The Dutch business landscape is becoming increasingly international, a trend accelerated by the tight labour market. However, greater diversity also brings new challenges. How can you ensure the successful integration of international employees? And what role do you play as a manager in this process? Director Sabine shares her insights and experiences on managing international expansion, including common pitfalls and best practices.
International employees find their place faster when the team is already diverse. "One person with a non-Dutch background often remains an exception," Sabine explains. "When you hire several internationals, a common need to communicate in English, for example, arises naturally. That creates a level playing field and strengthens group dynamics."
A common language, such as English, is a necessity to accelerate integration and get everyone involved. Sabine notes that once there is an international employee, the barrier to hiring others from a foreign background is lowered.
'There are many clients of ours - large banks, pension funds and insurers - where many international employees now work, but where Dutch is still the official working language. These organizations often still employ a large group that has been working there for forty years and finds it difficult to move with changes,' Sabine says. There is a tipping point, but where exactly that is, she says, is difficult to say. 'It varies from organization to organization. Besides, you can change the working language on paper, but your employees have to go along with it to make the change.'
Read Sabine's trend analysis: from tight to multicultural labor market.
Changing the working language is an important step, but language is only the beginning. Cultural differences can affect team cooperation and communication. "Hierarchy, leadership, giving or receiving feedback: every culture has its own rules," Sabine explains.
"In the Netherlands we have a flat hierarchy, but in other countries there is often a stronger hierarchy. For example, if you ask a young professional from such a culture to be more proactive in voicing their opinion, it may feel unnatural to them. There, a certain level of seniority is first expected before an opinion is seen as appropriate."
The number of international employees in the Netherlands is growing, but cultural awareness within teams sometimes lags behind. "Teams are often focused on output and look less at how someone functions in the team," Sabine says. "If you pay more attention to the onboarding and mentoring of international employees, they will be successful faster and feel more in place. This ultimately leads to higher job satisfaction and lower outflow."
As a manager, you make a big difference by being mindful of cultural differences. Sabine emphasizes, "Cultural awareness is valuable for the entire team. Talk to each other about each other's backgrounds and habits and what role they play on the shop floor. This ensures greater understanding and better cooperation."
We are currently assisting two young female professionals from Iran. Due to the political situation in their homeland, this has a great impact on their daily lives and work. Our talent managers reflect on what this means for them and offer a listening ear. "As a manager, you can make an impact by paying extra attention to relevant cultural challenges and offering a listening ear where necessary," Sabine concludes.
Finally, Sabine shares three easy tips on how you as a manager can immediately improve the integration of an international:
*The original article was published in 2022 and revised and updated in 2024.