International employees are difficult to get to stay in Denmark for a long period of time, and those who do often have a spouse who is also working. According to a recruitment expert, the lack of socialization on the part of Danes is often difficult for those coming from outside.
There have been significantly more international employees in Denmark since the turn of the millennium, but many of these people are only in Denmark for a few years before either returning home or moving on to another country.
According to a study from the Danish Employers’ Association , every third international employee who is employed in Denmark returns home within the first two years – and after five years, half have returned home again.
According to Per Christensen, CEO of the recruitment company Black Swans Exist, this is not least due to the Danes’ lack of focus on helping international employees find their footing socially.
“The numbers don’t surprise me, because it can be very difficult to become part of social communities in Denmark, especially if you’re not very outgoing yourself. Many Danes are busy and may not think about inviting their international colleague to, for example, football or something else, but a small effort can actually make a very big difference.”
However, there is one group of international employees who generally stay here for a longer period of time, and these are those who have a spouse who is also working in Denmark.
Of this group, three out of four are still in Denmark after five years, and it comes as no surprise to Per Christensen that this group stays here the longest.
“It is much easier to adapt to a new country if you have your spouse with you, especially if they are also working. It is a big challenge to recruit employees from distant countries without them also bringing their spouses, and it is clear that if both are happy, the chance of them staying here for a longer period increases.”
The fact that employees can be difficult to get to stay in Denmark for a long time also plays a major role for companies that are in the market for new international employees. Because it is an expensive and cumbersome process to onboard a new colleague and get the person 100 percent ready for work.
“It can take over a year for a new employee to settle in, because onboarding and adaptation take time, and it is therefore incredibly important that they stay here for several years. Here, companies and colleagues can make a difference by helping the new employee to have a network and social life outside of work, because this plays a very big role in retention,” says Per Christensen.
This article is sourced from Market Connect.