Employees are often a company’s biggest investment, so attracting and retaining the best talent is imperative for long-term success. As you expand globally, the challenges of recruitment and retention become even more complex. It's never been more important to create a positive employee experience and foster a company culture that promotes job satisfaction and work-life balance.
To address these challenges, organizations must develop comprehensive recruitment and retention strategies that cater to the diverse needs of a global workforce. This includes embracing remote work options, providing flexible work arrangements, and focusing on career growth opportunities, among many others. By establishing retention strategy, companies can boost employee engagement and reduce employee turnover, ultimately creating a more stable and productive work environment.
What is global recruitment?
Global recruitment refers to the process of sourcing, attracting and hiring talent from around the world to fill positions within your organization. Unlike local recruiting, which focuses on a specific geographic area, global recruitment expands the talent pool to include candidates from various countries and cultures.
This approach allows you to access a wider range of skills, experiences and perspectives, which can be particularly valuable in addressing skill gaps and talent shortages. Global recruitment also enables organizations to build diverse teams that can better serve international markets and drive innovation through cross-cultural collaboration.
How to boost your recruitment strategy
Enhancing your global talent strategy by outsourcing to experts can significantly improve your ability to attract the right candidates to fill critical roles. By expanding your search beyond local borders, you can tap into a vast pool of skilled professionals who may not be available in your immediate area.
Partnering with a global recruitment firm can provide expertise in navigating international hiring processes, cultural nuances and compliance requirements. This approach can help streamline your hiring process and ensure a positive candidate experience from the outset.
Overcome talent shortages in your area
Many companies face significant challenges in finding candidates with the right skills and experience to fill critical roles. According to a Springboard survey , 70% of corporate leaders report a critical skills gap in their organization, which creates a negative impact on business performance. Additionally, a PwC’s 21st CEO Survey surveying executives from around the world found that 80% of CEOs worry about finding talent with the necessary skills they need. Many are looking overseas to fill the gaps, with 54% saying they plan to increase the headcount at their organization over the next year, and 57% believe global growth will improve over the next year.
By expanding recruitment efforts globally, businesses can overcome these skill gaps and talent shortages. For example, a tech company struggling to find software developers in their home country might find a wealth of talent in countries like India or Eastern Europe, where there is a strong emphasis on STEM education and a large pool of skilled programmers.
“When we’re looking for software developers, we research where the greatest density of developer talent is,” says Jenny Truax, Head of Global Talent Acquisition at Safeguard Global. “You can learn a lot with search and there are tools that do market analysis. There may be skilled talent in one locale, but if there are only a dozen people with the specialty you need it’s going to be hard to recruit.”
Global recruiters understand the local customs and culture to ensure you are offering the best compensations packages to qualified candidates. From offer letters to employment contracts, recruiting professionals will ensure you maintain compliance while establishing a mutually beneficial agreement.
Supplement your existing HR team
Internal HR teams often struggle to manage the complexities of global recruitment effectively. A Sage survey found that 95% of HR leaders find working in HR to be overwhelming due to the excessive workload and stress. The last thing you want to do is add global recruitment to their already busy agenda.
Outsourcing global recruitment to specialized firms can alleviate this burden. For instance, a manufacturing company expanding into Southeast Asia might partner with a global recruitment firm that has expertise in the region's labor laws, cultural norms and talent landscape, ensuring a smooth and compliant hiring process.
Global recruiters can help with a wide range of employment positions, from temporary staffing to contractor management. Their experience and expertise can support you with whatever position you need filled.
Offer competitive and customized compensation
When HR teams lack cultural understanding or language skills, it can sometimes result in poor candidate experiences and potentially damage your brand. Communicating goals, meeting key team members, and answering questions can increase your new hire’s willingness to refer others, have brand affinity, and make purchases from the company by 137%, according to a global candidate experience report.
“It’s important to understand local employment legislation, customs and culture, like how candidates communicate,” Truax says. “In some countries we use telephone calls or email, in others we rely on WhatsApp.”
Implementing a strategic recruiting plan with experts who understand local compensation, benefits and cultural norms can ensure a positive first impression. For example, a European company recruiting in Japan might use local experts to navigate the intricacies of the country's business etiquette, ensuring a positive, appropriate interaction and increasing the likelihood of attracting top talent.
