The Challenges Of Expanding Your Business Into Germany And How You Can Overcome Them

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When searching for countries to expand into, many businesses settle on Germany, as it is an ideal European base.

The country has a large, multicultural workforce, central location and financial incentives, all of which make it a great choice for anyone looking to expand into a new region.

However, as with any international expansion, there are various challenges inherent in setting up a branch of your company in Germany.

Thankfully, we’ve put together a list of all of these challenges and outlined how you can overcome them to make the process of expanding into this vibrant country smooth and successful.

Relocating Your Existing Staff

For highly-skilled roles, you might need to move some of your team members to Germany, which can present a range of challenges. It can be difficult for your staff to adjust to living and working in Germany, which can lead them to stop performing their roles effectively. Show your team the resources available on MorgenBird so that they can find out how to make their lives as expats in Germany easy and enjoyable. They have a number of very handy guides that will help you and your team get started in Germany.

Finding New Team Members

Alongside your existing staff, you’re also going to need to hire local workers to supplement your workforce and get your German base running efficiently. Recruiting in a foreign country can be a challenge, particularly if you don’t speak the local language. Thankfully, English is taught in many schools in Germany, and as a result, a vast number of individuals speak it. Still, you need to hire an interpreter or work with a local recruitment agency that specialises in finding staff for English-speaking companies in your niche, so that you can find skilled staff who will be an asset to your business.

Communicating Internationally

With a new base in Germany, as well as your existing branches and head office, you need to make sure that your team is able to communicate internationally. Introduce video conferencing technology and an international phone line, so that team members can reach out to their international counterparts for assistance as and when they need it. For immediate communication, consider using an instant messaging solution that has been designed to allow staff to collaborate on corporate projects quickly and easily, wherever in the world they might be located.

Adapting Your Business Practices To Suit Your New Market

Every country has different customer expectations and market quirks, which means that you have to adapt the way you do business to suit the environment you’re now based in. When preparing for your move to Germany, you should have undertaken thorough market research, which you can use to help you adapt your business practices. Trial and error might be called for in some areas, such as marketing, so be prepared to adapt regularly over the first few months before you start to learn about what the region’s market is looking for and how you can deliver it effectively.

Complying With All Relevant Legislation

When you move your business into a new region, you need to find out what regulations and legislation is in place and how your company has to adapt in order to comply. Read this overview of German law to familiarise yourself with the basic regulations that you need to abide by and the governing bodies that you need to collaborate with. Alternatively, you can work with a business consultancy that specialises in supporting overseas business looking to expand into the country.

Expanding your business into a new region can be an intimidating task fraught with challenges, but if you prepare and do your research, then you will be well-equipped to handle whatever issues you encounter. Use this article to learn about the various challenges that could befall your organisation when expanding into Germany and find inspiration on how you can overcome them.