Hire and move the best talent

The Netherlands remains a country with great economic health. Despite the financial recession, the Dutch economy has remained stable and consumers have stayed positive.

How can Dutch companies remain competitive in this high-performance environment? One answer is: by recruiting skilled workers from abroad.

Sometimes, the outreach abroad takes place in a structured way - it's common practice in some of the Netherlands' biggest industries, like financial services or tech, to advertise jobs on international job boards. But even when jobs are not intentionally advertised abroad, the best applicant may, by chance, live outside of the Netherlands.

Would you or your company give up on recruiting the best possible person for the job just because they don't live in the Netherlands? Probably not – and nor should you!

No matter which path leads to international recruitment – whether by intention or by coincidence – this type of hiring scenario very often results in a relocation to the company location in the Netherlands.

Hiring overseas talent is the norm for a lot of Netherlands-based companies of all sizes. But managing the relocation process isn't easy, especially for companies that don't have a dedicated department.

To handle employee relocations, you need a lot of know-how on specific timing, tasks, and budgets involved. An international hire is a significant project for any company and can prove costly if unsuccessful. When you or your company invest that much time, energy and budget, you'll typically (and reasonably) expect your new employee to stay with your company for at least the projected period of time.

These are a few of the things you'd need to keep in mind when embarking on an international relocation project all by yourself:

1. You'd have to do your research on international regulations, visa application, work permit timelines and compliance
2. You'd have to keep track of the budget for the move and settling-in costs
3. You'd have to be available to offer advice and support for all kinds of settling-in questions – which neighborhood should I move to? Which insurer should I get? Does that provider have reliable internet at that location? You will receive dozens of similar questions from all of your new employees.

Often, you will find that relocation management is far more complex than initially estimated. While the paperwork and the legal issues are top concerns for everyone, it's actually the day-to-day issues that can prove to be the most time-consuming for HR departments hiring internationally.

Moreover, it's not just about bringing people to the Netherlands. The Netherlands seems like a small country, but the country is very diverse, with significant differences between cities and regions when it comes to housing markets and local authorities For successful relocations and long-term working relationships with your international new-hires, you need to go much more granular: you need local experience and expertise.

This is why professional help is always welcome. You don't have to do this on your own. In fact, all things considered, it's almost certainly faster, cheaper, and less stressful to work with a relocation professional.

Packimpex has been offering relocation services for more than 45 years. We are the preferred relocation solutions provider in both the Netherlands and Europe for a very simple reason: we are constantly learning and adapting to the needs of our customers, whether our customer is a company, or we are working directly for the transferee themself.

For instance, when we speak of international employees, it is important to understand that at Packimpex we mean both the ‘classical' kind of expats – such as top bankers coming from New York, Frankfurt or Zurich to London or Edinburgh – but we very much also mean the new generation of self-sufficient, digital-native professionals such as (to name just a few) independent web designers or product managers from somewhere like Barcelona, Hamburg or Sydney who will move to places like Utrecht, Eindhoven or Rotterdam to work in a boutique marketing agency or for a tour operator. Packimpex is very flexible in this regard – we have the right set-up to support all types of international new hires.

Different companies have different needs when it comes to how they handle relocation projects. Some prefer a hands-on approach and a tight relationship with their relocation consultant, while others prefer to do everything with the push of a button.

What's your preference? Are you the high-tech type and prefer an online platform, or do you prefer everything to go through a "human" partner?

Whatever your preference or needs, at Packimpex you can have the best of both worlds. As our client, you will have access to Relox, our high-tech platform where you can manage every aspect of your relocation projects. You'll also have access to your own personal adviser. Your Local Hero, as we like to call them. More on that below.

Our relocation specialists work hand-in-hand with your HR department to successfully move, accommodate and settle in your new employees. We will serve – depending on the individual wishes of your business – as a pure service provider, or as a partner that ties in closely with your own HR department.

From the actual move of your employees' belongings and handling their paperwork, to helping them settle in and feel at home in their new neighborhood, Packimpex is your one-stop-shop for all your relocation needs.

Our "Local Heroes" aren't just experienced relocation experts. They also know the best insurers to work with, the best neighbourhoods in each Dutch city, and even the coolest gyms and leisure clubs.

Packimpex is a European company that cultivates a pan-European mindset. With 14 locations across Europe, and coverage of the entire Netherlands, we are certainly close to you, wherever you are.

The advantage of our very local, yet Netherlands-wide national structure is that we are situated close to the hearts of the cities and regions where we work, while in the background, supported by our international group set-up, we have the necessary size and capability to be able to offer world-class customer apps, data security, and compliance. You get all of those benefits AND we're hyper local to wherever you are.

Meet your Local Hero – the relocation specialist you‘ll want to have on speed-dial.

In every location where we work, you will find a "Local Hero" who's always there for you. Local Heroes are experts who not only know relocation inside-out, but also know their market and its particularities very well.

Our Local Heroes are happy to advise you on any kind of international employment or employee settlement project. No question is too unusual, no request too rare. Get in touch any time – our heroes are happy to be on duty.