Abstract
In the global war for talent, refugees are often overlooked. Yet, research indicates that employers who expanded their recruitment strategies to include refugee jobseekers were not only satisfied with their new hires, but also excited about the potential impact refugee recruitment could have on their diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) strategies. We use the case of IKEA to show how localization and global strategy interact to create sustainable refugee workforce integration solutions for multinational corporations. Our insights have practical implications for other industry leaders who aim to create their own refugee inclusion programs.
Highlights
Worldwide, the number of refugees is in the millions and growing
The complexity of multinational corporations (MNCs)’s structures and the intricate nature of the barriers faced by refugees in their quest for meaningful employment can often make supporting the integration of refugees into the workforce can seem like a daunting task
We outline numerous other initiatives where MNCs can make a tangible impact in advancing refugee workforce integration
Summary
The number of refugees is in the millions and growing. To this end, refugee workforce integration remains one of the pressing grand challenges, and businesses around the world are grappling with how to integrate refugees into their workforce (Lee, Szkudlarek, Nguyen, & Nardon, 2020). This article outlines the challenges of translating global refugee recruitment strategies into locally actionable DEI initiatives. We reflect upon the complexity of DEI implementation for MNCs in the context of refugee workforce integration with the aim of developing actionable directions for practice.
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