Stemming the Brain Drain
by Thel Krollig
The “brain drain” registers a blip on the economic radar with alarming regularity. The loss of our best and brightest intellectual resources to other states in Australia and overseas is a perennial problem for the business and science communities.
However according to a UniSA researcher, if we're serious about improving the situation, it is not a matter of trying to halt the exodus of young professionals so much as valuing their experience upon their return.
According to Professor Phyllis Tharenou, Dean of Research with UniSA’s Division of Business and Enterprise, her recent studies confirm that the lure of more money, cross-cultural experience and long term career opportunities attract our top brains to key world economies such as the US, the UK and Hong Kong.
“Finally I think Australian state and Commonwealth governments and companies are getting serious about understanding the factors that lead to this exodus of bright young minds – and that is the first step in trying to turn it around,“ said Prof Tharenou.
“It is a demographic problem that is especially critical in a state like South Australia.“
So why do so many Australians pursue long-term career paths abroad?
“My research shows that young employees who developed an interest in working abroad have little family influence on their decision, no partner, high expectations of positive outcomes, work in organisations with a high international focus, and had a high level of self-confidence about working abroad including in developing countries.
“What has become clear is that ambitious young people don’t return to Australia because they do not believe there is anything to be gained career-wise,“ she said.
“Studies have also found that most people entertain the idea of coming home, but the companies they work for do not have repatriation policies that are attractive.
“What I believe we need to do is work more cleverly in our approach to circulating young people in the global workforce.
“For example when an international firm has a young employee they know is interested in an international career, they need to find ways to offer them a two-to-three year stint abroad, but then bring them back.
“But in bringing them back they must be able to offer a compar-able or better position in Australia.
“This means that not only are we bringing home the brains, we are making an investment in the future of our companies on a global scale. Companies in small economies, like Australia, need to internationalise to prosper, or even survive. To do so, they need to expatriate their ’A team’ to start-up their operations abroad, enhance their transfer capability, and reduce risk.
“I suspect many stay away because their prospects on returning home to the same company are soft and ill-defined, and until we recognise the value of continued investment in our intellectual resources the pattern of brain drain will continue.“