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Customize HR Programs for a Global Workforce

Adapt HR programs to meet regional needs while maintaining alignment with organizational objectives.

  • While benefits exist for both the standardization and customization of HR programs, HR must find a balance that ensures alignment with organizational objectives and regional needs.
  • When HR programs are misaligned, there is a risk of long-term organizational and people impacts, such as inefficient use of resources, failure to meet organizational goals, and employee disengagement.

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  • Get advice, coaching, and insight at key project milestones
  • Go through a Guided Implementation to help you get through your project

Our Advice

Critical Insight

Workforce needs are not universal across regions. Strategically customizing HR programs to align with organizational objectives and regional requirements ensures meaningful employee experiences are shared by all.

Impact and Result

  • Identify where HR program customization will be most impactful, using insights from an environmental scan of external factors and an internal review of diverse employee perspectives across regions.
  • Modify selected HR programs, using standardization where useful and customization where required, to ensure alignment with organizational objectives and regional needs.
  • Implement customized HR programs, accounting for nuances affecting change management at the regional level.

Customize HR Programs for a Global Workforce Research & Tools

2. Customize selected HR programs

Explore common factors that apply to HR program customization, review implications for customized program design, and prepare to customize selected programs.

3. Implement customized HR programs

Review regional nuances of change management, determine the rollout approach for each customized HR program, and plan to evaluate and iterate as needed.

About McLean & Company

McLean & Company is an HR research and advisory firm providing practical solutions to human resources challenges via executable research, tools, diagnostics, and advisory services that have a clear and measurable impact on your business.

What Is a Blueprint?

A blueprint is designed to be a roadmap, containing a methodology and the tools and templates you need to solve your HR problems.

Each blueprint can be accompanied by a Guided Implementation that provides you access to our world-class analysts to help you get through the project.

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Get the help you need in this 3-phase advisory process. You'll receive 7 touchpoints with our researchers, all included in your membership.

Guided Implementation 1: Determine the need for customization.
  • Call 1: Establish guiding principles for customization and identify key players to participate in customization decisions.
  • Call 2: Review HR programs shortlisted for customization and insights from the environmental scan to inform the degree of customization required and anticipated impact.
  • Call 3: Discuss the selection of HR programs that will move forward for customization.

Guided Implementation 2: Customize selected HR programs.
  • Call 1: Explore common factors that apply to HR program customization and review implications for customized HR program design.
  • Call 2: Prepare to customize selected HR programs, including appointing a project team and selecting metrics to track program success.

Guided Implementation 3: Implement customized HR programs.
  • Call 1: Review regional nuances of change management.
  • Call 2: Discuss the appropriate rollout approach that aligns with regional needs and prepare to evaluate and iterate customized HR programs.

Contributors

  • Meg Audette, Chief Organizational Effectiveness Officer, ChildFund International
  • Bomi Awesu, Head, Global HR, CUSO International
  • Anita Boey, PhD, Assistant Professor, Trent University
  • Mariya Chetyrkina, Managing Director, Devex Talent Solutions
  • Lorraine Dias, Director, HR & Administration, MEDA Tanzania
  • Marie Helene Granger, Project Manager Health Information Technology, Niagara Health
  • Eva Huang, Assistant Professor, OB/HRM, Wilfrid Laurier University
  • Laraine Kaminsky, President, GlobalLK
  • Mila Lazarova, William Saywell Professor of International Business, Beedie School of Business, Simon Fraser University
  • Chris Zhang, Assistant Professor, University of Houston-Downtown