From India to Slovak Companies: How Does Efficient Recruitment from Third Countries Really Work?

Attracting and retaining quality employees is becoming an increasing challenge for companies. While many recruitment agencies rely on online interviews, SYNERGIE goes against the grain – our team regularly travels directly to India and other countries to personally select candidates for work in European factories. The result? Lower turnover and employees who are ready to work at full capacity from day one.

In an age where technology allows interviews with candidates on the other side of the world with a single click, an in-person visit by a recruitment team in India may seem like an unnecessary luxury. However, practice shows that this very approach gives companies in the Central European region a competitive advantage in an oversaturated job market.

“When selecting online, you simply don’t see the whole person. You can’t spot the subtle nuances in communication, assess how candidates react under stress, or how they handle practical tasks. And it’s precisely these factors that often determine whether an employee will succeed in a new country,” explains Marek Skička, Delivery Director of SYNERGIE Slovakia.

Recruiting Workers from Third Countries Is Not Just a One-Time Action

The preparation and selection of candidates from India has undergone significant professionalization at SYNERGIE in recent months. What began as an experimental project has evolved into a standardized process with measurable outcomes. SYNERGIE has fine-tuned a system that covers the entire journey – from the initial selection to the successful integration of the employee into the client’s production process.

“With each trip, we become more efficient. We know exactly which tests to include, how to evaluate a candidate’s potential, and how to prepare them for life and work in Europe,” describes Adéla Prášilová, Team Leader, SYNERGIE Brno.

This approach includes:

evaluation covering various aspects of communication skills,
practical skills testing relevant to the given position,
real-life simulations of work situations,
thorough preparation for adaptation to a new cultural and work environment.

This comprehensive system creates a significant competitive edge for clients. For example, for an automotive company for which SYNERGIE has long provided production operators and forklift drivers, this approach guarantees that new employees know exactly what is expected of them.

Preparation Starts in the Candidates’ Home Country

One of the key success factors is advanced candidate training even before arriving in Europe. SYNERGIE cooperates with an Indian partner who has built a training center designed to European standards. This environment allows candidates to be prepared under highly authentic conditions.

“The new facilities in Darjeeling look exactly like offices in Europe – the same furniture, same layout, even similar meeting rooms. Our partner implemented many elements they saw during last year’s visit to Europe,” says Marek Skička.

Statistics clearly show why this approach pays off. Turnover among employees from India is only 2%, which in the automotive sector is practically a statistical margin. By comparison, average turnover in this sector typically ranges between 15–20%. “Our clients don’t just need to fill vacancies. They need stable employees who deliver quality work and who will stay. That’s the value we bring,” explains Adéla Prášilová.

Reducing turnover and recruitment-related costs has proven to be one of the main benefits even in the case of a car manufacturer that, due to its planned expansion into electric vehicle production, needed to hire a large number of workers at once. You can read more about how the recruitment and onboarding process worked in our case study The Automotive Company Expanded Production and Sought Hundreds of New Employees.

Beyond India: SYNERGIE Expands to Other Countries as Well

SYNERGIE lives up to its name. Its strength lies in connecting the needs of European employers with the capabilities of qualified workers from third countries. In addition to India, we have successfully expanded our activities to other countries.

“Nepal has long been one of our key sourcing countries, and the results are excellent. People from Nepal have adapted well in Slovakia, and their work performance is just as reliable as that of candidates from India,” says Marek Skička. In the near future, the SYNERGIE team will travel to the Philippines, where they will personally select new candidates. For companies struggling with a shortage of workers, this approach offers a solution that goes beyond what a typical recruitment agency can offer. “When a client comes to us needing to quickly fill key manufacturing positions, they can rely on us to deliver employees we’ve personally vetted and who are ready to perform from day one. We find employees even for the most ambitious plans,” concludes Adéla Prášilová. “No matter how demanding they are,” she adds.