Regalis, as of
In brief
Whether a skilled worker from abroad stays is settled in the first months in the company. Clear responsibilities, a plan for the first weeks and a buddy in the team help more than single large measures. Plain language and reliable agreements make the start in the team easier.
The first weeks decide
New staff from abroad arrive without a safety net. They do not yet know the routes in the company, and often the language only in outline.
Companies that guide this beginning lose far fewer people later. The effort falls due once, the effect stays.
Much of it is not a question of money. It is a question of responsibility, time and reliable agreements inside the company.
The start rarely fails for want of goodwill. It fails because nobody is clearly responsible.
Set out before the arrival who takes on which task. Human resources, the line manager and the buddy have different roles.
A simple list with task, name and date is enough. It hangs in the office and is ticked off point by point.
Keep a stand-in ready so that the start carries on during absences.
Before the arrival
A good deal can be settled before the first day at work. These points have proved themselves.
- Name one fixed contact person in the company
- Settle housing and the journey, arrange to meet the person on arrival
- Write an induction plan for the first weeks
- Inform the team and prepare them for questions
- Lay out work clothing, tools and access badges
The first day at work
The first day should not open with a pile of forms. A calm tour with somebody at their side works better.
- Show the site: changing room, break room, toilets, emergency exits
- Introduce the team and let the names be written down
- Explain working hours, breaks and the shift plan
- Give the safety briefing in a form that is understood
- Walk or drive the way to work once together
Language at work
Language is the biggest lever for everything that follows. It decides safety, quality and belonging.
A course only works when there is time for it. After a long shift little strength is left. Fixed hours during the week and a quiet room work better.
Inside the company plain language helps. Short sentences, clear terms and pictures in instructions. Safety briefings should be given in a form that is genuinely understood.
Small steps carry a long way: a sheet of terms at the machine, pictures on the wall, fixed words for recurring tasks.
Integration in the team
A buddy system is the simplest measure that works. An experienced colleague accompanies the first weeks and answers the small questions.
Clear rules help everybody. Breaks, sick notes and the tone of dealings belong in writing and in plain language.
Conflicts usually grow out of misunderstandings, not out of ill will. Asking early and allowing feedback in both directions settles them in a few minutes.
Seen from the people who arrive, a few points count above all. They are remarkably plain.
- One person who is responsible and stays reachable
- Agreements that are kept
- Contact outside work, through colleagues or local clubs
Using the probation period
The probation period is not a waiting period. It is the time in which expectations can be sorted out.
Agree fixed conversations and record the results briefly in writing. Talk about performance, language and working together.
Say plainly what goes well and what is still missing. Somebody who only hears praise is taken aback by criticism at the end.
Bring in a translator where delicate points come up. A misunderstanding in such a conversation has a long echo.
Staying instead of moving on
People who leave rarely leave because of the work. Loneliness or the housing situation weigh heavier.
Two conversations, after the first weeks and after some months, bring such matters out early.
Frequently asked questions
How long should the support last?
Experience shows that the first months are decisive. After that, fixed dates for a conversation are usually enough.
Who pays for the language course?
The company and the skilled worker settle that between them. A written rule prevents argument.
What helps with language problems in the team?
Plain language, clear written procedures and a buddy solve most cases. On safety matters a translation should be added.
- For Employers How Regalis works with employers: capture requirements, present candidates, coordinate entry and the start of work. Direct employment, no staff leasing.