Growing pains:
The HR challenges of international expansion

Although global trade growth is on the decline, according to predictions by the World Trade Organisation (WTO)1 , it has not stopped companies from extending their reach abroad. The opportunity to diversify markets and supply chains and increase access to specialist skills and capabilities is too tempting.

But working across borders and cultures raises new challenges for businesses, and how they tackle these growing pains can have a significant impact on overall performance. The research draws upon a global survey of 1,000 HR executives in internationally expanding companies. The overwhelming majority of respondents cite HR challenges as a constraint on growth while acknowledging that international expansion is an opportunity for HR to make a strategic contribution.

So why this disconnect? And how can HR and business leaders move forward with confidence when the world of work and the nature of international business are evolving so fast?

We commissioned this research from The Economist Intelligence Unit to shed some light on these differences, to help growth businesses avoid common pitfalls and find ways to accelerate performance to meet the manifold challenges of this next decade.

To find out more download the report now.


1 WTO, “WTO lowers trade forecast as tensions unsettle global economy”, 1 October 2019

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