7 Tips on International Hiring in a Remote Setting

Despite the challenges that accompany global mobility, hiring international talent actually has many business benefits. Access to a greater talent pool, improved bottom line, and more engaged employees are just a few of the many positives that international talent can bring to a company.

International hiring gives businesses access to a broader range of talent of varied backgrounds and skill sets from around the globe.

That’s right, international hiring actually comes with financial benefits, as well. A study by McKinsey & Company shows that companies with more racial and ethnic diversity are 35% more likely to have financial returns above their national industry averages.

The world is becoming more connected than ever, and with the fast-paced nature of technology, companies need a unique, competitive edge to stay on top. The good news is that with a broader, more diverse talent pool companies can actually have a competitive advantage in today’s global marketplace.

Diverse talent teams lead to more engaged employees, a rich corporate culture, and an open exchange of ideas, new ways of thinking, and increased innovation. A study by Bersin at Deloitte indicates that companies with diverse employees are 1.8 times more likely to be change-ready and 1.7 times more likely to be innovative leaders in their market.

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All great things come with a few side effects, and international talent relocation is no exception. There are a few challenges that may arise during the employee relocation process that you should be aware of:

Moving to a new city or country is exciting, but for new employees, it can also be somewhat intimidating – especially in uncertain times of a global pandemic. With new cultural expectations, a new position at a company, possibilities of housing shortages, and potentially having to relocate their entire family, new employees may feel a reluctance to relocate. One of the best things a business can do to help excite employees about relocation is to create a compelling relocation package (more on that later).

Cost management can be one of the most challenging aspects of relocating a new employee. For the company, poor planning can lead to poor cost control, even for larger, more established companies. Process development and documentation, along with global mobility team alignment, can help prevent unexpected costs from arising.

If you have ever lived internationally, you’re probably all too familiar with the headache that the immigration process can be. Tax compliance, visa complexities, legal and governmental issues, and unforeseen challenges can arise. Sometimes, these roadblocks can be unexpected and throw a major wrench in the immigration plan. With the COVID pandemic still raging, compliance issues are increasingly common. Make sure you’re keeping close tabs on any sudden immigration or travel updates, restrictions, or caveats.

Working through these talent relocation difficulties can be painstaking on a good day. Partnering with an immigration agency or even using an immigration software with your internal team can help make this process smooth, and you’ll always have a dedicated global mobility expert to lean on when questions or problems arise.

Given the potential challenges of remote work, and the many benefits of having a colocated and diverse working team, the best route a company can take when international hiring is to create a compelling argument for the candidate relocation. Here’s a few ideas on how to do just that.

Relocation packages should be comprehensive, detailed, and most of all – exciting. Make sure you cover an in-depth overview of all covered costs, including moving expenses, housing assistance, relocation bonuses, and any considerations around purchasing a new home or assisting with the sale of your new team member’s old home.

If your new hire has a family, include how your company will assist with the relocation process for them, as well as assistance finding schooling options, elder care, local hospitals, and recreation activities for the family.

With in-person site visits not being an option, provide a way for the candidate to ‘visit’ your country or city from the comfort of their own home. You can even set a dedicated meeting for your team and the candidate to ‘tour’ the location together, and don’t forget to leave time for them to ask any questions they may have.

Remember to include the fun stuff! Highlight top destinations, unique attractions, nightlife, and recreational or leisure activities for your new hire to enjoy as soon as they get settled in.

Send your new hire a detailed, printable guide with more detailed information about your city to go along with the video tour. Include cafes, restaurants, museums, activities, and top vacation destinations. Also make sure to provide information about the essentials as well, such as schools, colleges, universities, hospitals, and police offices.

Make sure to include detailed context about the culture, such as common norms, information about what is considered polite, appreciated, and rude or offensive.

With the uncertainty of the coronavirus top of mind, candidates may have plenty of hesitancy, concerns, and questions regarding relocation. Consider hosting a live webinar or ‘Ask Me Anything’ session with another colleague who has gone through a successful work-related relocation. Not only does this provide your candidate an opportunity to ask questions, but they can also get to know one of their peers better.

Surprises are great, but not during the immigration process. Ensure your candidate knows exactly what to expect during the relocation process, from start to finish, and even beyond that.

Jobbatical’s dedicated global mobility experts not only assists with candidate relocation, but also provides talent support after they arrive at their new home to ensure they have everything they need to settle in comfortably.

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Organise applications, plan interviews and quickly evaluate candidates. Manage your entire hiring process with one tool with Personio.

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The talent relocation process can be confusing, lengthy, and complicated. Don’t rush the process, keep in constant communication with your new hire, and try to include buffer time so if there are unexpected delays, it doesn’t derail the process too much.

Be clear about the relocation process, policies, and what to expect at every step. Make sure you have a communication plan so neither the company or employee is left in the dark. Relocating talent during a global pandemic comes with an added layer of complexity. Make sure to include COVID-specific details regarding your candidate’s relocation. Provide answers to the following questions, just to name a few:

• Are there any current travel or immigration restrictions in the country of origin or destination?

• Is it safe to relocate? Will the employee’s partner, family, or children be able to relocate at the same time or is there a waiting period?

• If the talent is infected, what is the company’s plan? What support is provided?

• How does the company currently plan to handle any employee infections?

• Is it possible to start work remotely and relocate later?

• What is the plan if there is another lockdown and the talent is unable to see his or her family?

Working with local immigration experts streamlines the process, giving you more time to onboard new international hires and scale your business. Partnering with an immigration agency or using an immigration software has many benefits for both the company and the employee.

Your internal team will no longer have to manage multiple spreadsheets, timelines, and immigration nuances on their own. Jobbatical’s team of dedicated global mobility experts do this all for you, allowing your internal team to not get bogged down with immigration complexities. If your team prefers to handle the process on their own, but needs organizational support, Jobbatical’s immigration software gives you the option to conduct the entire immigration process on your own, while providing a streamlined dashboard and overview of the immigration status of all your relocations. Learn more about how Jobbatical provides the flexibility you want with the stability you need.