Valuing Returnees vs. PHds

Who would you hire?  An local PHd with excellent education, or a high-salary returnee with excellent overseas experience?

 

I've picked out some of what I consider to be key differentiating dimensions to analyse against.

 

Salary

The returnee costs more, and will always consider himself underpaid.  With high quality returnees on the workforce, local staff will suspect they have been given better compensation packages, a cause of resentment and envy.  The local PHd is far more reasonable on salary, but would probably jump in a jiffy for a better salary or employer. 

 

Teamwork & Innovation

Looking at teamworking specifically, which is better?  An aligned team of locals that steadily works towards a comprehensive B-grade result?  Or a more varied team mixing locals and internationals, who have far more challenge (disagreement) but eventually arrive at a less detailed A-grade result?  [actually there really is a fine balance to be had (and actively considered or managed) here]

 

Corporate Feedback

Other than salary, a returnee is typically high-maintenance, providing constructive feedback up the corporate food-chain.  This is an invaluable communications mechanism, but resolving issues (albeit important ones) adds to management agendas.  The PHd doesn't have such high expectations, but will still have complaints about his current situation.  Those complaints are typically verbalised horizontally rather than up though.

 

Loyalty & Retention

Let's face it, in this job market, neither are that loyal.  Good employees are often overworked, through combination of determination and management pressure, within a complex dynamic environment and a long hours culture.  Suffering from fatigue and feeling taken advantage of, it can be hard to feel engaged or loyal.  Most employers do not have excellent talent retention or development programs in place, and in such a fierce growth environment there will always be other companies offering a premium to poach.

 

Conclusion

What do I think?  Which to hire?  Haha, sorry, I'm going to give the consultant's answer - it depends.  I'd say both really, although in the right proportions. 

 

I think the returnees bring innovation (at an emotional and financial cost) and drive internal company improvement, whereas the local PHds bring excellent brains and long term future potential, and provide good customer sales and delivery. 

 

Only hiring returnees would cost too much, and you would have difficulty servicing local clients.  Only hiring PHds, you might have excellent minds but less innovation.  Clearly therefore a mix is necessary.  The questions therefore become:-

• a) how to value each party,
• b) given employee turnover, how much future potential value can you include in current salary? c) how to get the recruitment mix right?
• c) how to create mutual respect?
• d) how to manage debate and innovation vs. rapid progress?
• e) is your management ready to improve their operations based on constructive feedback from below?
• f) how to motivate retain and develop?