Hiring refugees: Guide for people professionals
Practical advice and case studies to support HR professionals when hiring and supporting refugees.
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Guide to hiring refugees
The Guide to hiring refugees provides practical recommendations and information on recruitment and retention and can be used by organisations of any size. Recruiting and supporting refugees in employment not only has social benefits (as refugees who have employment can become active contributors to the economy) there are also benefits for organisations that can benefit from the skills, experience and knowledge of refugees, to address talent shortages and gaps in the labour market.
The Guide also highlights the benefits of hiring refugees as well as offering recommendations and practical advice on:
- Recruitment including training hiring managers in some of the barriers and challenges refugees may experience.
- Induction such as providing a little extra support with some of the practicalities of employment that might differ in their country of origin, such as documentation, online HR portals or understanding HR policies and procedures.
- Ongoing support including establishing, through people managers, regular opportunities to check-in and discuss progress, helping to establish relationships and identify any challenges or issues before they escalate.
Top tips for supporting refugees:
- Remember every experience is different and so refugees will all have different needs. Establish a process for ongoing dialogue to help identify any challenges and adapt your approach as needed.
- Provide people managers with training, general advice or guidance on practical requirements, as well as the challenges experienced by refugees and the role that they can play in helping them build a career within your organisation.
- Communicate your approach with your current employees, providing information on your strategy, how this can benefit the organisation, and how they can play a part in welcoming these new employees.
- Be proactive about sharing information about any organisational wellbeing support processes.
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