In order to stay in the forefront of innovation and development, Sweden needs to hire 18,000 employees a year, in the tech industry. This is according to Tech Sverige’s recently published report. A way to meet these demands is to utilize the international students and researchers available in Sweden. But for the international talent, landing a job in Sweden is still very tricky.
So, what does that have to do with how different cultures separate from one another and inclusive workplaces? Switch to Sweden released the Talent Map Report, showing that language and culture are the main barriers for international talent and companies in Sweden working together, and these factors could affect the recruitment processes.
The importance of understanding each other’s cultures
East Sweden Tech Women together with Switch to Sweden, Softube, and Intertalents in Sweden invited women and non-binary individuals to an evening where this matter was brought up to the surface. And how diversity at the workplace, in the case of hiring more women but also international talent, is one of the key factors of developing a more successful company.
Amanda Herzog from Intertalents in Sweden taught us about the Hofstede Insights tool that easily compares nationalities based on different scores. This tool could be used as a support in designing a team that supports diversity and enhances your company. It can also be used to understand each other better in a work situation and how each and everyone expresses themselves.
“A person that comes from a more individualistic and hierarchical nationality could express their own achievements more strongly than we would normally do in Sweden. Sweden counts as a more “feminine” country on the Hofstede scale where the group’s achievements are in focus,” Amanda says when talking about how different cultures could be perceived during job interviews.
Lorna McGeown, Director of Human Resources at Softube talking about her own experience of coming to Sweden.
Lorna McGeown presented her journey of coming to Sweden, emigrating from the United Kingdom, and becoming Director of Human Resources at the music software company Softube in Linköping. Softube has a long experience of hiring international talent and sees many benefits. 27 percent of Softube’s staff identify as female and 24 percent are born outside Sweden. She shared her thoughts on how companies that hire international staff can support them:
“Homesickness can be bad, so if you can, please be flexible around funerals and family events. Be supportive for the rest of your employees’ families to settle in Sweden. Companies could also offer language classes and help staff to understand Swedish work cultures – the fika culture, after work and time off. This helps foster a more inclusive work climate” says Lorna.
Keep an eye out for the next event with East Sweden Tech Women – join our group on Linkedin!
Upcoming events within International Talent
Sweden International Talent Matchmaking 2024 – 20th March
An amazing opportunity for your company to get matched with international master’s or doctoral students.
Multidisciplinary Career Days – 10-11th April
Participants from diverse backgrounds will have the chance to engage in a dynamic exchange of knowledge and insights regarding talent and recruitment needs and opportunities from local companies.
