Strategic HR Review

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to provide human resources (HR) practitioners with a guide to international resourcing.

Design/methodology/approach – This paper uses research from The Future of HR in Europe: Key Challenges through 2015 report and the Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development's annual Recruitment, Retention and Turnover Survey 2007. It also uses case studies from the NHS and Standard Chartered Bank to demonstrate this research. This paper explores international resourcing, demographics and the role of HR in tackling skills shortages in Europe.

Findings – This paper finds that managing talent is the most challenging issue facing employers in Europe. As the world becomes increasingly joined up through globalization companies are looking to source and deploy talent on a global basis.

Research limitations/implications – The paper is not an exhaustive list of research and all of the publications apart from the research from the European Association for Personnel Management are from the UK, which perhaps limits its usefulness elsewhere.

Practical implications – The paper provides a useful resource for employers and HR departments who are using or are looking to use international resourcing.

Originality/value – This paper demonstrates the value of HR in attracting, retaining, and rewarding employees on a global basis.