“It is a very encouraging trend that the vast majority of employers say yes, come back, we need you, we need your experience, knowledge, qualifications – we are open.” And the fact that the returned people can infuse the company with a different work culture, a different complex of knowledge and competences, this is no longer a fear, but on the contrary, it is already perceived as an advantage”, the director of the Employment Service, Inga Balnanosienė, told reporters.
According to I. Balnanosienė, one of the reasons for the changing attitude of employers towards emigrants is that Lithuania is starting to compete for labor force with major economies, which encourages employers to be more open towards different employees.
“We notice that Lithuania is seen as an equal partner, and that we compete for labor on an equal footing with major economies, especially if we talk about technological solutions, competitive solutions, information technologies, and new production processes,” said the director of the Employment Service.
Expats are valued for their progressive work culture
Samanta Garbenčienė, HR manager of the SBA Home company, said that the changed labor market leads to a more favorable mutual attitude of employees and employers. Lithuanians abroad are more and more satisfied with the salaries offered in Lithuania, and for employers, emigrants’ salary expectations no longer seem as unrealistic as before.
“We notice that both the managers themselves are more open to employees who return from abroad, and the Lithuanians themselves are more interested in the possibilities of returning. (…) We really have a lot of successful experiences, and those successful experiences both from the employee’s side and from the employer’s side encourage them to attract and recommend employers in Lithuania through their communities abroad”, said S. Garbenčienė.
“They (ELTA workers) no longer have the expectations that we had before that we would pay them double or triple,” she added.
The representative of the employers mentioned that emigrants are valued in the labor market because of the work culture acquired abroad. According to her, expatriates work already thinking about the outcome and how they can contribute to the creation of value in the workplace.
“Experience in the field of personnel hiring testifies that emigrants are well aware of the specifics of work, are more receptive to innovations and changes and often propose them themselves, are motivated and seek opportunities for internal growth. They apply the good experience gained abroad, which is more focused on the result, rather than the process”, emphasized S. Garbenčienė.
512 different employers participated in the survey conducted by the company “Spinter tyrimi” and 42 percent. stated that their company faces a shortage of qualified employees. 77 percent answered that they would accept a job with their education or work experience, regardless of whether it was acquired abroad or in Lithuania, and 78 percent. employers support the promotion of return migration.
Almost a third (29%) of the surveyed employers would like to contribute themselves to various initiatives inviting foreign Lithuanians to return to live and work in Lithuania. True, at the moment only 17 percent. employers are considering attracting foreign Lithuanians as potential employees.
A study conducted by the Employment Service last year showed that even 55.1 percent 15 percent of surveyed Lithuanian citizens who have left are considering returning to live in their homeland. more than three years ago.
2024-09-11 19:37:23