3 tips for thinking globally in our digital world

Today Yoh announced the acquisition of Connections Ltd., one of the U.K.’s leading professional staffing firms. Connections services customers in the Thames Valley, also known as the Silicon Valley of Europe. The partnership is a big deal for Connections’ and Yoh’s customers, strengthening our ability to provide comprehensive staffing and workforce solutions. It also brings to the forefront how small the world is becoming in this digital age, especially when it comes to talent.

I mention that the Thames Valley is known as the Silicon Valley of Europe because today there are so many places around the world in very similar businesses, all vying for the world’s best talent. Think about it: The software you’re using, the game you are playing, or the newest app on your iPhone might have been developed in Reading, U.K.; Bangalore, India; Seoul, South Korea; or San Jose, California.

This hits home for HR and other talent acquisition leaders. With connectivity so available throughout the world, the talent pool gets bigger every day — which is both good and bad news.

The good news is that if you’re a company that has great local and international reach, your prospects for finding good talent increase as more countries develop people who can work across international lines. If you can successfully translate your brand into different areas and cultures, you can tap a vast network of talent to contribute to your company’s success.

The bad news is that everyone else has the same idea. And this means that they are now reaching into your talent pool and looking for your top performers (and potential top performers) who can help their business.

If you haven’t been thinking globally lately, here are three suggestions to get you started:

1. Assess your global competition. Companies in the same industry (but different countries) probably are not as different as you might think. Look at what others are doing, how they are growing, and what type of talent they attract. Assess how their talent acquisition strategies affect your talent pool in crucial areas. If nothing else, the assessment should spark a realization that it’s not enough to be at the top of your industry in just your country. Your competition that was once just across the street is now just across the pond.

2. Think diversely. In North America we tend to think of diversity in terms of race or ethnicity within our own country. The world, and especially many countries in Europe, thinks of diversity more in terms of different countries or centers of industry and innovation. Look at how things are done in your industry in different countries where there are different methods, educational paths, and ways of life. How can your business benefit from similar approaches or attract talent from these other areas?

3. Hire for potential. In many cases, especially in the U.S., we don’t have enough new developers, engineers, or STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math) professionals to fill current and future job openings. This means that in many cases we have to make more. Look at the programs you have to identify, hire, and develop employees with high potential in your company. If you don’t start now, you won’t have them later.

The world is a very big, yet small place. The good news is that it gets smaller every day, with bigger potential. Wrap your brain around that one and start thinking about how that makes your job finding talent harder (or easier).