The end of a year is always accompanied by plenty of “best of” lists and reflections of the most popular events that occurred in the past 12 months. As we jump into 2018, we analyzed a few of our most popular blogs that got our readers thinking. These blogs reflected the industry trends and hot topics throughout the year.

Here’s a summary of some highlights we covered in 2017:

1. Germany is the place to be right now! If you’re doing business with Germans, keep in mind that it is one of the most monochronic cultures in the world.
2. Business in China is booming. Your Chinese colleagues will expect you to uphold the principle of mianzi, or “saving face.”
3. India continues to be a standout partner for global companies. Understand the importance of networking and trust in relationships before doing business in India.
4. Gastro diplomacy is a wonderful way to build bridges across cultures. Food and the customs that surround eating demonstrate aspects of the culture that you may find fascinating.
5. Ready to be a citizen of the world? Follow these four rules.
6. The foundation for cross cultural communication includes breaching language barriers, visual communication, and implied communication.
7. Back to basics! What is intercultural training?
8. For family moves, youth intercultural training is a tool that will help children adjust to their new destination.
9. Global teams fail all too often, and everyone wants to know why. Learn what the problems are here so you can take action before it’s too late.
10. In many countries, your host will offer you a hot beverage. Learn about how this custom differs around the world.
11. Intercultural communication has two components: verbal and non-verbal. Skim this post to brush up on what you should be looking for when communicating with your global teammates.
12. Smiles convey various meanings, depending on where you are in the world. Read more here!
13. Our Destination Profiles were extremely popular with readers this year. In particular, everyone was curious about Luxembourg!
14. After the paperwork is complete, what else can expatriates do to prepare for the big move? Here are four creative ways to start acclimating to your new destination.
15. Germany made another appearance on our list of top posts. Read the guide to all things German.
16. Once you realize your team needs intercultural training, the next step is to determine the type of training that is the best fit. Start the search with the infographic in this post.
17. Canada is known around the world for being a beautiful country with inclusive citizens and competitive business opportunities. If you’re considering a global addition, look no further than Canada.

For many, the New Year indicates a fresh start. Beginning 2018 with cultural training for your global team will reinvigorate your business. Your employees and coworkers will be able to make significant progress and growth after uncovering the code to communication. Get started with Global Workforce Development now!