
Having helped businesses place thousands of candidates in roles across the globe, we’ve seen the challenges with overseas recruitment, and the mistakes made by employers that can lead to an early exit. So here are the common pitfalls and how you can avoid them.
(1) Assumptions
Just because an employee has worked overseas before, don’t assume that they’ll naturally slot into life at their new base. As we’re in aviation, we place many candidates – such as pilots and cabin crew – in different countries. It’s sometimes assumed by employers that the nature of the role means that the candidate will be well-versed in travelling and therefore won’t need much support when moving to a new role in a different country. The same can be said for the oil and gas industry and some manufacturing businesses where relocation is the norm. However, every country comes with its own cultural considerations, language and way of living. Therefore the biggest mistake is assuming that just because an employee settled into a role in one country, that they’ll be able to do the same in another.(2) Forgetting the bigger picture
When sending an employee overseas, it’s not just the individual that will be affected. It will change the lives of their entire family. So factors such as children’s schooling, language barriers and whether or not there is an expat community, will play a part in their decision. While a business may not necessarily need to arrange schooling for the employee’s children, they should certainly be on hand to provide some guidance on these matters. Read more articles about having staff overseas:- Avoiding the pitfalls of engaging employees overseas
- A guide on seconding UK-based employees to Asia
- Avoiding the pitfalls of terminating employees overseas
(3) Forgetting the little things
- Availability of suitable accommodation in suitable areas;
- Checking that the accommodation has everything that the employee needs from the get-go;
- Transportation – not just to and from the airport, but how they’ll get to work on their first day!
- Healthcare provision and/or insurance to cover accidents and emergencies;
- Local customs (dos and don’ts); and
- Personal security, which is a key issue in many countries.
(4) Not doing your research
All of the above issues are often caused by one key error, a lack of research and preparation on the part of the employer. Just as businesses take their time to find the right candidate to place overseas, they should devote as much time to researching the country they will be placing their employee. This will help alleviate any concerns, and make for a smoother relocation. Without adequate research and preparation, employees can lose confidence before the move and get cold feet. They may even pull out of the role, which would cause and even bigger resourcing headache for the business. Alternatively, the employee may make the move and feel dumped or isolated by the company and leave shortly afterwards. As well as preparing the employee, it’s up to businesses to check in on them and to ensure that they are settling in to their new location. So those are the pitfalls to avoid… now here’s what you can do to ensure a smooth relocation.Share this story