CEE region has emerged as one of the main European destinations for Shared Service Center (SSC) and Business Process Outsourcing (BPO) companies. These companies make a high demand for skilled multilingual talents in a cost-effective way for their back-office operations. This demand for multilingual professionals is high across the region. As a result, businesses competing with other companies for the same pool of multilingual talent. This heightened competition can drive up salaries, intensify recruitment efforts, and make it challenging to attract and retain top multilingual candidates.
Where to find the best multilingual talents?
Online job listings cater to multilingual professionals, but everyone is using the bigger job boards and platforms, LinkedIn is the good start point nowadays. Recruiters can publish job offers there, join groups and communities related to language learning, multiculturalism, or specific language-speaking communities. They can engage with members, share job postings, and directly reach out to individuals who fit the criteria. Thematic groups on social networking sites such as Facebook also work well - but these are very specific groups for specific projects.
Collaborating with language schools, universities, and educational institutions can give the company access to language learners and proficient speakers. Offer internships, co-op programs, or sponsor language learning initiatives to attract students who are motivated to apply their language skills in a professional setting.
How about the salaries?
Salary levels within the SSC/BPO sector in CEE countries vary depending on several factors, but generally we can say that salaries in this sector are competitive compared to other industries, offering attractive remuneration packages to attract and retain top talent. By staying informed about salary trends, companies can make well-informed decisions that support talent acquisition, retention, and organizational success.
Cpl’s CEE Salary Guide 2024 shows that the SSC/BPO sector in CEE can offer highly competitive salaries*:
Customer Service Representative:
Hungary (HUF) 550 000 - 780 000 gross
Czech Rep. (CZK) 33 000 - 50 000 gross
Poland (PLN) 6 000 – 10 000 gross
Slovakia (EUR) 1 200 – 1 600 gross
Customer Service Manager:
Hungary (HUF) 1 000 000 - 1 500 000 gross
Czech Rep. (CZK) 65 000 – 100 000 gross
Poland (PLN) 16 000 – 18 000 gross
Slovakia (EUR) 1 900 – 2 800 gross
Reporting roles:
Hungary (HUF) 650 000 – 850 000 gross
Czech Rep. (CZK) 40 000 – 70 000 gross
Poland (PLN) 6 300 – 13 000 gross
Slovakia (EUR) 1 400 – 3 500 gross
GL Accountant:
Hungary (HUF) 650 000 - 800 000 gross
Czech Rep. (CZK) 45 000 – 70 000 gross
Poland (PLN) 9 000 – 12 000 gross
Slovakia (EUR) 1 600 – 1 800 gross
*Sources: Average gross monthly salaries CEE Salary Guide 2024
We have to note, that when we speak about salaries, we much more speak about a compact compensation package. Next to monthly net salary some additional employee benefits are almost a must and expected: benefit’s card is usually a given, just like some level of private healthcare packages, extra free days and the list goes on and on. These types of beneficial systems must be based on a broader strategic decision and the company may feel that it is too big an investment at first, but it will definitely be worth it in the long run. Does your company offer free bicycle usage for their employee?😉
Loyalty is not just a nice word
Once a company have already recruited multilingual colleagues, retaining, and engaging them can present additional challenges. Multilingual professionals may seek further opportunities that allow them to leverage their skills fully and contribute meaningful projects. Therefore, it's essential to create an inclusive work environment that values diversity and provides opportunities for professional growth and development to keep them.
Leveraging a company’s existing networks to find new talents seems like the easiest solution, but only if it’s really a good workplace and employees can refer them from their hearts. The company’s own employees happily reach out to out to their networks, partners, and professional contacts who may have connections to new multilingual talents, but only if they feel like it. They may be able to refer candidates or provide valuable insights into where to find them.
Does your company have any extra benefits for long loyal employees?
Flexibility is key, not just in yoga
Beneficial trends can change, staying updated about new solutions in such a high demand market or event invent, and test out new tools can give the company the desired advantage for the best talents.
Embracing remote work options to widen the talent pool beyond geographic constraints can really open up opportunities. Remote work allows a company to recruit multilingual professionals from even other regions, or people who can’t commute to work every day easily, people with small children or who live with physical disabilities, thus giving access to a diverse range of language skills. Did your company get feedback during the recruitment process about more flexible employment forms?
Agencies can really help
Some recruitment agencies specialize in sourcing multilingual talents. Agencies, like Cpl have extensive networks and expertise in identifying candidates with specific language skills and professional experiences, saving time and effort in the hiring process. Recruiting multilingual colleagues adds an extra layer of complexity to the hiring process. This requires specialized screening methods, language assessments, and culturally sensitive interviewing techniques, all of which can prolong the recruitment timeline and increase resource allocation. An agency can help to save all this time for the company and lift these tasks from the recruitment team. By implementing these strategies, a company can effectively build and maintain a multilingual dream team. Some unusual solutions offer creative ways to engage with multilingual talents. By thinking outside the box and exploring unconventional avenues can worthwhile the recruitment efforts.