Making the most of a workforce on the move

Purpose – Considers the training and development challenges surrounding people who have elected to seek work in a country other than their own. Design/methodology/approach – Draws on case‐study research conducted in New Zealand, together with relevant literature and focus‐group findings. Findings – Argues that more should be done to recognize the prior learning of workers who have voluntarily moved from their previous job and seek to integrate into a new environment. Practical implications – Suggests that HR specialists need to get better at recognizing and evaluating the training needs and skills of voluntarily displaced people. Social implications – Argues that the extent to which people feel “in place” with their work environment has profound implications for engagement and well‐being; gaining full recognition for prior learning may be especially important to voluntarily displaced workers. Originality/value – Helps HR specialists and managers to think differently about dealing with displaced workers.