Recruiting US Talent As A UK Business: Key Considerations.

The ability to attract talent is among the biggest challenges all businesses face. However, it is especially essential when trying to grow in a new region. What are the main considerations when you are hiring when you’re seeking to expand to the US?

It is essential to hire the best people and be a primary element in deciding which area to open a business in the US. There’s no standard regarding this, and it can vary widely based on the industry. A city with several top universities, such as Washington DC, can ease locating potential candidates. At the same time, tech centers like Phoenix could be a good place for companies looking to hire software engineers.

Although numerous factors will determine the location, you’d like to establish a US office, including transportation links and locations for customers. Many businesses will consider the ability to attract talent the most important factor. For example, when ECI Portfolio company MiQ initially expanded into the US, the strategy for expansion was based on employee input, allowing locations on the best talent they could find from rivals.

A plan for growth

No matter where you are in the US, It is crucial to establish a staffing strategy to staff your office offices, considering the number of employees you’ll require to hire for what areas and what roles, and what the plan will look like in the future. It could be that you already have the right people or teams in place, especially if you grew via acquisitions; however, it is crucial to determine what your future picture of hiring looks like to assist you in deciding what support is required to execute the goals.

Affiliating new hires to values

As your business expands and expands, so does the significance of culture in its continual performance. To ensure that the culture is in place, those you employ must reflect your ideals and permit continuity of your culture across markets.

For some, this could require moving someone who is already part of your team to ensure that hiring guidelines and training policies are put into the hands of an individual who is already a part of the company’s cultural norms. When MiQ started its expansion to the US, Co-founder Gurman Hundal took this upon himself and relocated to the UK over four years to recruit and train staff to train them in the MiQ method.

Someone who is not local and has no prior knowledge of the business will face fighting for their place in the kind of culture they’ve never had the pleasure of experiencing, and there’s the risk of creating a branch office that does not feel connected to the main business.

Moneypenny, Another ECI Portfolio company, tries to bring its culture into one by arranging regular rotations of staff members in all directions over the Atlantic. In addition to taking UK talent from across the nation, It also brings US talents back into the UK to bring both cultures together and focus all employees regardless of the market in the same direction and objectives.

Companies must understand that the US includes culturally diverse states and regions that must be considered distinct markets independently. Inability to comprehend the culture of a particular region can hinder your potential to expand. For instance, the sales methods within the extremely aggressive New York market may be completely different from the Midwest.

UK v US talent

On a more strategic level, there are some important differences between hiring in US and UK. There are several key differences between hiring in the US and UK in terms of the salary and job titles that companies will have to be aware of. Expectations for benefits and pay in the US are often higher than their UK counterparts. In reality, hiring salespeople is a crucial measure to boost a company’s image in the US during expansion. However, there’s a huge gap between expectations about pay and benefits in the US compared to the UK. This is also true for specialization areas of tech talent like data science.

This is also evident in specific sectors, and certainly, there will be an enormous gap in salaries expectations for professional services industries between the US and the UK. Businesses will have to look at local markets to assess their competitive salaries and not be in a position to compare with their home market or risk becoming off-base. In the wake of an ongoing Great Resignation in the US, and the expectations for salary are growing, businesses must understand the necessity to invest in retaining and attracting the top employees.

It’s also essential to consider the benefits that a US person might be looking for since this is likely to differ from the UK. For instance, without a similar to the NHS paying healthcare, this is what most applicants are used to and may also consist of pension as well as 401(k) contributions, as well as other financial benefits such as a loan or child care assistance mental health insurance and other health benefits.

Beyond the benefits and salary Other important factors to take into consideration. Although they seem like a minor issue, Job titles are quite different between the UK in comparison to the US. It is important to know the equivalent level or title in the US, e.g., Director is a high-ranking position in the UK, but it’s considered more junior to those in the US. For instance, in the US, “Vice President,” could be more suitable.

The need for hiring to create a better future

When you hire new employees, It is crucial to consider the long-term viability of your office space and the people you hire to assist in building your company’s future. MiQ is an example. It is committed to developing its junior employees and taking on higher-level positions. MiQ was also active in adjusting compensations and bringing new employees on board to join and be a part of this MiQ narrative in the US by promoting internally and bringing employees to the UK. This combo ultimately worked to establish an independent group of leaders.

It is true that the US is a highly skilled market, and recruiting can be a struggle. If you want your business to be successful internationally, you need to spend the time and money on the right personnel that you can trust to manage the overseas activities.