How to keep foreign expats in Germany!
For the Expat Insider report, more than 20,000 expats from 180 nations were asked what they appreciate about the country they spend their time abroad in and what they find fault with. The study paints a rather mixed picture for Germany, with some positive and many negative aspects.
Particularly in view of the demand for skilled workers, which can only be covered by foreign employees in the long term, the results of the study should give us cause to reflect.
Top marks were awarded to Mexico, Spain, Panama, Malaysia and Taiwan. In last place were Kuwait, Norway and Turkey. Germany was ranked 49th overall out of 53 countries. This means that Germany has dropped from 12th place in 2014 to one of the last positions.
The most important findings from the study
- Many of the expats living here rate the work situation in Germany as positive. In addition, 75% of those surveyed consider their job to be secure. In this sub-category, Germany was ranked 15th out of all the countries in the survey. Only when it comes to the topic of “salary” many expats see greater room for improvement [28th out of 53].
- The German education and healthcare systems, especially free schools and – in comparison with the rest of the world – inexpensive private schools, are seen as positive.
- Also in comparison with other countries, the relatively short working times in Germany are seen in a particularly positive light. Some other nations have significantly fewer holidays and vacation days. The annual number of hours worked is also higher in other countries than in Germany.
You could easily score points among expats with respect to these issues. For instance, you could put these facts at center stage in your HR marketing to win over potential new employees who decide on Germany as their future homeland.
But there are, regrettably, also drawbacks...
- The category "settling in/integration" is one of the main pain points for expats in Germany [ranked 50 out of 53]. In fact, Germany scores very poorly in all three sub-categories of this index: friendliness of locals [50], making friends [49] and welcoming culture [49].
- Three in ten expats [30%] say that people in Germany are not friendly to foreign people [compared to 18% worldwide], and 55% find it difficult to make friends locally [compared to 36% worldwide]. Given that 32% also have no personal support network, it is not surprising that around one in three do not feel at home in Germany. Unfortunately, the current study confirms a trend: in the last ten years in which the Expat Insider survey has been conducted, Germany has always ranked near the bottom when it comes to the categories "making friends" and "friendliness of the local population".
- The German language is perceived as an impediment to this. There’s also little willingness in Germany to integrate new friends, some say. As a result, many [single] expats in Germany can feel kind of isolated. This could be a reason to leave Germany sooner than planned or not to extend a work contract that’s about to expire. Employees who have experienced this are probably going to promote Germany as a location only with reservations.
- A cumbersome public administration and a tight housing market create further obstacles: more than half of expats living here [56%] find it difficult to deal with local bureaucracy [compared to 38% worldwide]. In addition, 58% of respondents find it difficult to find accommodation, which is 27 percentage points higher than the global average.
- The digital infrastructure [mobile internet, digital forms of payment, bandwidth, …] is also rated particularly poorly by many expats. Germany ranks in the bottom 10 here. In Beijing, for example, you can pay with your smartphone even at the tiniest weekly markets. In Thailand, you don’t need a DSL connection, because cell phones have super-fast internet with unlimited flat rates. Even real-time bank transfers, which were finally made available in Germany in mid-2019 [for a surcharge!], have been used by customers in Asia for years – at no extra cost.
Some of these facts are impossible or nearly impossible for you to change as an employer.
However, the results also give you some possible courses of action [support in finding accommodation, when dealing with the authorities, arranging meetings with expats who already live here] so that foreign employees are more satisfied, stay longer in Germany, are more productive and, ideally, also promote Germany as a business location.
This is how solutions could look like!
One important thing you can definitely do for your newly arrived employees in Germany is provide them with an outstanding cross-cultural preparation. This way they won’t just be prepared for their upcoming professional situation, they’ll also get specific tools to help them find friends in Germany relatively quickly, despite all obstacles [because we’re really not THAT bad :-)].
On top of that, here are some small changes you can make in your company to ensure that foreign colleagues are better integrated:
- Create opportunities for foreign and local colleagues to get to know each other on a personal level – be it get-togethers, parties or buddy programs. As another example, we have clients which encouraged their Indian employees to offer a cricket course in their company, which turned out to be a great success!
- Check whether your German courses are good enough and whether they’re actually taken advantage of. Conversely, your German employees should also speak good enough English to allow them a meaningful exchange with their foreign colleagues. In our experience, many German employees’ level of English is regrettably just average.
- Involve your managers! They should ensure that all employees are aware of how lonely foreign colleagues can feel. Many people only become aware of the effects of their own behavior when someone points them out.
- Some of our customers provide ways for their foreign employees to network better among themselves [if the Germans don’t want to :-)].
- For example, we also like the idea of hiring several people from a target country at the same time. This enables the new employees to support each other.
The fact is, there are plenty of opportunities to get foreign employees more excited about taking jobs in Germany and to help current expats find more satisfaction, thus giving them more reasons to stay in Germany longer.
So let’s get to work!
