A guide to keeping overseas workers engaged

As remote working is becoming more deeply embedded into our work ecology, more and more employers are taking advantage of the wider talent pool this presents. When the specific skills or experience your business needs are scarce in the UK, the global job market offers a higher chance of finding the right person for the job.

By diversifying your hiring to workers based in different countries and cultures, you can also access new and different approaches to how your business operates, as well as engage people with a myriad of different experiences and histories that can bring fresh ideas to your business.

However, one of the biggest challenges of hiring overseas remote workers is keeping them engaged. If they’re not in the office, or unable to join their colleagues for training or company social events, then ensuring they still feel like part of the team and a valued employee is top priority to ensure they are able to produce their best work.

Communication is key

When your employees are based remotely, ensuring communication channels are open is incredibly important. Since they can’t turn to a co-worker at the adjoining desk for a chat, or pop into their manager’s office to ask a question, or join the team for after work socialising on a Friday, it’s important to put as much energy and focus into maintaining communication with overseas workers as possible.

Ensure that your overseas worker is able to get in touch with you if they need you to answer questions, provide materials, or greenlight stages of work by not only being very clear on how exactly they can get in touch, but also by being communicative and prompt with your responses. If a remote worker can’t complete their work because they’re unable to get the information or authorisation they need from you, it’s unlikely they’ll being doing their best work or feeling happy to stay around for very long.

Be inclusive

Regardless of where they are in the world, if an employee feels forgotten, undervalued, or out of the loop, they’re unlikely to do their best work. Make sure that your company culture is shared among employees across the business, whether working in the office, from home in the UK, or on the other side of the globe.

This means ensuring that any opportunities for training or promotion are shared, as well as any office parties or social events. This may mean rethinking how social events take place to ensure remote workers can join in, and what exactly they entail.

For example, organising online or hybrid events for staff can improve accessibility. Additionally, workers from overseas may have traditions and holidays from their own culture that they want to share with their UK colleagues. Being open to new ideas and embracing the different cultures that exist within your overseas workforce can ensure they feel included and valued.

Be encouraging

When an employee can see how their work is making a difference, they’re more likely to feel engaged and proud of the work they do. As a good manager would with any other employee, make sure that overseas employees are able to hear about and see examples of the impact their work is having, whether that’s sharing a piece of positive customer feedback, stats on improved business performance, or feedback from colleagues. Since overseas employees are less able to see for themselves how they’re performing within the business, letting them know and keeping them in the loop is vital.

Offer perks

Being based in a different country to your employer comes with challenges, including working within a different time zone, or working in a second language. To keep your overseas workers engaged and committed to your business, ensure you are offering sweeteners to keep them happy. Perks such as flexible hours, wellness packages, or training and development can make a huge difference to an employee’s engagement levels.

Small employee benefits help to ensure overseas workers are kept happy, and willing and able to do their best work.

How can Reed Screening help?

At Reed Screening, we have years of experience in providing fast, smooth, and thorough employee screening and background checks for workers of all kinds, including remote and overseas workers.

With screening and checks happening 24/7, we can vet your candidates within a timescale that suits your business, and our AssuredID service offers an easy and accurate way to verify a candidate’s ID digitally and remotely.

For more information, get in touch with our team.