Indispensable: Relocation support supports employer branding

What does relocation have to do with employer branding for startups? A lot, because startups can't (yet) position themselves as credibly as employer brands; instead, they have to attract potential employees with a tactical, benefit-oriented approach. After all, these companies often haven't yet established a reliable image in the markets (B2C, B2B, employees, public opinion). This becomes especially important when recruiting abroad, where the employer is often unknown.

It's incomprehensible why professional support for relocations within Germany, or even from abroad, is still not a given when it comes to positioning oneself as an employer. This tax-deductible assistance, after all, supports recruiting sustainably if one doesn't want to rely solely on passive measures, which a technology-oriented start-up in Germany can no longer afford given the dire shortage of specialists.

How does professional relocation support for start-ups support recruiting?

1. Greater efficiency of active recruiting measures
2. Lower costs than through long-term compensation through salary
3. More efficient than an allowance
4. No unnecessary burden on employees and families
5. Higher satisfaction and loyalty, especially during the training phase
6. Minimizing layoffs
7. Uncovering hidden costs

Two Undesirable developments with consequences can be observed in start-ups when it comes to the problem of recruiting and integrating foreign specialists in Germany:

• Mistake 1: In-house solutions

In-house solutions arise because support for new hires initially comes through the HR department, via the back channels. The result: personnel costs arise that cannot be attributed to the new hires and are not scalable, leaving the controller tearing his hair out. With external relocation support, only a predetermined fixed amount per new hire needs to be calculated. Risks are outsourced to service providers.

• Undesirable development 2: Allowances or subsidies

New hires receive a certain amount of money, but are expected to take care of visa applications, relocation, and apartment hunting themselves. The result: The employee has to organize everything and lacks time for optimal training. The booked Airbnb apartment becomes annoying after three months, and attempts to rent an apartment fail. The controller is tearing his hair out again: the new hire bombards his colleagues and the HR department with questions that distract others from their work and often require time-consuming intervention. This has also led to many in-house solutions ("Then we'll just do it ourselves!"). Absolutely counterproductive: The subsidy is not earmarked for a specific purpose. The result: New multimedia equipment is purchased, but the company is still burdened with questions and demands for assistance. The employer ends up paying twice due to a misguided attempt to save money.

The only clean solution specifically for start-ups:

1. Develop a clear policy regarding the support new employees at different work levels should receive. This also promotes peace within the company and prevents unequal treatment. PROGEDO supports companies in developing a sustainable policy.
2. Outsourcing of support services to external service providers so that they can be provided professionally, cost-effectively and fully scalably.
3. Controlling the key performance indicators (KPIs) of the relocation service provider's services (e.g. duration of the apartment search, duration of the entire package, employee satisfaction, satisfaction of the HR department / line manager, etc.)

In PROGEDO relocation's experience, almost 50% of startups operate more or less effectively using the in-house method, with some also offering employee benefits. Another quarter only use subsidies. In a surprising number of startups, there is no support at all, leaving the "newcomer" completely on their own.

Whichever way you look at it, employers should always offer professional support for all recruitment efforts within a 100-kilometer radius of the job site and communicate this at all levels, from the company's job page and portals to the recruiter. The full-stack programmer from Brazil doesn't want the job because of the feel-good manager, the chill-out zone, or the other trendy gadgets. And let's be honest: The service should be provided by professionals like PROGEDO relocation. Or would you embark on the adventure of changing employers or working abroad if someone told you, "Oh, your new colleagues will help you out..."

And a few more tips for successful recruiting:

1. Give HR the necessary competencies and transfer ownership for the measures to be taken.
2. What exactly are they looking for? Some profiles don't exist abroad, but they do have people who can fill the desired position within six months.
3. Develop a sourcing strategy: The more selective and specialized the profile, the more active sourcing is required.
4. Creating a basis for identification: For experts from other countries, credible globality is an important basis.
5. Setting the right incentives: Time sovereignty and well-being count more than company cars and titles on business cards
6. Keyword Candidate Experience: The application experience is just as important as the application result.
7. Onboarding: Generation Y prefers a leadership style based on equal footing and pragmatic support for smooth integration into the country, the company and the position.
8. Do's: Active Sourcing | Get involved and don't lose candidates to the competition | Build an applicant pipeline
9. Don'ts: Recruiting alone | Not being generous | Salary instead of location quality | Expecting too much