I have a client who owns a small-ish building company in Auckland with about 10 team members, all up. Like a lot of builders he laments the lack of quality builders, has had a couple of his guys poached and another leave to start his own operation.
Frustrated with advertisements that don’t get much response from local builders, he considered taking on a Filipino carpenter. He was working for another builder but said his current employer was taking advantage of him and he wanted to shift. My client was dealing with the immigration consultant, had never dealt with foreign workers and was naturally a bit wary. He really needed builders however so took the plunge and took over the migration responsibility for this guy.
Jump forward a few weeks and my client cannot say enough good things about his new Filipino carpenter. Such a pleasure to have someone who really wants to work and who appreciates the much better treatment and respect that my client gives him. “Find me more like him” is my client’s request and so that will be happening over the next few months.
If you are in a similar position of needing workers who appreciate the opportunity to work in the industry, consider hiring overseas. There are specialist firms I can put you in touch with that will handle all the tricky immigration stuff and help settle your new employee into their new life. Be prepared however to adapt how you think about the employer/employee relationship a bit. Remember that these people are leaving their home and extended family to travel to a strange, foreign land in order to make a better life. Please don’t do it if you just consider it an opportunity to hire cheap labour. Email me HERE and I can connect you with specialist construction worker migration advisors
Done right it really can be a win-win situation and is a good solution to the extremely tight labour situation that exists in New Zealand at the moment, Auckland in particular.
Remember, if you want to change the situation you are in, you may have to do something you have not done in the past.
Andy Burrows – The Trades Coach