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September 18, 2019

Tenco Solves Its Workforce Challenges by Recruiting Internationally

Summary of the problem

 

Tenco, which specializes in manufacturing snow and ice removal equipment and has been a subsidiary of Alamo Group Inc. since 2011, has been experiencing phenomenal growth. Struggling with workforce challenges since 2015, the Saint-Valérien-de-Milton company therefore decided to opt for international recruitment in 2018.

 

Photo of two office partners shaking hands with young woman after fruitful interview

 

Key lessons

 

1. Recruiting internationally is the key to success

 

Despite the costs and coordination issues, Daniel Beaudoin, president of Tenco, considers that participating in missions to recruit foreign employees is profitable in a context where local labour is scarce.

 

2. Recruiting internationally is more complicated than you think

 

A company that recruits internationally has to be ready to welcome new employees who are starting a new life. From applying for a work permit to buying a car, they need extra support so they can integrate smoothly.

 

3. Hire the person, not the candidate

 

A company that takes part in an international recruiting mission must be creative so that it can quickly assess candidates’ personality and find out what motivates them to want to move to another country.

 

The challenge

 

Since 2015, Tenco has been growing rapidly. On one hand, faced with capacity problems, the company was investing in an expansion project. On the other hand, it had to deal with the labour shortage, which was getting worse over time.

 

Tenco first turned to an outside consulting firm, which helped it with recruiting and redesigning its website. Then in 2019, the company hired a human resources director. Despite everything, all of its local recruitment strategies came to nothing… The company was experiencing high employee turnover and could no longer find sufficiently qualified candidates.

 

Before considering international recruitment

 

  • Explore the various possibilities for recruiting in Québec with an advisor from Emploi-Québec.
  • Learn about the requirements, costs and turnaround times for international recruitment.
  • Be sure to respect employment and salary conditions in accordance with Québec standards.
  • Be aware that temporary foreign worker programs are designed to meet non-recurrent labour needs.

 

The solution

 

It was while Tenco was looking for partners to finance its expansion project that Daniel Beaudoin met Linda Bergeron, Project Manager, International Subsidiaries at Investissement Québec, who told him about international recruitment missions and put him in touch with a director at Québec International.

 

Where and how should you recruit internationally?

 

  • Take part in the Journées Québec Open a new window, virtual or real-life recruiting missions organized by regional economic development organizations or the Ministère de l'Immigration, de la Francisation et de l'Intégration.
  • Use international job posting sites.
  • Hire an international employment agency.
  • Consult the Ministère de l'Immigration, de la Francisation et de l'Intégration's database of expressions of interest (Employer services Open a new window).

Applying the solution

 

Working with Québec International and the Société de développement économique de Drummondville, Mr. Beaudoin, along with Tenco’s vice president, sales and marketing and its human resources director, participated in three missions in Paris, in May 2018, December 2018 and May 2019.

 

Although the two participants who wanted to recruit eight welders had been warned that they would be lucky to find two, the company recruited 14 highly qualified French welders. It was so successful that they are wondering if they even need to take part in a fourth mission.

 

Key steps in international recruiting

 

  • Receive CVs in advance.
  • Be on site for two days.
  • Meet 20 to 30 candidates per day.
  • Allow approximately 20 minutes per candidate.
  • Conduct follow-up interviews by Skype.
  • Offer jobs to the selected candidates.
  • Apply for work permits (plan for 3 to 9 months’ wait time, $700 to $4,000).

 

Don’t hesitate to ask for support from an immigration specialist!

The unknowns

 

CIt wasn’t the travel costs of almost $30,000 or the logistics that surprised Mr. Beaudoin, but the very human aspects of this kind of recruiting. It doesn’t involve merely hiring someone but integrating a newcomer who has taken up the challenge of building a new life in a new country. “It’s not just a matter of ensuring that they’re the right candidates – we also want them to understand that they’re important to us,” explained the president.

 

Newcomers’ needs

 

  • Housing.
  • Pickup at the airport.
  • Furniture and vehicle purchases.
  • Transportation (car).
  • Bank account.
  • Financing (credit card).
  • Insurance.
  • Social and family activitie.

Discover the allies

Forum 2020

 

Located in Saint-Hyacinthe, Forum 2020 provides support with integration planning, from finding an apartment to helping newcomers open a bank account.

 

For more information visit the official website Open a new window.

 

Québec International

 

Québec entrepreneurs can benefit from the Québec International team’s consulting and support services. Their specialists offer international recruiting missions, training, presentations and discussion circles, and networking and recruiting activities.

 

For more information, visit the official website Open a new window.

 

Société de développement économique de Drummondville

 

Since 1984, SDED has promoted trade, industry and tourism through actions intended to create favourable conditions for economic development in the Drummond RCM. With its workforce attraction service, SDED supports the welcoming and integration of new arrivals, organizes recruiting activities and provides strategic advice on immigration needs.

 

For more information, visit the official website Open a new window.

 

Investissement Québec

 

Acting as a partner or coach, Investissement Québec promotes synergies between entrepreneurs and strategic local and international recruitment resources.

 

For more information, visit the official website Open a new window.

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