Last Updated on March 2, 2023
Onboarding foreign nationals begins long before the first day on the job – often, it begins with the first interview.
In a 2016 report on global talent in the U.S., we found that 28 percent of foreign national employees waited between two to seven months after their first interview to start their first day of work. Months-long immigration processes open up potential foreign talent to other opportunities. If you’re not prepared with a seamless immigration process early on, you could lose that talent to a business with a quicker, more efficient process.
Employers are neglecting the onboarding process
Recently, Kronos and HCI found that onboarding is a weakness for organizations this year in a new study: New Hire Momentum: Driving the Onboarding Experience.
It’s a process that’s being neglected in subtle and obvious ways, even though a strong onboarding program has resounding influence over long-term employee engagement. If you’re wondering why onboarding matters to foreign national employee retention, here’s a look at some of the ways neglected onboarding programs are causing companies to struggle.
Attrition levels are high
It’s tough to retain employees long-term and retaining foreign national employees can be easier or harder – a lot of that depends on the onboarding process. Many foreign national hires tend to be in it for the long haul.
Forty-two percent say they plan to stay at their current company for more than three years. But, part of why onboarding matters is that you can only make one first impression, and loyalty is key to retention.
From a globally competitive compensation package to a bias-free interview process, there are many ways to ensure your foreign national employee is acknowledged right from the start. A strong global onboarding process must be inclusive.
As top human resources consultant and career advisor Laurie Ruettimann suggested in our recent Global Workforce Essentials ebook, “Global workforce retention starts with sensitivity and an appreciation of everyone who participates in the workforce.”
Employee poaching is a risk
Many organizations are worried about their current foreign employees losing work authorization or being poached by better offers before they’re able to set up their immigration program.
Getting your employees set up in a seamless immigration program as part of the onboarding process is critical to sustaining employees. Companies without seamless immigration programs risk losing valuable talent to the open marketplace.
Employers are missing visa application or extension deadlines
Using technology to help with immigration can increase productivity and better ensure you don’t miss any visa application or extension deadlines. The right tech tools give you the power to relate to and retain employees on a human level.
Immigration technology allows companies to quickly and efficiently secure the visas they want to hire and keep the talent they need.