Global recruiters understand the industries you're hiring in and the local norms of the correlating talent pools. Not only will they maintain compliance with employment regulations, but they will also provide recommendations for supplemental benefits that can make your offer stand out from the competition.
What is global employee retention?
Global employee retention refers to the strategies and practices organizations employ to keep their international workforce engaged, satisfied and committed to the company over the long term. Unlike domestic retention, global retention must account for diverse cultural expectations, varying labor laws, and the unique challenges of managing remote or expatriate employees.
Effective global retention strategies focus on creating a cohesive company culture across borders, providing equitable growth opportunities, and addressing the specific needs of employees in different regions. This approach helps to maintain a stable, productive workforce and reduces the costs associated with high turnover in international operations.
How to increase your employee retention
To enhance employee retention, businesses must focus on creating a positive work environment that addresses the diverse needs of their global workforce. This includes offering competitive compensation packages, providing opportunities for career growth, and fostering a supportive company culture.
Implementing flexible or remote-first work arrangements and prioritizing work-life balance can significantly boost employee satisfaction and loyalty. Additionally, regular communication and feedback mechanisms can help identify and address potential issues before they lead to turnover.
Overcome a high turnover rate
High turnover can be detrimental to your overall productivity and morale. To address this issue, it's important to first gather data through engagement surveys, exit interviews and regular one-on-ones with employees. This information can help identify the root causes of employee turnover.
Strategies to overcome high turnover include:
- Implementing robust onboarding processes to set clear expectations
- Offering competitive compensation and benefits packages
- Providing regular training and development opportunities
- Fostering a positive work environment that values employee contributions
Understanding the unique factors within your business that are causing high turnover is the first step to building a loyal team. Recruiting and hiring is only valuable if you are able to keep top talent within your organization.
Avoid organizational dissatisfaction
Organizational dissatisfaction often stems from factors such as unfair compensation, limited growth opportunities or an unsupportive work environment. Setting clear expectations during the recruitment stage can help mitigate many of these concerns before they ever have a chance to fester.
To overcome these issues and retain employees, consider:
- Conducting regular salary reviews and adjustments
- Creating clear career progression paths
- Implementing mentorship programs
- Encouraging open communication and feedback channels
Partnering with a comprehensive workforce solutions provider like Safeguard Global can help with expert guidance on competitive compensation structures across different markets, career development programs, and best practices for employee engagement. With local expertise on a global scale, we can help you create a consistent and locally relevant employee experience that fosters satisfaction and loyalty.
Prevent departures with a retention plan
Sometimes, employees leave for personal reasons, such as evolving career goals, changing personal circumstances, or the desire for a better work-life balance. While not all of these factors can be controlled, many can be addressed through proactive measures during the recruitment and retention process.
To help retain employees facing personal changes:
- Offer flexible work arrangements, including remote work options
- Provide support for work-life balance, such as childcare assistance or wellness programs
- Create opportunities for internal mobility and career pivots
- Foster a culture of understanding and support for personal growth and development
Navigate these personnel challenges by leveraging our extensive knowledge of global HR practices and local cultural norms. We can help you implement flexible work policies that comply with local regulations, design comprehensive benefits packages that address work-life balance concerns, and develop strategies for internal mobility that span your global operations. Our support enables you to create a more empathetic and adaptable work environment that accommodates the diverse personal needs of your global workforce, ultimately improving retention and employee satisfaction.
Strategize your employee retention and recruitment
Partnering with Safeguard Global can provide your organization with the expertise and support needed to excel in global employee retention and recruitment. Our solutions include recruitment services, employer of record (EOR) services, compliance, managed payroll and HR services across 170+ countries, to help you build and maintain a successful global team.
By leveraging our deep understanding of local markets and regulations, you can ensure compliance while implementing effective strategies to attract and retain top talent. Our tailored approach addresses the unique challenges of global workforce management, allowing you to focus on your core business objectives.
To learn more about how Safeguard Global can help boost your employee retention and recruitment strategies, reach out to one of our global solutions advisors today.
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