Recruiting and retaining talented employees is fundamental to any business’s success. In today’s economy, it is estimated that around 600,000 people are granted temporary working visas in Australia and, with more and more businesses looking to expand globally in order to compete, it may be harder for your company to attract overseas talent. As many HR departments know, recruiting employees from overseas has even more challenges than recruiting locally, thanks to various laws and customs which apply to different countries.

As modern workplaces become more and more mobile, it is important that businesses begin to see themselves as global market players rather than static organisations. The marketplace is broadening and there is a much higher standard of employees for businesses to choose from, so how do businesses stand out as the best option for potential employees?

Attracting someone to leave their home country to work abroad is an impressive feat which can’t be done without truly understanding what it is that encourages candidates to invest their talent in a company away from their home.

Have a global perspective

There are multiple ways in which businesses can attract and reach foreign talent. No matter how friendly or laid back your company culture is, this won’t make someone want to automatically move to work for you. Employers need to ensure that they are offering a benefits package or job perks which will appeal to their audience.

Unsurprisingly, if a candidate is willing to relocate to work for you, it is very rarely based on the pay alone, but you should make sure that you are offering an attractive level of pay which meets global standards, rather than just Australian ones if you want to secure talent which will progress your business forward.

When you are hiring abroad, it is vital that you are aware of the legal considerations and visa restrictions which may apply to applicants. To avoid any issues, it is recommended that you seek advice from immigration solicitors from both your country and the applicants country.

Understand benefits and allowances

Long gone are the days where businesses could simply bully and intimidate their competitors by offering higher salaries to their candidates. Employers who recruit from other countries should be aware of benefits which are typically offered to the position which they are hiring for.

In many countries, it isn’t unusual for employers to enroll in a group benefits scheme, but only if they employ a certain number of employees. Alternatively, some employers will decide to provide an employee allowance instead which will then form part of their overall compensation package. It is vital that employers know the market average of allowances offered so that they are providing a competitive and attractive compensation package for their employees. Employers must also understand the way in which allowances are taxed and vetted by local authorities.

A lot of people will consider moving abroad for work at some point during their careers, but often the difficulties outweigh their motivation for moving. When you are developing your strategy for recruiting overseas employees, you should assist applicants with their documentation and work visas. If you want to be globally competitive, then you must make an effort in ensuring that getting access to work in Australia is as straightforward as possible for potential candidates.

Demonstrate cultural diversity

Businesses should always strive to create a multicultural environment for each of their employees. When you hire internationally, having so many different perspectives and voices within the workplace can create a culture of curiosity and creativity.

Ideally, companies should develop their own policies which can accommodate a multi-cultural workplace and take initiative in addressing any potential harassment issues and provide support to employees who may not yet be accustomed to working life in Australia.

In this time of globalisation and technology, many businesses are making a bigger effort to become more culturally diverse in the workplace. Having a culturally diverse company can actually lead to increased productivity levels. Cultural diversity can bring a whole host of different talents and skills together, so having them all working towards a goal will only be a benefit for your company.