Culture alignment in a global workforce requires skill and careful management to balance the needs of diverse teams across the world. As more companies expand globally, maintaining a unified culture is both an art and a science. Here are some practical strategies to ensure your team stays connected to your core values, no matter where they are.
1. Get Creative with Cross-Cultural Team Building
Global workforces mean different time zones, traditions and personalities, which can sometimes make team-building efforts feel like herding cats. Instead of traditional team-building exercises, try creating themed virtual events that celebrate diversity while reinforcing company values.
Example: Buffer, a globally distributed company, does virtual trivia games and “pair calls” where employees from different teams chat for 30 minutes each month. This lets people connect on a personal level, fostering friendships and mutual understanding that reinforce the company culture.
2. Embrace an “Open Door” Policy – For All Doors
An open-door policy sounds great, but in a global workforce, it needs a tweak: make it a “digital open door.” Leaders can establish open communication channels where employees feel comfortable reaching out, sharing ideas or voicing concerns across time zones. Use chat tools, like Slack or Microsoft Teams, to ensure everyone feels they have equal access to leadership.
Tip: Make it casual by setting up themed Slack channels (like #coffeechat or #ask-the-boss) where employees can discuss non-work topics or ask questions directly to leadership in an informal setting. This casual tone fosters openness and reinforces a culture of transparency and accessibility.
3. Spotlight “Culture Champions” Across Regions
Culture champions are those employees who naturally embody and promote company values. Identify a few across each region and empower them to drive engagement initiatives within their local teams. These champions can lead regional culture events, facilitate onboarding sessions or even host a “Values in Action” spotlight each month, showcasing how employees around the globe are living the company’s values.
Example: At Salesforce, “Ohana Ambassadors” embody the company’s cultural values of trust, customer success and innovation. These ambassadors serve as advocates and help bridge the gap between global and local teams.
4. Align Core Values with Local Culture (Think “Blend,” Not “Replace”)
Global teams bring unique perspectives and cultural richness to a company. The goal isn’t to impose one set of values, but to create a blend that aligns your company’s core principles with the local culture. For instance, if your core value is “innovation”, encourage regional teams to interpret that value through their lens. Innovation in one market might look like tech experimentation, while in another, it might focus on process improvement.
Tip: Encourage regional leaders to host “values workshops” where employees discuss how they can adapt the company values to their work culture. This creates a more organic adoption of your values and makes employees feel respected and involved.
5. Create a “Global First” Communication Strategy
When culture alignment is the goal, communication style is everything. A “global first” approach ensures that important messages are inclusive and accessible to all employees, regardless of location. Avoid language that could be too localised or unclear in translation. Additionally, consider the different time zones and work hours of your team members. Major announcements or events should be scheduled in a way that accommodates as many people as possible.
At Horton International, building and maintaining a cohesive culture across a global team is hugely important for us. My team and I are mindful that so much of making a global organisation “work” effectively is tied in to creating real-time, shared experiences and forging genuine relationships between our partners and researchers. We work hard to ensure that there are a lot of touchpoints for our team around the world, not just locally. We host regular online meetups covering a wide range of topics, we also host unique events, like virtual wine tastings, and our global coffee date roulette encourages informal interactions across borders that often lead to collaboration on pitches or searches. Online meetings keep the connections strong, but where the real magic happens is at our bi-annual global gatherings.
We’ve found that using WhatsApp groups for real-time communication is key to fostering a sense of unity, allowing team members to share both wins and challenges and tap into global insights instantly. Additionally, we record key meetings, and share written summaries to ensure everyone stays in the loop. With tools like MS Copilot for Teams and bespoke tools like Fyxer.ai for auto-transcriptions, meeting summaries and action points, which makes it easy for everyone to catch up, so nobody feels left behind. These elements, big and small, help turn our global offices into a truly unified team.
Gemma van Rooyen, Director of Projects & Board Affairs, Horton International
6. Make Time for Personal Check-ins Across the Map
In a global workforce, regular check-ins can often feel strictly business-related. Go beyond project updates and schedule time for one-on-one check-ins that are all about the individual. Ask about personal milestones, interests or challenges employees face. This not only builds rapport but shows employees that their personal wellbeing matters, which is a vital component of a supportive company culture.
Example: HubSpot is known for its personalised approach to employee check-ins, where managers are encouraged to take an interest in employees’ lives outside of work. This approach helps employees feel valued and connected, which is crucial when team members are spread out across the globe.
7. Celebrate Global Holidays and Milestones
Acknowledging and celebrating various cultural holidays and milestones makes a big difference in aligning a global workforce. By honouring global holidays, you communicate a deep respect for the diversity within your team. Have employees submit dates and descriptions of important local holidays and consider adding them to the company calendar, or send a brief recognition note in your company newsletter.
Example: Google’s cultural events calendar includes everything from Diwali to Lunar New Year, giving employees time off and space to celebrate, no matter where they’re based. This creates an inclusive atmosphere that aligns global teams under shared respect and recognition.
8. Measure Culture Alignment (and Listen!)
Finally, don’t forget to measure and adapt. Employee engagement surveys are valuable tools for gauging culture alignment. Include questions specific to inclusivity, connection to company values and support across regions. Once you gather feedback, act on it—share survey results, celebrate the positives and communicate clear plans to address areas needing improvement. This shows that you’re serious about aligning culture and respecting the perspectives of your global workforce.
Insight: Tools like Culture Amp and Peakon are popular for tracking engagement metrics across different teams, offering insights that can guide your next steps in reinforcing a unified culture.
A Unified Culture in a World Apart
Maintaining culture alignment in a global workforce may feel challenging, but with the right strategies, it can be both effective and enjoyable. By creating a clear culture manifesto, empowering regional champions, celebrating diversity and fostering open communication, organisations can nurture a unified culture that crosses borders.
Ultimately, aligning culture in a global workforce is about creating an environment where every employee feels seen, valued and connected to the same mission, no matter where in the world they are.
