If you’ve joined the Czech workforce as a foreigner, you’re part of a long-term growing trend: the majority of Czech employees now share their workplace with international colleagues. Despite this, many companies are struggling to fully support and integrate these diverse teams.
This disconnect is now raising concerns about how well companies are prepared to integrate diverse teams and avoid workplace friction.
One in five workers is foreign
According to the Ministries of Labour and Social Affairs and Industry and Trade, foreign nationals accounted for 18.6 percent of all employment in the Czech economy in 2024. That figure is rising steadily: more than 30,000 new foreign workers were added to the labor force just last year.
A new survey by Grafton Recruitment shows that two-thirds of Czech companies are currently hiring from abroad. Larger firms lead the trend: 84 percent of companies with over 500 employees are hiring foreign staff, compared to 63 percent of medium-sized firms.
Martin Malo, director of Grafton Recruitment, emphasized that “employing workers from other countries is a reality today across many sectors.” However, he added that “the key is how companies manage to integrate these employees into teams and prepare existing employees for it. This is the only way to prevent communication problems and ensure that diversity will be beneficial.”
Employees notice diversity, but friction too
According to the survey, two-thirds of workers in Czechia have worked with colleagues of a different nationality, most commonly in manual and technical positions. While most reported neutral or positive experiences, some noted areas of tension: 13 percent cited communication issues, 14 percent mentioned cultural challenges, and just over one in 10 expressed fears of job displacement.
Companies offer help – but not enough
When it comes to support for foreign workers, the survey found that 51 percent of companies offer on-site job training, while 30 percent provide some form of integration assistance. However, only 40 percent have measures in place to support collaboration in diverse teams.
Malo pointed out that “experience shows that training for operations is not enough. Cultural and linguistic differences require broader support. Existing employees must also be involved in the integration process. They also need to be trained and prepared for cooperation with new colleagues. Practice clearly shows that if a foreign colleague is not accepted by his team and his superior, it will not work.”
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