Recruiting Expatriate Staff over Local Staff
Recruitment is a vital process that can make or break an organization. It is tasking and there are certain decisions to be made even before it begins. One of those decisions, especially in a multinational company, or a business starting in a foreign country is whether to hire an expatriate staff over a local staff. There are factors to consider and as with many things, advantages and disadvantages. Let’s view them closely.
Advantages of recruiting expatriate staff over local staff
- Experience: Recruiting an expatriate staff is usually synonymous with getting an experienced hire. There is a global pool to pick from giving you the chance to select top talents in your recruitment process. There are also certain traits expatriates share-alike. One of which is resilience, the ability to bounce back from difficult situations. Another is having a broad outlook which living in different cultures helps them have (01).
- Self-motivation: Expatriates are more often than not, self-motivated individuals. It takes a great deal of motivation to leave your home country for a new one with a different culture and sea of unfamiliar faces. Once they decide to move, there is a strong will to make it all worth it which reflects in their attitude to work and the results they produce (01).
- Specialized Knowledge: If you work in an industry where there are only a handful of people with specific knowledge about your products or processes, it might be possible that none of them live in your country of operation. Also, when it comes to management roles, it might be hard to find a local to fill in. While they can easily pick up technical skills, soft skills are not learned that way (03). Hiring expatriates gives you access to these talents regardless of where they live so you can get the right fit.
Disadvantages of recruiting expatriate staff over local staff
- High Budget: It is usually more costly to hire an expatriate compared to a local. There are lots of costs involved in the relocation of the individual and the pay has to be attractive enough to convince the person to move all the way. When you factor in costs like Visa sponsorship, flight tickets, health insurance, and accommodation, it all adds up to a huge sum.
- Immigration Requirements: There are laws and rules guiding immigration in every country. Depending on the country you’re in, it can be rigorous and such a hassle. Expatriates are not treated the same as local staff and there are lots of things to be settled and documents to be signed off.
- Relocation Challenges: Culture varies from place to place and the difference can be quite startling. There may also be a language barrier which makes settling in harder. Being away from friends and family is an added challenge, so it might take a while for your employee to get used to the new living situation. This will have a direct impact on their productivity (02).
References
2. Laird, M. P. (2015, October 12). The pros and cons of hiring expats. HR Exchange Network. (URL)
3. Southeast Asia Globe Editorial. (2015, June 14). Recruitment advice: Expat or local? Southeast Asia Globe. (URL)
- A Quick Guide to Improve Employer Branding
- Cultural Differences in Doing Business in Asia
- 7 Winning Employee Engagement Strategies
This article is written by:
This article is written and edited by in-house writers and editors. Knowledge Netizen editorial team is committed to providing accurate and informative content. You can cite our articles under the author name "NetizenMe"
