Enable societal participation

For internationally recruited nursing professionals, the length of their stay in Germany depends not only on their work situation, but also on their integration into society. This involves understanding and supporting our constitution and the legal, societal, and social order. It is about being able to follow and help shape social discourse in Germany, participate in everyday public life, and feel secure in the knowledge that you are welcome and belong. It is about friendships, good neighborly relations, and connecting with the community and region. This is crucial for companies, as social integration also significantly strengthens loyalty to employers and prevents staff turnover. Companies that recruit internationally can actively support their newly acquired employees in this regard.

• Employers can promote the socio-political participation of internationally recruited nursing professionals by:
• providing information on the legal and social systems in the Federal Republic of Germany as part of the compensation measures,
• providing multilingual information materials on rights, obligations, and social participation (link to the information brochures – make it in germany, BPB, BAMF)
• organizing (welcome) events in cooperation with local authorities
• by including content in the induction process or training plan for all nursing professionals in the team,
• through individual support, with employers independently maintaining networks with civil society organizations, religious communities, and migrant organizations and facilitating contacts
• Promotion of and cooperation with leisure and club activities (e.g., sports, music, culture, language centers)
• Establishment of a buddy or mentoring program for social contacts: Mentoring Project ProFi | State Capital Saarbrücken
• Establishing connections to migrant networks and diaspora communities
• Support in finding housing and daycare and school places for family reunification.

Find out about the support available from integration officers at federal, state, and local level. You can get started by visiting the website of the Federal Government Commissioner of the Federal Republic for migration, refugees and integration.

Also, network with migrant (self-)organizations—such as associations of internationally recruited nursing professionals in Germany—as partners in the process of intercultural opening, diversity-oriented organizational development, and diversity management.

This will also make it clear to internationally recruited nursing professionals that their special situation and needs are recognized by the company on an equal footing.

It is part of corporate responsibility to integrate new colleagues socially and enable them to participate in society without patronizing them. This strengthens loyalty through belonging and social integration at work and at home.

Seminars and programs

There are an increasing number of providers offering seminars and programs that address topics related to socio-political participation in the workplace. It is worth keeping a close eye on developments in this area.