When it comes to global expansion, every business wants to tap into a new market. There could be numerous reasons for a business to expand in the worldwide market. For some, it a new audience to target, while others focus on outsourcing their operations to remote teams.
The reason why many businesses hire remote team is to cut back on costs. With changes occurring on the technical side of the business, you need a team to monitor it. And not just that, the team should be able to incorporate these changes into your business. As a result, your business would be up to date with the new technological trends. But having an onsite team for this particular purpose can be a burdensome expense. Therefore, people switch towards hiring a remote team as they see it as a more cost-effective option. However, some challenges are associated with expanding globally.
Businesses might find themselves in a pickle if they are not aware of these problems and don’t know the solution. So, before you begin to expand globally, here are the five challenges that you need to know about remote working and how you can deal with them.
1. Communication Barriers Due to Language and Cultural Issues
For many businesses expanding globally, a significant problem is adjusting to the new language and culture. Many US-based companies find it difficult for countries that don’t have English as their second language. Even in countries like the UK and Australia, the dialects and vocabulary are different from the US English.
Communication is the key to success. Therefore, it is a must for you to grasp the new market you are about to enter. Getting rid of the communication barrier can be a massive problem for you. If you are unable to communicate correctly, it will likely result in problems for your business. So, you might be wondering what is the solution to this problem then?
The very first thing that you can do is hire someone that can act as a translator. The person should not just be a translator; he/she should be aware of the team’s cultural values. As a result, it will allow your onsite team to blend in with your remote team.
Moreover, it is vital that you do proper research before you enter the market. It will allow you to understand the demographics of the country and the people over there.
2. Hiring and Managing a Remote Team
Many businesses are not willing to hire a remote team because of the fear of loss of control. Since there is no physical supervision, managers are not sure if the team would perform their duties. As a result, they are not willing to invest in hiring a remote team.
Although this is not a big issue considering the evolution and advancements in technology, we cannot ignore it. So, if you are looking forward to hiring a remote team for your business, here are few things that you can do.
Set up a proper screening process: Before you bring any employee onboard, you need to ensure that the candidate is the right fit. And that is only possible with a proper screening process. It would aid you in checking the skills and work ethic of your remote employee.
Use the new tools: Thanks to the latest technological advancements, managing a remote team is no longer a hassle. Tools like Monday.com and Jira allow you to assign a task to your teams easily. Also, you can check on the progress of the project and the hours spent on it.
Moreover, with tools like Skype and Slack, you can instantly chat with your remote team. As mentioned earlier, it is almost impossible to ensure the success of a remote team without effective communication. Therefore, these tools will play a crucial role in helping you to communicate with your team.
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Delays and Disruptions
Another major challenge that many managers face is the delays or disruptions in the project. Though the main reason for this is lack of communication, numerous factors can contribute to it. And it can ultimately lead to the failure of your project.
The solution to this challenge is relatively easy and a simple one. All you need to do is sit with your team and discuss your project requirements before you begin. By doing so, you will be setting clear expectations with a clear deadline. As a result, it would save you from any delays or disruptions in your project.
4. Legal Issues
For a business looking to expand its horizons and tap into a new market, this is important. Legal and ethical codes of conduct can be decisive for companies to enter into a new country. Many businesses don’t want to find themselves tangled in a legal matter.
So, if a country has very tight and complex laws, a business would not be willing to enter that market. Also, a country with fragile laws and enforcement would mean that companies would be reluctant. They would not want to engage with a company in a country that is disturbed by political turmoil.
The best solution is to consult a good attorney in that country before you hire a remote team over there. Take a complete guide from him regarding the laws of the country and the role of law enforcement agencies. Also, before you engage in any business deal, make sure to sign a contract.
5. Technological Issues
Although this does not matter as a country, it pretty much focuses on an individual basis. You might find yourself with resources that don’t have adequate technology. Or they would be dealing with power or internet outrages most of the time and would not be able to focus on their work.
The most out of this problem is ensuring that your remote resources have the right tools and technologies. Also, they should have a backup if there is any outrages, so there is no disruption in the work. Furthermore, if you want, you can provide your remote employees with proper gadgets and tools. However, this could prove to be a costly step for your business.
Wrapping Up
And there you have it, some of the challenges and how you can overcome them when building an agile remote team. Everything has its own pros and cons, and the same is the case with remote working. But if you look at the pro and the cons, you will see that the pros outweigh the cons by a fair margin.
So, if you still haven’t hired a remote team, it is about time you start thinking about one. And if you feel you don’t have the expertise of a remote agency. With the help of the best remote agency, you can build an agile and remote team in no time.
All you need to do is let the digital agency know about your project details and requirements. Then you simply kick back and relax as it would be the responsibility of the agency to build a team of talented and skilled resources for you, keeping in mind the project requirements.
It allows you to focus on other aspects of your business while simultaneously working on your complex projects. And this is just one of the benefits of hiring a remote team. There are many more that you can reap by building an agile and robust remote team.