For businesses, employee satisfaction starts with school
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hen it comes to barriers to attracting highly skilled foreign labour to Denmark, businesses c o n s i s te n t ly point to two things: the nation’s high tax rate and its lack of international schools. Unable to do much about the first, many companies have begun to pledge their support for new schools that teach in English and follow internationally recognised teaching programmes. Commercial organisations like the Danish Chamber of Commerce applaud the trend, but at the same time, they point out that the national government should be doing more as well. “A lack of access to proper schooling is something that prevents foreign employees from coming here,” says Jannik Schack Linnemann, the Chamber’s head of education policy. “As the three biggest hurdles, schools are right up there with taxes and a bureaucracy that often only communicates in Danish.” According to Jan Rose Saksen of Copenhagen Business School, foreign workers are necessary to maintain corporate productivity. But keeping them here is a problem if the wellbeing of their families isn’t taken into account, he says. A recent study by the American Chamber of Commerce in Denmark (AmCham) found that Copenhagen alone needed space for an
additional 2,400 international students. Law changes implemented since that study was completed have made it possible for schools like the Copenhagen International School (CIS) to set up satellite campuses. Thanks to the establishment of a new CIS facility in the Østerbro area, the school has been able
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to whittle down its waiting list – “for now at least”, says school admission officer Thomas M. Nielsen. “Still, there is a lot of interest in the school. For many, the school issue is decisive when deciding whether to choose to work in a country.” But even with the new CIS Østerbro campus and the establishment of international schools in Ikast, Aarhus and Kolding, AmCham Denmark executive director Stephen Brugger says more needs to be done. “More international schools would be a
boon for Denmark. Studies have shown that some of the foreigners who come here to work for Danish companies consider moving again if their children can’t enrol in schools that offer international programmes that are also recognised in other countries.” The new Aarhus Academy for Global Educa-
federation of Danish Industry to sit on the school’s board, admits that it is in the interest of companies like Vestas to support international schools. “It makes it easier for us to attract skilled foreigners, and then to keep them here,” she says.
A lack of access to proper schooling is something that prevents foreign employees from coming here tion recently opened its doors with a curriculum that is offered at 3,400 schools worldwide. The school’s chair, Karina Boldsen, is also head of human relations for Vestas. The windturbine manufacturer’s headquarters are in Aarhus, and according to Boldsen, partnering with the school makes it easier for companies in the eastern Jutland area to hire foreign employees. “The school makes it possible for Aarhus to offer international programmes from preschool through university,” Boldsen says. Boldsen, who was selected by the Con-
But according to the Confederation’s Charlotte Rønhof, schools are only part of the puzzle. Improved networking opportunities and lower taxes are also important. She also points out, though, that no matter why foreign workers come to Denmark, they benefit more than just individual companies. According to Confederation statistics, for every 1,000 highly skilled foreigners working in Denmark, 1.3 billion DKK in economic activity is generated – the same amount it takes 1,500 Danish workers to create.