The cost of doing business has increased to previously unimaginable levels year after year across the United States. As a result, owners and leaders of U.S. companies of all sizes have started to reconsider international workers for a variety of employment scenarios.
Geodiversity in the job market (i.e., global employment) might involve hiring seasonal or temporary workers from neighboring countries to work in the U.S. or contract and longer-term workers from any country to work domestically or internationally in different geographic locations. Although the selections depend entirely on a company’s size, ability to finance this type of venture and brand, reputation, staffing and other needs, almost any company can benefit from hiring internationally in three core ways. Read on to learn more…
The Business Becomes Better Known Globally
Many companies choose to hire international workers because it improves their reputation worldwide. They become known as a truly equal opportunity employer who values diversity and understands that business and trade rely on global ties and relationships. If they choose to set up shop in one or more other countries, they earn a reputation for caring about and investing in local foreign communities and economies. If they bring international talent to the U.S., especially from countries experiencing difficult times, they become known positively for inclusivity and caring about improving the domestic workforce.
Decision-Makers Obtain Local Knowledge and Insights
Whether a company’s leadership chooses to invest in on-site workers in one or more other countries or utilize immigration processes for foreign workers to fill positions domestically, they learn a lot of useful information about other countries in terms of cultures, job markets, worker options, employment expectations, markets and economies. They learn quickly how to better communicate and interact with targeted foreign companies and consumers in those areas and prevent embarrassing or serious cultural and social mistakes. They quickly gain ties to local organizations that work with U.S. companies, other businesses and even new vendors. International workers also provide unique cultural, educational, linguistic and other knowledge and abilities that influence their ideas and methods for solving problems. They provide U.S. companies with fresh perspectives, especially workers trained specifically to provide services on a global level or with the global economy and trade in mind.
Companies Gain Access to Experienced Low-Cost Workers
Of course, cost is one of the biggest reasons companies seek workers outside of the US. They can often reap huge payroll and tax savings by hiring workers in other countries. They typically don’t need to pay these workers the same standard wages or overtime as workers inside U.S. borders. In many cases, especially in countries where people speak multiple languages or don’t have enough jobs for everyone, U.S. companies can find and pay less for highly educated, well-trained and even credentialed or licensed employees in a wide range of fields and industries who have better backgrounds than their U.S. counterparts. They can usually also invest in low-cost, in-country workers, such as ones who provide customer service and tech support in call centers, to guarantee that they offer round-the-clock services to their customers.
Steps to Take to Hire Internationally
How a business owner or other leader hires international workers depends on the type of employment. Additionally, every country has different requirements and rules. If a company needs to hire workers within a specific country, they must reach out to local businesses and government agencies that connect U.S. companies with those workers and provide guidance so they can establish their business and perform the correct steps. If they want to bring talent to the U.S., they need to consult with domestic agencies (i.e., the Department of Labor, Citizenship and Immigration Services, and local, state and federal tax bureaus). When they bring a noncitizen foreign worker to the U.S., they must guarantee that their action won’t adversely impact American workers. They must also petition for a visa. It is important to research and understand which type of employment visa is appropriate for your industry. Employers may need to assist the worker with applying for a foreign labor certification, a Social Security Number, as well as with travel and finding housing. It is essentially to assure they perform many other steps to guarantee that they are employed legally.
