Steve Duncan, managing director of C-Studios, a marketing company specialising in attracting investment, talent and business opportunities, unveiled a four-pronged action plan to the High Committee for the Attraction, Retention and Development of Talent, which met on 4 December for the second time since the new body was set up earlier this year.
The aim: "To provide Luxembourg with a concrete marketing strategy, serving as a roadmap to elevate the nation to the status of an international destination for working and living."
The digital package
The number one priority is to build a “high-performance digital ecosystem”, the report stated. "The relocation process is above all digital. Internet research is the main source of information for international talent", pointsed out the study presented by Duncan to the members of the high committee, which is chaired by the minister for the economy, (DP).
The toolbox includes "an attractive website", as well as the construction of "essential digital resources from the outset", such as a relocation guide for candidates wishing to settle in the grand duchy, another for employers to help them "promote Luxembourg" or the collection of email addresses "of interested talent, for targeted follow-up".
"The website should be designed in line with SEO best practice", the study said, inviting users to search for "relevant keywords" and "segment them into low-intent, medium-intent and high-intent keywords. From there, high-intent keywords should be given priority". "Jobs opening in Luxembourg", "Work in Luxembourg LU", "Work in Luxembourg", "Luxembourg work visa" and "Luxembourg work permit" are some of the examples at the top of the list.
Internal reassurance
The second area is the messages to be conveyed within the country itself. “Programmes to attract international talent can be controversial with local populations, who may perceive any external initiative as preferential treatment reserved for foreigners to the detriment of residents' needs,” the study warned. “There is a clear need for international talent in priority sectors that cannot be met by local supply alone. Transparency and factual evidence are the best means of responding to any controversy that may arise.”
Duncan recommended bringing on board all the local players (public authorities, professional federations, real estate, etc.). And he stressed a series of key messages highlighting the recruitment difficulties faced by growth sectors and "their impact on economic vitality" or the training programmes aimed at local workers, so that no one feels short-changed. "Talent development requires a layered approach, as no single strategy will be able to meet all needs."
"Once the digital ecosystem is in place and the internal message is ready, stakeholders need to be involved through workshops", suggested the study, which called for a strong partnership with the private sector.
Be visible and be... human
The third aspect is communication. Or visibility. Duncan recommended increasing Luxembourg's presence at international events--such as the Web Summit, Vivatech, World AI Summit, etc.--through collaboration with Luxembourg Trade and Investment, for example, as well as at job fairs and international student competitions.
Another avenue is people. Because they are expensive, the managing director of C-Studios does not necessarily recommend investing in new communication campaigns. Instead, they should be grafted onto existing ones, incorporating testimonials and "messages about the quality of life in Luxembourg". The use of social networks is widely encouraged.
Additional efforts
Once these foundations have been laid, the fourth and final step will be to accelerate even further.
By posting more and more testimonials and portraits of expatriates living in Luxembourg "to create an emotional connection with target audiences".
By organising virtual job forums that would enable "local employers to reach an international audience, without the constraints of travelling". For example, by reaching out to influencers and expatriate communities on channels such as Tiktok, Youtube, Internations and Reddit.
By introducing a 'sentiment index', a real-time scorecard of how Luxembourg is perceived, through a series of quick and simple questionnaires. The survey would initially be for internal purposes, but could eventually be shared publicly to improve the transparency of the programme", said the study.
The next meeting of the High Committee is scheduled for next spring.
Read the original French-language version of this report / lire