Testing in the country of origin ensures sufficient skills

In late 2020, the Finnish Institute of Occupational Health published the report Well-being at work in the 2030s. The report envisions the working life of the future, where a central trend is the impact of the changing population age structure, including an ageing and diversifying labour force, the availability of labour, and global mobility. In the future, the benefits of a culturally diverse and international working community will at best increase the creativity and innovativity of organisations.

International employees still have difficulties in adjusting to Finnish working life. This can be due to for instance insufficient language skills, the insufficient ability to recognise talent, or unsuitable education. Despite the labour market turbulence caused by the Corona pandemic, Innolink Staff rolled up their sleeves and started responding to challenges facing organisations suffering from labour shortages by means of for example testing the skills of foreign applicants in their home countries (testing in the country of origin) and by offering integration services.

“Testing in the country of origin saves time, money, effort, and energy for all parties involved”, outlines Innolink Staff Business Director Lari Nurmi. “Testing in the country of origin refers to video footage of a work demonstration performed by foreign workers in their country of origin, the contents of which have been prepared in partnership with the recruiting enterprise. By using testing in the country of origin, the hiring enterprise can become certain of the skills possessed by the applicant and also receive an evaluation of the test provider concerning the applicant’s performance in a simulated occupational situation.”

“A traditional CV and application letter do not provide a realistic picture of the actual skills of the applicant – especially when talking about operational work tasks. This is why a carefully targeted skills test can screen out the best employees for the targeted needs of Finnish enterprises. Businesses that have ordered testing in the country of origin through us have also appreciated the video recording the testing event, which can be used to quickly determine the level of skill and control that the applicant has”, Nurmi specifies.

“The purpose of testing in the country of origin is first and foremost to make it easier for our customer enterprises to recruit and to offer employees wanting to come to Finland the opportunity to showcase their skills without having to leave their home country. The applicant will also get a taste of their possible future work tasks, which makes it easier for them to consider whether the job actually is for them or not. Applicants who pass the test are often employed in Finland in regions that suffer from migration loss or in industries where there is a shortage of skilled workers and difficulties in finding Finnish employees.”

“We cooperate with our extensive European network of educational institutions. At the moment, we are testing candidates coming from EU member states, but we are seeking to broaden our net beyond the EU as well. With the European partner institutions, it is also possible to carry out targeted training for employees coming to Finland”, Nurmi continues.

“We really want to look after our employees arriving to Finland from abroad. We guide them with tax, banking, housing, and employment contract affairs and do our part to introduce them to the Finnish working culture. It is our goal to employ skilled workers coming into Finland with long-term employment contracts, but we also consider the possibilities of seasonal work.”

(This article has been published in the journal HR-viesti in January 2021)
(In the photo from left: Innolink Staff’s Jarkko Varvio, Andrej Kuramsin, Lari Nurmi and Riikka Huuhtanen.)

Read more about our services for businesses, such as international workforce, personnel hiring or recruitment training or ask us directly for more information:

Lari Nurmi
Business Director, Innolink Staff
Andrej Kuramsin
International coordinator, Innolink Staff

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Innolink Staff is part of Innolink Group Oy