Finding and retaining qualified staff has become increasingly challenging for companies in Germany. To fill this gap, authorities encourage German companies to attract more foreign skilled workers.
But hiring internationally is no easy task. For one, because expats seem to consider Germany less and less attractive as a “work and live” destination.
And even if companies are successful at attracting talent from abroad, hiring internationally is a responsibility that doesn’t end with the visa and immigration process. Companies need to consider what comes after the hiring process, once their employees arrive here, find a place to stay, register with the authorities, and so on.
Employers that hire expats need to invest long-term in their staff, helping them settle in and grow in their roles, to make sure that everyone’s effort with the hiring process was well invested.
Why Should Companies Focus On Retention?
Improving the employee retention rate is hugely important for companies, especially when they’re competing on the global market for talent acquisition. Keeping the new hires in the company for longer means:
Reducing hiring costs. High employee turnover can be costly for companies, as they incur expenses related to recruiting, hiring, and training new employees more often than others. Increased retention rates will grow the ROI of the hiring process.
Ensuring consistency and productivity. When employees stay with a company for a longer time, they grow familiar with its processes, culture, and values, which leads to a greater consistency in their work and higher overall productivity.
Avoiding knowledge gaps. Experienced employees possess valuable knowledge and skills that are difficult to replace if they leave. High employee retention rates can help organizations retain this knowledge and avoid loss of critical information.
Support with talent development. When employees stay with a company for a longer period of time, they are more likely to advance in their role and discover new opportunities for growth and development. This can result in a more skilled and experienced workforce over time and can benefit both the employees and the company.
Growing a positive company culture. High employee retention rates can signal a positive and supportive company culture, which can, in turn, attract and retain new qualified talent.
Expath’s core mission is to help new employees feel at home in their new city or country.
What Helps With Employee Retention?
As many HR managers will agree, a key component of making employees feel satisfied, appreciated and hence, more prone to remain with the company in the long-term, is a solid investment in their Learning & Development (L&D). Or as LinkedIn’s Workplace Learning Report boldly puts it:
“People who aren’t learning (at work) will leave.”
In the case of mixed international teams, language learning should be front-and-center of any L&D program. As research by Rosetta Stone shows:
“80% of employees who participated in language training felt more positively towards their employer, and 66% felt more engaged with their work.”
The benefits of language training on the job are multiple:
Improves internal communication. In mixed teams of German and international employees, being able to communicate effectively in both German and English can reduce misunderstandings and slowdowns. This can lead to a more harmonious and productive workplace, and make employees feel more connected to their colleagues and the company overall.
Increases job satisfaction. When employees are able to communicate effectively with their colleagues and clients in both German and English, they may feel more confident in their ability to perform their job duties, and this can lead to a greater satisfaction and engagement. Learning or improving language skills can be a rewarding experience that can boost an employee’s confidence and sense of accomplishment. When people feel that their employers are invested in their personal and professional growth, they are more likely to feel valued and satisfied in their jobs.
Fosters a positive work culture. Language learning can also contribute to building and sustaining a positive work culture as it encourages employees to learn from one another and support each other. This can lead to greater collaboration and teamwork, which can improve their job satisfaction and ensure their longer retention.
Demonstrates investment in employees. Providing language learning opportunities for employees shows that the company is invested in their development and growth. This can increase loyalty and commitment to the organization, which can also lead to greater employee retention.
Overall, investing in language learning programs for employees can demonstrate a commitment to their growth and development, and create a more diverse and inclusive workplace culture that fosters employee satisfaction and that positively impacts retention rates.
If you’d like to offer a German or English learning course to your employees and don’t know where to start, get in touch. We have many years of experience with organizing in-house or online language training for companies and we can help.
