The business benefits of hiring refugees
Refugees and immigrants have always been the ultimate political hot potato. Used ad nauseum by politicians to garner support — or more often to divide — the current wave of negativity has been impossible to ignore.
With the negative narrative playing loud and long, the positive stories of refugees enriching and contributing to their new communities are often hard to hear. But there are plenty of examples. In business, on both sides of the Atlantic, more companies are waking up to the benefits of hiring refugees.
WeWork, a global office-sharing company, began employing refugees as part of a pilot project initiated by employee Fatima Duran in 2017. Since then, the scheme has employed 150 refugees and the effects have been so positive that they’ve made it part of their long-term hiring strategy — with a goal to hire 1,500 refugees over the next five years.
Another company which has shown its commitment to hiring refugees is Starbucks. The coffee giant announced plans on World Refugee Day 2017 to employ 10,000 refugees across Europe by 2022.
The move was a seeming response to more than 360,000 refugees arriving in Europe, escaping war-torn countries like Syria and Iraq. Martin Brok, president of Starbucks for Europe, Africa and the Middle East said, “Businesses like ours can use their scale to make a positive impact in people’s lives.”
But hiring refugees is not about charity, far from it.
Why employ refugees?
Simply, it makes business sense. The fact that refugees are starting again means they’re looking for opportunities and when they’re given one, they’re more likely to work hard — and to stick with it. A recent study by FPI found that 73% of employers enjoyed higher retention rates with their refugee employees than with other workers.
As Gideon Maltz, executive director of the Tent Partnership for Refugees says, “I think refugees really crave stability, and I think they really feel a sense of loyalty to companies that might have taken a chance on them.”
Of course, loyalty isn’t the only thing refugees bring to the table. There’s also the raft of skills, qualifications and expertise to consider. Research from Nuffield Foundation shows that 45% of refugees in the UK arrived with a qualification and that 65% had either been self-employed, employed or studying.
In the US, a study by think tank Migration Policy Institute found that nearly half (48%) of all immigrants that arrived between 2011 and 2015 had a college degree and the eagerness to learn and progress.
Sheila Heard, MD of London-based recruitment agency, Transitions, has found jobs for refugees in specialist industries such as accountancy, IT and engineering. In her experience, many employers are unaware of the skills and qualifications of many refugees. “A lot of employers have said, ‘We had no idea there’s this talent pool.’ It’s not about charity, it’s about allowing skilled candidates to compete in the jobs market along with everyone else.”
Diversity is another important factor that shouldn’t be overlooked. Refugees bring with them a knowledge of international work practices, different cultural backgrounds and — of course — the story of how they came to be there — all of which can enrich and enhance the workplace for everyone.
And diversity isn’t just ‘nice’ — it’s profitable too. Research from McKinsey found that ethnically diverse businesses are 35% more likely to financially outperform their national industry medians.
How can your business be part of the solution?
Contrary to what many business owners may think, employing refugees is a surprisingly straightforward process.
Partnering with refugee-focused recruitment agencies like Transitions in London or local employment services is a good way to open up the hiring process to everyone. Employers should make it explicit that they welcome applications from anyone, from any background.
Although many refugees arrive with qualifications, employers may be worried about whether these skills translate. Independent companies like UK NARIC or Enic-NARIC USA can help. They assess and compare overseas qualifications with UK and US standards.
While training and qualifications are a necessity in some industries; in others it’s competency that’s more important. By recognising ability and potential, employers can promote a culture of inclusivity while also making sure they’re not missing out on talent. Companies can also consider work placements or internships in order to assess a candidate’s suitability for a role.
As David Miliband, president of the International Rescue Committee, observes in his book Rescue: Refugees and the Political Crisis of our Time, the refugee issue is a problem — but the problem isn’t them, it’s us. Rather than being a question of how we can cope with an influx of displaced people, it’s more a question of how we can awaken our own humanity instead of burying our heads in the sand. And that’s probably the biggest challenge: changing our mindset.
By employing refugees, business leaders can be a practical part of the solution — both for displaced people as individuals and for their own productivity and growth.
It’s good for the world and good for business.
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