At Marel, we believe that people are at the heart of every successful team. We do not see different backgrounds, cultures, experiences and knowledge as obstacles, but as a value that enriches our company and encourages us to learn from one another.
We are open to employing foreign nationals and strive to provide every employee with equal working conditions, the same rights and opportunities, and the same level of respect, regardless of where they come from.
Over the past three years, our workforce has included people from Uganda, Egypt, Nepal, India, Bangladesh and Russia. Today, as in previous years, they are part of different teams across our company – from assembly, pressing, toolmaking and the plastics department to sales.
Support That Starts from Day One
For us, integration is about much more than having a job. Coming to a new country means starting a new chapter in life – getting to know a new language, culture, way of life, people and everyday routines that may be completely unfamiliar to someone who has just arrived.
That is why we strive to support our employees from abroad even when their needs are not directly related to their work.
We help them adapt to their new environment, communicate, navigate everyday life, deal with administrative procedures and complete the necessary documentation. When a problem or question arises, we try to go beyond simply telling an employee where they need to go and what they need to do. Instead, we strive to support them and help them find a solution.
It is particularly important to us that our employees know who they can turn to. Our valued colleague from the Human Resources Department is available whenever employees need help, advice or information – whether it concerns their work, documentation, everyday life or a situation in which they need support. For many of them, she is not simply the person responsible for administrative matters, but someone they can turn to with confidence.
When Work Becomes Part of Life
Over the years, we have had the opportunity to see that the relationship between a company and its employees does not end at the workplace.
There have been situations in which our employees wanted their immediate family members to join them in Serbia. Whenever possible, we supported them in adapting to their new surroundings, and in some cases, we also enabled family members to become part of our team and begin their professional journey at Marel.
For us, this is about much more than employment. When someone who has come from another country can be together with their family, work, live and build their future, that is when the integration process takes on its true meaning.
Such situations show us that trust is built through small, everyday actions and a willingness to help people when they need it most.
Support Even When Paths Diverge
We believe that a respectful relationship with an employee should not end the moment they decide to leave the company.
Some of our employees from abroad have decided to continue their professional journey elsewhere. In such situations, we have also tried to support them – through conversation, advice, recommendations and assistance in finding new employment.
We are pleased when we can help someone take the next step in their career after gaining valuable experience at Marel, even when that next step takes them beyond our company.
For us, this is part of our responsible approach to the people with whom we have shared a part of our professional journey.
Equal Members of Our Team
Foreign nationals at Marel have the same rights, responsibilities and opportunities as all other employees. We expect every member of our team to demonstrate mutual respect, professionalism, cooperation and appreciation for diversity.
At the same time, we are aware that integration cannot be achieved simply by expecting a new employee to adapt to us. It is a shared process involving the company, colleagues, family and the wider community in which a person lives.
That is why it is important to us that people coming from other countries do not feel like temporary workers who have simply come to perform a particular job. We want them to feel like equal members of our team, to get to know their colleagues, take part in company life and find their place in the community where they live.
People with Different Stories, One Team
Each of our employees from abroad brings their own story, experience and life journey. Some came on their own, some with the hope of one day being reunited with their families, while others have found a new opportunity for themselves and their loved ones in Serbia.
These personal stories remind us that a sustainable future is not only about technology, production and business results. It is also built through the way we treat people.
At Marel, we want to build an environment where differences are respected, where there is room for mutual understanding, and where support is offered whenever it is needed.
We believe that true integration happens when a “new employee” gradually becomes a colleague, a friend and a part of our shared story.
In this way, we want to build a company together where people have the opportunity to work, grow, receive support during important moments in their lives and, if they choose, build their future together with us.
Differences do not divide us – they teach us how to become a better team.
