Managing a global workforce presents unique challenges that extend beyond geographic boundaries. As companies expand across continents, they must navigate complex issues such as cultural nuances, local compliance regulations, and the logistical hurdles of global mobility. Rippling, with a workforce of 3,500 across six countries—including 800 employees in India—continues to grow its headcount by 30-50% annually. 

In this discussion, Cheshta Dora, Head of Content & Community at People Matters, engages with Rippling’s Senior Vice President of HR, Darcy Mackay, and India Head of HR, Rekha Nair, to explore how Rippling tackles these challenges. They delve into the importance of transparent communication, adapting talent acquisition strategies for local markets, and fostering a work environment rooted in trust and flexibility.

Cheshta Dora: Given the increasing reliance on global teams, how do you foresee workplace cultures evolving? What strategies is Rippling implementing to adapt to these shifts?

Darcy Mackay: Talent markets have been global for a while, but COVID accelerated things. Top talent, especially from Southeast Asia, moved globally, and now employees expect global mobility and choice—whether it’s working remotely or relocating across the globe.

At Rippling, we’ve embraced this. We have offices in Bangalore, San Francisco, New York, Austin, Dublin, and London. We also support over 20,000 customers globally, and our tech simplifies global mobility. Rippling makes it easy to hire, onboard, and transition employees across geographies, whether moving from India to the U.S. or Europe.

Cheshta: How do cultural differences manifest in team dynamics? What practices have worked to bridge these gaps, especially across different regions?

Rekha Nair: Cultural differences do show up, but Rippling’s tech simplifies processes like onboarding, travel, and pay, making it seamless for employees from different regions. Our open-door culture and communication practices empower employees to voice their needs.

Darcy: Transparency is key. Rippling’s culture is highly transparent—everything is shared openly on Slack. Our CEO, Parker Conrad, is known for being incredibly open, which builds trust across regions.

Cheshta: With over 3,500 employees across six countries, what challenges have you faced while hiring? Could you share best practices for smooth, borderless talent acquisition?

Darcy: One major challenge is finding top-tier talent. Rippling is growing fast, with 30-50% year-over-year growth, so we’re constantly hiring. We’ve streamlined the hiring process so that once someone applies, their information flows smoothly through the system—from application to onboarding to benefits.

We also invest heavily in our talent acquisition teams. We invest in competitive markets like Bangalore, particularly for R&D talent, to secure top talent.

Rekha: We’ve localised our talent acquisition teams. In India, we understand the local market really well and tailor our hiring strategies accordingly. Competitive benefits also help us attract top talent.

Cheshta: Apart from talent attraction, managing an international workforce brings the challenge of ensuring work-life balance across geographies. How does Rippling promote work-life balance, and how do these strategies impact employee satisfaction and productivity?

Rekha: I don’t believe in “work-life balance” because it suggests work and life are opposites. At Rippling, we trust employees to get the job done. If someone needs flexibility, like logging off early, it’s not an issue. We also have hybrid work—three days in the office and two days remote. In India, we offer free, flexible transportation in Bangalore so that employees can manage their commute according to their needs.

Cheshta: With such flexibility, how do you measure the effectiveness of global teams? Are there specific metrics or feedback mechanisms you find valuable?

Darcy: Rippling has a strong performance management culture. Employees have clear objectives from day one, starting with 90-day goals. We have weekly check-ins, and everything is documented to ensure alignment. We’re very transparent in our feedback.

We also launched an AI-powered talent assessment tool called Talent Signal, which evaluates new hires’ work at their 90-day mark. For engineers, it looks at their code; for customer support, it reviews interactions on platforms like Salesforce. This helps managers identify high performers and those needing support.

Leaders at Rippling are held accountable for their teams’ performance. During onboarding, managers complete a performance check-in at the 30-day mark, and those reports go up to leadership.

One of our leadership principles is “Go and See”—leaders are expected to check in on their teams’ performance. We also focus on building winning teams, where every individual succeeds. If a leader isn’t offering support, it reflects poorly on them. Transparency ensures that even our CEO can see how teams are doing and step in if needed.

Cheshta: How has Rippling’s Employee Self-Service Portal changed the way employees engage with payroll and benefits?

Rekha: Rippling’s platform is entirely self-service. From payroll to expenses to benefits, everything is integrated and easily accessible. For example, with expenses, you just take a picture of a receipt, and the system processes it automatically—no manual entry is needed. Employees love how intuitive it is; it saves time and lets them focus on their actual work.

Darcy: We’ve also built features like Career Conversations, where employees can initiate discussions with their managers about growth and goals. It’s all about empowering employees and keeping everything connected.

Cheshta: What advice would you give to emerging HR leaders tasked with managing global teams?

Rekha: My advice is simple: know your workforce. Every individual is different, and their motivations vary. Don’t use a cookie-cutter approach. Listen closely to your employees' needs, and have open conversations to understand them truly.

Darcy: I’d add that HR leaders need to understand the business. Knowing what drives profitability and success within your organisation will make you more effective in managing talent. Spend time with different teams, immerse yourself in the business, and you’ll be much better equipped to lead.

This interview is part of a content partnership with Rippling. 

Rippling is a revolutionary workforce management platform that enables businesses to manage HR, IT, and finance, for their local and international employees, in one system. With all employee data in one place, Rippling automates tedious administrative tasks and empowers businesses to focus more on growth. Discover how Rippling can transform your operations today!