If you work in global mobility, international recruitment, or HR here in New Zealand, you know that attracting top global talent is only half the battle. The real test is keeping them here.
Recently, I had the absolute pleasure of sitting down with Melanie Dower, a fellow Kiwi who has spent the last 11 years building a world-class global mobility and settlement programme for the gaming giant Supercell in Helsinki, Finland.
When Melanie relocated to Helsinki with her husband and two-year-old son 12 years ago, she faced the stark reality of moving to the other side of the world: navigating a new culture, near-total darkness in winter, and the daunting challenge of finding work without speaking the local language.
Her lived experience turned into a groundbreaking professional opportunity when Supercell had two employees decide to leave Finland when their partners found it difficult to settle. The company’s leadership quickly realised a fundamental truth of global mobility: if you want your international hires to be happy and successful, you have to support the entire family unit. They hired Melanie to fix it, and the work her team does provides a perfect case study for us back home.
The Supercell Case Study: A Masterclass in Settlement
What makes Supercell’s approach so incredibly effective? It’s driven by support from a leadership team that views relocation support not merely as an economic calculation, but as a core human value.
Here are a few standout features of their programme that benefit both the employer and the employee:
Reduced-Rent Transitional Housing: Supercell rents 37 apartments to offer new arrivals six months of subsidised housing during their probation period, ensuring they have a permanent address for the required immigration processing without being locked into a risky 12-month lease.
The "Hive Mind" Spouse Community: They run a highly engaged WhatsApp group with over 250 members, including local Finns. Spouses are added as soon as the employment contract is signed, giving them a ready-made community before they even step off the plane. The spouses organise their own book clubs, playdates, and meetups.
A "Teaching" Philosophy: Rather than handholding, Supercell empowers migrants. They run workshops to teach newcomers how the local rental market works and how to live independently. They also host practical cultural events—like mushroom foraging, summer cabin evenings, and even a workshop on how to dress kids for the freezing Finnish winter.
The ROI for the Employer? In her 11 years running this programme, Melanie has seen a churn rate of less than five people. By investing in the family's settlement, Supercell has practically eliminated the immense cost of failed international assignments, turning their family support into a competitive advantage in global recruitment.
3 Recommendations for NZ Businesses
In New Zealand, we rely heavily on offshore talent. While we might not have frozen seas, our international arrivals face their own daunting challenges: navigating a unique schooling system and our unregulated and highly competitive rental market, and trying to break into local social circles.
Here is how New Zealand employers can implement best practice settlement programmes inspired by the work of Melanie and her team at Supercell:
1. Make the Spouse Your Secret Weapon The success of your new hire is inextricably linked to the happiness of their partner. Don't wait until they arrive to offer support. Connect spouses with local networks, offer guidance on the NZ job market, and invite them to cultural onboarding sessions. If the trailing partner finds purpose and community, your employee will stay.
2. Teach Independence, Don't Just Transact Moving is overwhelming, and throwing money or a shipping container at a new hire isn't enough. Adopt a teaching philosophy. Run workshops or partner with resettlement experts to demystify the Kiwi way of life. Teach them how to navigate TradeMe Property, explain the quirks of our healthcare system, and provide local knowledge that removes the mystery and anxiety from settling in.
3. Engineer Social Connections Early Don't let your single migrants slip through the cracks, and don't assume families will automatically make friends. Create structured opportunities for connection. Host "newbie lunches" for recent arrivals to bond over shared experiences, or deliberately connect employees from different business units who share the same home country. Introduce them to the quintessential Kiwi lifestyle—whether that's a group trip on the ferry to Devonport or a workshop on Kiwi workplace culture.
International recruitment is a significant investment. As Melanie's team’s incredible work at Supercell shows, extending your duty of care beyond the office doors isn't just the right thing to do—it's the smartest business decision you can make.
Kia ora and welcome to New Zealand!
Mobile Relocation connects you with what you need to thrive in New Zealand. Contact us today to talk about how we can carry your relocation burden.
If you are a recruiter or HR Professional bringing international talent to NZ Mobile Relocation has a range of settlement support services to suit your candidates and your business - from baseline support to meet Immigration New Zealand’s AEWV Accreditation requirements (Kiwi Launch Pad) through to personalised programmes to support your most valued international employees.