Beyond borders:

How companies can leverage diaspora talent to fuel innovation and drive growth

Written by Sandra Marini

African nations boast some of the fastestgrowing economies worldwide, abundant natural resources, and a young, dynamic population. However, many Africans leave their homelands for what they regard and perceive as better opportunities abroad. This phenomenon known as human capital flight tends to be most common among individuals who have received advanced training.

The World Bank estimates that approximately 39 million Africans live in North America, 113 million in Latin America, 13.6 million in the Caribbean, and 3.5 million in Europe.

Although the return of expatriates to their home countries is considered to be advantageous, most of the migrants never return to their countries. Factors such as unfavourable socio-economic environments and policies hindering them from conducting desired businesses; cheaper and more accessible education and medical benefits; and long-term financial commitments such as mortgages, among others, often deter their return.

However, the emotional attachment that diasporic individuals have to their homeland can overcome these factors if the right opportunity, and suitable conditions, presents itself.

While migration offers numerous benefits for the individual, losing skilled workers has high economic and social costs for African countries. The net costs for the home country are sometimes referred to as a “brain drain”.

Fortunately, there are strategies that organisations and governments can employ to attract diasporic talent back to their home countries. First, it is crucial to identify the skills and knowledge gaps in your organisation, especially those skills that are specialist, scarce or critical, as well as positions in which international experience and exposure can be beneficial to the organisation.

It is also essential to target the talent pool and identify candidates with the right skills, and where they are located.

To attract diasporans back, companies need to create a professional and economic environment that offers adequate remuneration and living conditions. Remuneration packages need to be competitive with those offered abroad, and opportunities for career progression and investment must be made clear.

Skilled professionals are realising that there are opportunities in Africa and are returning home in more significant numbers. Companies need to craft and clearly articulated compelling employee value propositions (EVPs) and employ effective hiring strategies.

Recruiting top talent from the diaspora can bring significant benefits to your company, such as access to a diverse pool of highly skilled professionals with cross-cultural experience and the potential to increase global market reach and understanding. By tapping into this talent pool, you can gain a competitive advantage in today’s globalised world.