Our project partner ARR - Agentura regionálního rozvoje collaborated on the organisation of a workshop that recruited over 30 human resources representatives from various companies with up to 1,800 employees. The session focused on supporting the creation of the Welcome Office of the Liberec Region, which would facilitate the attraction and retention of international workers and talents in the Liberec Region.

During the workshop, the current HR scenario in the region was analysed, and attendees agreed that companies are continuously dealing with a shortage of workers, especially in technical and craft professions, which is worsening due to an ageing population. In fact, 330,000 jobs are expected to disappear by 2030 due to automation. Besides, demand will grow in fields such as energy, skilled trades, and electrical engineering. Thus, there is a strong focus on retraining and identifying new worker profiles.

The session undertook a questionnaire supporting a Master’s thesis, also aimed at mapping the situation regarding the employment of foreigners in the region. The main highlights from this questionnaire were:

• Foreigners are most commonly employed in auxiliary or manual labor positions. A significant number are also involved in technical and professional roles.

• Most companies (about 77%) support the integration of foreigners informally, primarily through a personal approach and assistance. 

• More than half of companies (about 59%) do not require Czech language skills, but consider them an advantage. The remaining 41% require knowledge of Czech as a necessary condition for employment.

• The presence of foreigners in a company has the potential to significantly influence corporate culture, mostly in a positive way, if the change is managed correctly. However, companies emphasise the need for mutual adaptation.

• Larger companies tend to employ more foreigners.

Also, some reflections about participants' experience working with employees from Mongolia, Ukraine, the Philippines, and Poland were exchanged: 

• It is essential to recognise cultural differences and prepare both local and international communities through integration activities.

• Integration should rather focus on helping foreigners integrate into society, rather than on locals adapting to foreigners.

• There are many benefits of employing foreigners, such as flexibility or cultural enrichment.

• Workers coming from outside the Czech Republic face many challenges, among others: language barriers, complex legislation and administrative procedures (e.g., visas, work permits), lack of support in navigating bureaucracy.