Most people agree that the explosion in technological advances over the past century has made the world a smaller and more closely linked place. And it’s also changed and expanded the way that people do business and made it easier to overcome previously impenetrable geographic barriers. Despite the ease and utility provided by modern technology, companies still continue to send their employees abroad in record numbers. And they do so for a variety of reasons. Some large MNCs (multi-national corporations) view international work experience as a core competency. Smaller businesses may see expansion into a new market via business development and marketing as critical to diversifying their consumer base. Some companies look to offshore certain parts of their operations to achieve cost savings. If your organization is considering sending even just one employee overseas, think carefully about how you plan to address the following things:

You perfected your resume, spent countless hours job searching, survived the grueling interview process and ultimately received and accepted the offer. Admit it. You’re flying high on the emotions of acquiring a new title, perhaps gaining a pay raise or, better yet, getting into that one company that everyone wants to work for. So, that’s it. The nerves have calmed, a win was achieved and all is right with the world. Or, is it? Not really. Your first day on the job can be just as important, if not more important than the interviews you endured. Most think that failure isn’t possible; that it’s all smooth sailing from this point forward but that necessarily isn’t the case. You can bomb your first day on the job just as easily as blowing the interview. Here are five helpful tips to ensure nothing but success on your first day:

Congratulations to those organizations recently honored for building a “culture of intention”! Being named a Helios Apollo Awardee, a Best Places to Work, or an Outstanding Corporate Citizen, is a testament to the level of impact your leadership is making on your organization, your team and the community.

Workplace bullying is a problem that has gotten a great deal of attention lately because of the NFL case involving a Miami Dolphins player who walked away from the team due to alleged harassment from his peers, and co-workers in October 2013. An independent investigation was recently completed and released verifying the player’s claims that he was in fact bullied by his teammates.

So, you are at the end of your recruitment and ready to make the move to hire a qualified candidate. Not so fast! You need to check those references! Have you thought about what to ask and the topics you would like to cover when speaking with the references? Let’s take a little time to address some topics and questions for you to speak about.

How many of you are already thinking about your summer vacation? My colleagues are buzzing about where they will go and how they will spend the coveted time away from work. Some will go to the beach, others are going to the mountains, and some are staying local for a "stay-cation." What I have also noticed is the trend as evidenced by the number of my colleagues concerned about internet accessibility while away from the office. This made me curious. I wondered: "Is it possible for an employee to take a vacation?" and "As a manager, what can I do to ensure my employee has the opportunity to decompress and relax?"