Nieuwenhuis had difficulty finding suitable staff near the headquarters of his company. “During 2016 we grew a lot and we noticed that it is difficult to find affordable international talent around Twente”. Because the company had 95% of revenue (2 million in 2016) from abroad, it is very much internationally oriented.
Cheaper Candidates
The salary plays a role, says Nieuwenhuis. The company was looking for someone to work on customer service - which does not require higher education. But because of the many international customers the applicant had to speak English. “There are also many candidates in the Netherlands, but soon they become better-educated candidates who demand more pay. Finally we found someone in Brazil”, says Nieuwenhuis.
Attractive Employer
His company, despite its location outside the Randstad, is still an attractive employer. The biggest advantage for new staff: you can have location-independent work, so you have a lot of freedom. “I see many of my peers find this to be important”, says the 29-year-old entrepreneur. “Obviously a good salary is important, but preferably on a beach in Thailand, rather than a big car or a big house”.
In order to work well with time and distance differences, the employees indicate digitally when they are working, and there are also weekly online meetings to conduct the communication appropriately. “Because you cannot physically walknext door to your colleagues to consult”, Nieuwenhuis explains. “When you work closely with people around the world, it is important to be clear on when you can communicate with your colleagues”.
Face-to-Face Remains Important
This year the company organizes the first team meetings where all eleven employees are attending, because an occasional face-to-face meeting is important, according to Nieuwenhuis. Working with employees in so many countries has the disadvantage that he, as an employer, cannot provide the same benefits package to his employeesas he would in the Netherlands. He compensates, for example, by providing a budget for setting up a workplace, and for providing disability insurance.
Source: https://www.rtlnieuws.nl
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