Recruiting international talent: benefits and challenges

Recruiting skilled workers from abroad is an important step toward mitigating Germany’s skilled labour shortage, which has a negative impact on the economy and society alike. The care sector is particularly affected by this issue. As a result, hospitals and care facilities have also been recruiting skilled professionals from abroad.

But how can employers attract international talent to the care sector? What are the benefits and challenges of doing so? Keep reading to find out more.

Attracting international specialists to work in Germany presents several challenges. Many professionals prefer English-speaking countries to Germany due to the language barrier, so highlighting the positive aspects is crucial:

Cultivating an open company culture plays a key role in making international skilled workers feel welcome in Germany. This means embracing diversity – not just on paper, but through tangible actions. This works best when managers lead by example. Also, job interviews provide a great opportunity to assess whether applicants align with company values.

Focus on offering attractive benefits when recruiting international talent. New studies* have shown that a healthy company culture, flat hierarchies, and a positive work environment are no longer enough. Besides fair wages, concrete benefits are becoming more and more important. This includes benefits such as Christmas, holiday, and performance bonuses, pension contributions, and employee discounts. Cycle-to-work schemes and subsidies for public transportation are also popular options. Some employers even offer meal vouchers for supermarkets or restaurants. Employees also value professional development and opportunities to grow their careers.

Many people consider a good work-life balance a priority when applying for jobs. This calls for flexible working models and options for remote work. While working from home may not be feasible for all fields – especially in healthcare – flexible hours can work nearly everywhere.

Why is flexibility so important? On the one hand, there has been a societal shift, reflecting a growing belief that work should no longer take over our entire lives. On the other hand, our roles in the family have also changed, with both parents often sharing care responsibilities for their children, making flexibility essential.

Be transparent about the salary in your job listings. At best, being upfront about the salary can serve as an incentive for candidates. At worst, a lack of salary transparency leads to disagreements during negotiation, resulting in wasted time and resources.

To find international talent, you can attend job fairs in Germany or join virtual job fairs abroad. Post your job listings on portals that specialise in international talent, such as EURES or Make it in Germany. Launch country-specific recruitment campaigns on social media platforms like LinkedIn or Facebook. You can also work with international recruitment agencies.

Offer your support to skilled workers as they relocate to a new country and manage their professional recognition and visa processes. All these administrative hurdles can be quite overwhelming, especially given the initial language barriers. You can help your new staff better integrate by assisting them in finding a place to live. Or why not arrange language courses or special integration programmes, such as social gatherings and mentoring sessions?

Position your company as an international employer brand. Communicate your values as well as your open and global company culture. Set up multilingual career pages and give your international employees an opportunity to share their experiences.

Recruiting international talent comes with many benefits.

By recruiting skilled workers, you are securing the future of your company. International talent can fill job vacancies, reduce your team’s workload, and increase efficiency and productivity.

Studies** have shown that diverse teams are more productive and innovative. This contributes to problems being analysed with greater nuance. Embracing diversity also positions your company as open-minded, thus strengthening your employer brand. An inclusive and open company culture leads to higher satisfaction levels throughout your business, as it helps people feel more valued and secure.

Being multilingual gives you a significant edge, no matter your industry. By employing skilled workers from all over the world, you are also bringing a wide range of language skills into the company. This allows you to better serve international customers and be more sensitive to cultural differences.

Despite the many benefits of hiring international talent, there are also some challenges to consider.

In most cases, large investments are required upfront for employer branding, international recruitment campaigns, and onboarding processes. However, these costs will pay off in the long run if the integration process is managed well.

If you are hiring skilled workers without all the required training, you need to allow time for them to catch up on missing qualifications. Many professionals can work as assistants during this time and learn on the job.

Integration itself is not inherently challenging, but language barriers, red tape, and cultural differences can make it feel overwhelming. The best thing you can do as an employer is to stand by your international specialists and support them during their integration process. This investment will pay off in the long term.

If the integration process fails, skilled workers will often return home or move to a more attractive country. This is why support from the company is so important.

Sources: 

*Bertelsmann Foundation  

**McKinsey