International Talent Acquisition in 2022

The talent market has changed as several factors have affected the ways that candidates seek organisations that they would like to work for, and those organisations have also been affected in how they attract new employees. While some of these changes have been the result of the recent covid-19 pandemic, other factors include the increased globalisation of the world and the increased strategic importance of diversity and inclusion.

This article, which is inspired by an internal presentation as part of the Inside the Mind of the HRD series at Top Employers Institute from HR Auditors, Carolina Ringler and Antonio Argirò, focuses on the international talent acquisition market. The stimulating discussion was a broad look at international talent acquisition market. They looked at everything from dos and don'ts for employees to best practices from Certified Top Employers. This article will focus on seven reasons why international talent acquisition is beneficial for organisations and four reasons why it is important for employees.

What is Talent Acquisition?

Talent acquisition is the process through which organisations identify, attract, select, and retain qualified individuals. It is key to remember that talent acquisition is an important of the employee journey. While this process of the business used to be limited to HR leaders and recruitment staff, it is becoming a part of everyone’s work as employees continue to take an active role in attracting talent.

Regarding international talent acquisition efforts, it is key to identify that is not only a transition that is exclusively beneficial for the organisation or the employee, but also it important to focus on the positives in the discussion of this growing pattern in the world of work.

Seven Benefits for Organisations

1. Uncovers a vast talent pool – companies that expand their search for new talent beyond their country may be limiting their ability to find the right fit for the role, especially when they are seeking candidates with specific skill sets. There are talented candidates across the world with knowledge that candidates in the organisation’s operating area may not have, by international
2. Enriches workplace diversity – a diverse workforce is beneficial to an organisation as it welcomes a world of different viewpoints and perspectives that improve efficiency, productivity and creativity.
3. Increase market insight – organisations with a workforce that is identical to each other will need to do extensive research efforts when entering new markets. While companies do not, necessarily, need to tailor their recruitment efforts to their market insights having several colleagues from across the world can better prepare an organisation for international expansion.
4. Provides global expansion opportunities – when organisations recruit internationally, they are aware of growth opportunities in markets across the globe that they previously would have not had insight into. As the point above reiterates, a global workforce brings market insight that can show businesses where they could expand.
5. Grants insight into the local business climate
6. Builds employer international brand – when organisations employee people from global locations they can build brand awareness in new areas. Companies that hire people internationally have company values that embrace workplace diversity, new ideas and promotes inclusion. This helps to nurture a positive employer brand.
7. Improves overall productivity – as remote work remains an option for employees, companies that hire internationally can have an uninterrupted workflow across different time zones.

Four Benefits for Employees

1. New outlook on life – research shows that people that work internationally are exposed to several different perspectives and ideas as they live in another country. That has been shown to improve creativity and empathy, while opening people’s minds to new perspectives on life.
2. Learning to flourish outside of their comfort zone – people that push themselves out of their comfort zones by moving abroad open themselves up to new learning experiences. The challenges that come with moving abroad push people to flourish in way that they never saw possible as they overcome the stresses and rewards that come with moving and working abroad.
3. Developing language skills – gaining another language is always to someone’s advantage and while not all relocations require someone to learn a new language almost all will challenge someone’s language skills. That is because even when people speak the same language there are regional differences and quirks that will be new for someone who relocates.
4. Developing networking skills – when people move for their job, they will be dared to rebuild their social network in a new space. Gaining these necessary networking skills will benefit them in their personal life and their professional life.