When you embark on a global expansion, you need to recruit and hire talented employees fast. You don’t want to sacrifice quality, but you also need to start building your new location...
Read MoreWhen you embark on a global expansion, you need to recruit and hire talented employees fast. You don’t want to sacrifice quality, but you also need to start building your new location immediately. How do you do that when you need to learn The Gambia’s employment compliance laws and focus on so many things at one time?
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When you embark on a global expansion, you need to recruit and hire talented employees fast. You don’t want to sacrifice quality, but you also need to start building your new location immediately. How do you do that when you need to learn The Gambia’s employment compliance laws and focus on so many things at one time?
Globalization Partners understands your need for both talented candidates and speed in hiring. We offer The Gambia hiring outsourcing services to companies looking to expand without any additional hassles. Our team will use our PEO in The Gambia to hire employees for your company. You can feel sure that every employee will have a positive hiring process and get started working from day one.
Customs and social norms shape workplace culture in every country, and The Gambia is no different. Recruiting employees requires an understanding of all the factors that impact society. Plus, knowing the proper work etiquette can help you communicate with employees, demonstrate your company’s commitment to the country, and ensure everyone understands the employment contract.
You have several options for advertising your open positions, depending on who you want to hire. If you’re searching for locals, you can check out Access Gambia for a list of employment websites in the country. Career Jet is another job posting site with search options for The Gambia. Industries such as tourism, hospitality, human resources, and IT may have more niche sites where you can find applicants looking for a job in your field.
If your company needs to hire expatriates to fill open positions, you can use Overseas Jobs, Go Abroad, or LinkedIn. Many companies are looking for English speakers, so expats with a Teaching English as a Foreign Language (TEFL) certification may be desirable for your open jobs. However, to hire an expat, you need to ensure they have a residency permit and a valid ID card.
Here are three things to know for successful staffing and recruiting in The Gambia.
The Gambia is a multiethnic country, and the major groups include the Fula, Jola, Mandinka, Serahule, and Wolof. These groups are spread across the country, and living close together has led several groups to share cultural traits. Today, the country has more of a national culture, although some of the major ethnic groups speak their own language. It’s unnecessary to learn the differences between each group, but you can if you want to impress a specific candidate.
Most people shake hands and say “Salaam aleikum” when meeting, which means “Peace be upon you.” Expect everyone to be friendly and hospitable. Most of the country is Muslim, which means all Islamic traditions should be acknowledged and respected. When scheduling meetings with job candidates, make sure you follow the Muslim calendar to figure out the best times to make your appointments.
Businesspeople typically wear suits and ties or jackets when attending meetings. Casual clothes are suitable for everyday wear, though, and you can even support a more casual workplace if you prefer. High-end restaurants encourage dressing up for dinner, meaning that you should wear something more formal if you decide to meet a candidate for dinner to extend a job offer.
As a historically patriarchal society, The Gambia has recently started changing its laws to make them more inclusive to women. In 2010, the country enacted the Women’s Act to enforce protections for women and girls. In 2018, lawmakers began taking steps to draft a new constitution that will consider women and create gender-responsive legislation.
Currently, the law prohibits sexual harassment and has a one-year mandatory prison sentence. It is also against the law to discriminate based on race, color, language, religion, political opinions, or social origin.
These updates could impact how you staff your business. We recommend reviewing these laws frequently to check for updates, as noncompliance could lead to fines, delays, or legal action. No matter the laws, you should eliminate discriminatory practices from your hiring processes and create a diverse workforce that’s welcoming to women, different races and ethnicities, and people with disabilities.
Hiring The Gambia employees is easier with an oral or written employment contract. Putting a strong written contract in place in the employee’s local language will help you create a clear agreement with employees. We recommend including compensation, benefits, working hours, overtime pay, termination requirements, and more. The Gambia’s currency is the Gambian dalasi, and your contract and offer letter should use this instead of other currency.
Every country — and sometimes each different region or city — has different labor laws. The Gambia’s employment compliance laws cover working hours, probation periods, and more. For example, employees usually work 8–4 p.m. from Monday–Thursday and 8–12:30 p.m. on Friday for a total of 36 and a half hours a week.
You’re allowed to hire skilled employees using a probation period that you outline in an employment contract. Both parties have to agree on the duration of the probation period, but it cannot exceed 12 months.
After learning how to hire employees in The Gambia, you need to work with other company executives to create a successful onboarding process. You should review the employment contract with all new employees and have them sign a copy before officially starting. Once they do, you can get them started with a training program that will help them succeed.
If your team of new hires will work closely together, it can help to create events for them to meet each other and bond. You could travel to The Gambia and hold a meeting for new hires to introduce them to each other and the company. If not, try to plan events remotely both during and after work hours.
Globalization Partners knows you have a lot to handle during a global expansion. We’ll take the stress of employment compliance in The Gambia off your shoulders and onto our own as the Employer of Record. Every person we hire for your company will have a positive hiring experience, and you can begin working quickly with talented employees by your side.
You don’t have to go through your expansion alone — our team is here to help you succeed. Contact us today to learn about The Gambia hiring outsourcing.
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