Commonly Overlooked Aspects in International Recruitment

28 November 2023 | Paul Van Zanten 

In the global job market, where the search for top talent often crosses national borders, companies frequently face challenges. Recently, we worked with a multinational in the Netherlands that encountered a common problem. After a successful international recruitment round, their work environment was far from harmonious. The issue extended beyond simply finding the right candidates.

Organisational Culture 

It quickly became apparent that the organisational culture was not prepared for the new diversity. Gaps in the onboarding process and shortcomings in the support for organisational and social integration led to cultural and linguistic differences being perceived as obstacles rather than advantages. Dutch employees unconsciously excluded their new international colleagues, for instance, by not speaking English in informal situations. This created tension in collaboration.

Bridging the cultural gap 

The belief that new employees should adapt to the existing working methods persisted, despite efforts to enrol them in Dutch or English language courses. This approach did not take into account the time needed to learn a language or the need for a supportive environment to practise and build confidence. As a result, the gap in cultural and linguistic understanding widened, leading to frustration and even the departure of talented employees. This put the organisation back in the talent search, precisely where they wanted to move away from.

Costs of Cultural Discord

Unfortunately, the impact was not limited to the loss of talent. The organisation found itself in a cycle of continuous recruitment, with the average cost of a recruiter in the Netherlands ranging between 20-30% of the recruited person’s annual salary. Besides the financial implications, the absence of an inclusive culture also meant missing out on the considerable benefits that diversity brings, both on a humanitarian and financial level.

Our Approach: Developing Intercultural Competence

This is where we came in. We specialise in addressing these challenges by focusing on the development of language and communication skills, but most importantly, on intercultural competence. We firmly believe that a work culture that embraces diversity and inclusion ultimately benefits the organisation by leveraging diverse perspectives.

Strengthen Your Team

Explore our training options for intercultural competence to equip your team with the necessary skills to navigate the complexities of a diverse working environment. Contact us today, and let’s work together to future-proof your organisation and unlock the full potential of your global team.