An integrative view on refugee research: New research insights and lessons learned for academics

Abstract

Refugees face numerous challenges trying to find their way in the labor markets of receiving countries. They are confronted with legal and administrative hurdles, language barriers, a lack of recognition for degrees or work experience obtained abroad, cultural misunderstanding, or even outright discrimination (EEPO, 2016). These obstacles systematically put refugees in inferior positions resulting in persistent employment gaps and a high risk of being overqualified in case of employment (European Union, 2016). In the light of increasing refugee flows worldwide (UNHCR, 2019), improving the status of refugees on local labor markets is high on the agenda of national governments and international institutions. Also, organizations, challenged by the scarcity of talent on the labor market or the need to include corporate social responsibility, are starting to become more aware of the necessity and potential benefits of including this new available talent pool in their workforce. This evolution challenges existing teams, line management, and HR practitioners to flexibly adapt to a diversifying internal workforce. In order to ameliorate refugees’ status on the labor market and within organizations, effective collaboration between stakeholders is key. Broadening our sight, this PDW takes a holistic perspective highlighting the needs, challenges and untouched potential at all interacting levels of the ecosystem. Furthermore, we will elaborate on the learnings for researchers and academics working with this research population.