Globalization

On the Edge

Malaysia is nearing the transition to a high-income, developed economy, but several factors could stand in the way.

By Marta Chmielowicz

Despite the setbacks of COVID-19, Malaysia is likely to make the transition from an upper-middle-income economy to a high-income economy in the next five years. This transition is not an easy one; in the past 30 years, only 33 countries have transitioned to high-income status. Navigating the next stage of development offers an opportunity to assess the quality and sustainability of Malaysia’s economic growth and highlights the need for tough reforms and policy changes.

Making Moves

Enabled by technology, AXA has built a strategic mobility program critical to achieving business goals. By Debbie Bolla Global mobility is a key aspect to AXA‘s talent management strategy. Headquartered…

Falling Downward

Worldwide employment rate staggers from COVID-19’s impact.

By Larry Basinait

2020 was a year like no other. The United Nations estimates that the coronavirus pandemic caused the equivalent of more than a quarter of a billion lost jobs. The UN’s International Labour Organization (ILO) found that a full 8.8% of global working hours were lost in 2020 compared to the fourth quarter of 2019. That is equivalent to 255 million full-time jobs -a number “approximately four times greater than the number lost during the 2009 global financial crisis,” the ILO said in a statement.

A New Chapter

The finalisation of Brexit is creating compliance challenges for U.K.-based companies that rely on international talent.

By Simon Kent

In the closing days of 2020, the U.K. and EU finalised the deal that would see Brexit achieved. Now that the agreement is in place, however, questions still remain as to how international talent can be managed.

The Impact of Remote Working on Payroll

Strategies to maintain payroll and tax compliance now that employees are working anywhere, anytime.

By Matthew Blaker and Michael Van Den Brand

At the moment, the only thing certain about business is that nothing is certain. The impact of the COVID-19 pandemic has made it more challenging for businesses to understand what “normal” looks like. Uncertainty combined with the elevated need to protect the health and safety of the workforce has meant that flexible and remote working is a viable solution for many. However, it is not without its complications when it comes to HR, payroll, and business operations.

A Strong Finish

Despite economic turmoil largely caused by COVID-19, the overall worldwide employment environment in the final quarter of 2019 was stable.

By Larry Basinait

Deploying a global workforce and ensuring access to the best talent is a crucial component of success for all multinational enterprises. Global labor market intelligence is an invaluable tool for these HR departments and can be used to inform critical decisions around the best countries and regions in which to grow.

Cognizant of Change

Head of HR Pradeep Bhaskaran shares his organisation’s tech strategies for managing an agile and collaborative international enterprise.

By Simon Kent

In 2007, Pradeep Bhaskaran joined Cognizant to oversee HR for 10 countries around the world. Today, that number is 47. As head of HR for global growth markets, Bhaskaran is responsible for more than 60,000 associates across 52 nationalities that speak 34 languages. And those figures are only set to grow.

Bridging Borders

International employment laws and regulations vary widely -even among the countries within the EMEA region.

By Simon Kent

Whilst companies may wish to view their businesses as covering a unified EMEA region, employment law means that such unity can only ever be superficial. Even without the complexities of Brexit, deploying a consistent set of employment policies can seem impossible. “Some inward investors might consider Europe to be a single territory for business purposes,” says Helga Breen, head of the employment practice in London at global legal business DWF. “The reality is that each country has its own legal and regulatory framework and societal and cultural norms.”

Moving Forward

Innovative technology advancements are changing the global mobility landscape.

By Simon Kent

A recent report from the RES Forum shows that there is still huge untapped potential for the use of technology in aiding global mobility. The report suggests that areas such as pre-assignment support, payroll processes, and repatriation could all benefit significantly from digitalisation. The report’s author, Professor Benjamin Bader, senior lecturer in international HR management at Newcastle University Business School in the UK, says the sector is only just beginning to adopt technology and the future of the function is still up for debate.

Future-Proof Payroll

New research finds organizations are moving to cloud-based platforms for global and compliance capabilities.

By Pete Tiliakos

Payroll transformation has become a priority for many organizations, finds NelsonHall’s annual Next Generation Payroll Services study. Historically, payroll has long been treated as a simple cost center, and frankly, many payroll departments have gotten by with disparate and outdated -albeit reliable -platforms that lack global reporting capabilities and require burdensome manual processes. And in some cases, payroll has been overlooked when it comes to allocating funding to improve the operating model.

Globalization

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