Prepare the arrival
After the period of recruitment, organisation and document management has been completed, it is now time to book the travel and therefore the exact date that the newly recruited employee will arrive. The next phase of preparations therefore begins. The arrival and the first days in Germany can be agreed and planned. Ideally you have already built up a close and trustworthy contact with the new employee, meaning that you have been able to discuss in detail what should take place in the first days, weeks and months.
For the new employees of a company, the first days after arrival are often a special and emotionally important time that they will talk about for the rest of their lives. And for the company too, they are days of symbolic importance that need to be well prepared.
Prepare a welcome
It is a good idea to prepare a warm welcome for the employees:
On arrival
For many companies and recruitment services, it’s important to welcome the new employees personally when they arrive in Germany. There will be a delegation at the airport or (bus) station to welcome those arriving and bring them to their first accommodation. The length and scope of this kind of welcome committee after arrival should depend on the wishes and needs of the arriving employees.
In the company
Finally the new employees arrive at their future workplace for the first time. Here too, it’s appropriate to have an official welcome. Every company can design its own personal touch here, thereby introducing itself to the new employees in the way it wants. The new employees should be briefly introduced both to the group of colleagues and also, if the organisation is a nursing facility, to the residents. It also makes sense to think about the job title of the new colleagues and to introduce the specialists as such and officially call them that. “Nursing specialist in recognition” is an appreciative and competence-orientated term here. The NRW Chamber of Nursing has written a statement on this. You can find it here.
In private
It is possible that a volunteer group of employees can be found in the company, who can offer and/or organise some joint activities for the first few days. Contacts to other organisations can also be offered: to faith communities, sports clubs or other interest groups. This gives those arriving the opportunity to develop a social network quickly that is independent from their workplace.
The Welcome Café at Münster University Hospital
The phase of arriving and getting to know people in a new country and a new working environment is exciting and involves gaining many new impressions. To support the new international employees at the Münster University Hospital (UKM) in their arrival, the idea of a Welcome Café was developed by the UKM integration team.
The Welcome Café aims to put the new employees into contact with their mentors before they start work, to create a positive welcome culture and put a dedicated person at their side even before their first working day.
At the Welcome Café, the employees have the chance to get to know each other professionally and privately in a relaxed atmosphere over drinks and snacks, to discuss things and to do this outside their everyday working routine. The event is accompanied by employees from the nursing development department; the participants receive selected leading questions for support. This intensive time together before starting work is perceived by all sides as very positive and helpful.
Handbook Germany
Those arriving in Germany have many questions. Handbook Germany offers information, links and videos about work, education, life, asylum, laws and more. It is also possible to find local services via the search function.
mbeon.
Digital offer that offers those in search of advice the possibility to take advantage of a free, anonymous and data-secure chat consultation via the the mbeon app on issues related to arrival in Germany (topics such as work and career, learning German, health and living).
At the same time, there is comprehensive information about migration as an initial orientation help in the app and on the website. There is also the opportunity of having a personal consultation in an MBE advice centre.
Orientation, induction training and recognition procedure
The first days and weeks after arrival in particular require great talent for organisation and good teamwork, because after the arrival, the aim is to support the internationally recruited employee as quickly as possible on the path to being recognised and licenced as a nurse. To this end, several things need to be balanced simultaneously.
It’s a good idea for the integration manager to keep an eye on the course of events and/or coordinate an overview that links the different points with one another. This includes combining time for private arrival, recovery and orientation with operational obligations, time for induction training, the planned recognition procedure and tasks that still need to be done in relocation management. At the same time, it can happen that plans made well in advance cannot be maintained for this time. So as not to be overwhelmed by this spontaneity, it’s a good idea to consider a few alternatives planned in advance.
You can find more information on the further task posted in moving to a new country under the following link:
Do not withhold anything or overwhelm
Even if this initial period seems to be filled with appointments, all those involved should keep in mind that it is important not to overwhelm the recently arrived employees. This kind of international move, linked to a direct start in a job and which also includes professional learning and language learning for the recognition process, is tiring and affects different people in different ways. Probably the best strategy is to stay in close touch with and be guided by the respective employee. In this way, joint decisions can be made.
Create a social media presence
Facebook, Instagram or Twitter – a presence on social media is a good idea for companies interested in recruiting international nurses.
Social media platforms are an up-to-date way of communicating with your target audience and are now basically a must-have when it comes to authentically representing your own attractiveness as an employer. Companies can decide themselves, which platforms they are active on, the content they use to display their image and how they want to communicate with their users.
Nurses from abroad like the fact that they can get an impression about their potential new employer and their workplace in Germany via a social media presence, even before they are recruited.
At the same time, posts on social media give opportunities to ‘flesh out” the operational integration concept: from the recruitment process abroad, to the arrival, recognition procedure and induction training, there are plenty of opportunities to create content.
A presence on social media is a low barrier communication opportunity – in the chat functions, via comments and personal messages, employed nurses have the opportunity to exchange information.
Prepare a welcome folder
A welcome folder which contains the most important information about the company but especially also about everyday life in Germany and region-specific features, offers newcomers an important reference book as well as helping to provide orientation and a helping hand.
The most important things for your to-do list
Do not leave the newly arrived employees to cope alone, during their arrival and the first few days. Think about how you can support them and simply offer to help. Also pay attention to the reaction of the new employees: ask if they want anything and agree in consultation with them, a plan for the first few days.
As always the following applies: Communication is the key. During the initial discussions with your future employees, it’s worth going into detail to avoid misunderstandings: e.g. they don’t want to have a reception? How about transport from the place of arrival to their hotel or apartment?
People who have been on a long journey are usually hungry, thirsty and tired. They may not want or be able to spend time or energy for a big shopping trip after hours of traveling. It could be very helpful if you as the host company can organise initial meals. Alternatively you can point out the infrastructure available close by, so that the travellers can buy supplies themselves easily.
Give your new employees an official and warm reception on the first day in your company. A round of introductions is a nice way to start the future collaboration. Include the colleagues and refer to rituals that are followed in your company in other new situations too.
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