge of several departments needs to be the role model for those who follow him. If that is the case, then it is far more likely that the workforce would make an effort to emulate him and which would certainly lead to the makings of an efficient workforce. In the case of managing an international workforce this is even more vital since it is tough to show the qualities remotely; however, it can still be done. For instance, if an employee needs a document or an approval for a particular project then that document or that approval should be sent as soon as possible so that the employee concerned can continue work in peace.

Effective Communication is the Key

The best managers are the ones who are able to communicate effectively with their workforce on a daily basis. In the case of a workforce that is scattered across the globe it is even more important to communicate well so that no part of the directions is ambiguous in any way. Additionally, the manager should make good use of the gifts of modern technology like text messages, web conferencing, group chats and instant messaging services in order to make sure that he is available at all times when the employees need to get in touch with him.

In this day and age, more and more companies would have a workforce that would be situated in the different corners of the globe. Other than the effective usage of communication tools, the companies need to keep in mind some of the best practices that have been mentioned above in order to make sure that they are on top of their game when they finally decide to expand their horizons. Any manager who takes on the task of managing a global workforce would be able to make it a success if he follows the above mentioned tips.

Do you manage a workforce that spans the globe? How do you manage it? Let us know in the comments below.