Are Eastern Europeans Alternative or Cheap Labour?

Posted on: 28.02.2016    09:43:30

 

For international recruitment to be effective it requires three things:

1. The Employers involved must understand the market place from which they wish to recruit. Primarily this means appreciating local market conditions and what is and isn’t acceptable. Offers need to be above local market rates and at least parallel to other international packages. Employers, even those with considerable international recruitment experience cannot dictate to the market place and if advice on packages is needed then they need to seek an experienced international recruiter to support them
2. The package on offer needs to appeal to a job seeker. It is illogical as well as naive to believe that top quality talent is going to be interested in or accept a package that will leave them in a worse financial position than when they started. The total package needs to be laid out in writing without ambiguities so that a job seeker can make a decision. An international recruiter can help an employer with this and to also make your corporate branding an asset rather than a liability but to do this detailed information is required.
3. An Employer needs to be recruitment ready. Are visa requirements understood? What medical tests are required? What documentation is required? What is the interview process? What local laws have to be adhered to? Are contracts available in the local language? What pre-screening is required? Very often agency support is required and this is an added cost. What fees/rate of commission is required in that market place to be successful. Have you found the right agent?

An Employer from a non-European jurisdiction will be aware that fees fluctuate from 10% to 30% plus depending on the service and support required and to offer the fee levels from their local market is seen as being indicative of a business that has not done its homework.

The Middle East is a good example of this. Employers attempting recruit without proper preparation.

Currently many Middle East governments are limiting visas and encouraging Employers to recruit from Eastern Europe in order to achieve a more broadly based workforce. Quite rightly Eastern Europe is identified with an area with good skills and a strong work ethic but it is not a source of slave labour. Eastern Europeans have freedom of movement within the European Union and know their value in international markets.

Markets today are global. If you want to attract the best talent your business must be showcased accordingly with any thoughts that Eastern Europe represents a source of cheap labour being banished from any form of communication.

As global recruiters we would argue that our fees are an investment rather than a cost. Getting the right labour is more important than absolute cost but at the end of the day that is the Employers choice.

Equally the candidates and the recruiters have choices we can also say no to cheap offers as we know such employers are not to be taken seriously.