Questions: Expatriate Managers
1、What are some of the risks that an organization faces when stationing an expatriate overseas?
The biggest risk I have seen for foreign multinationals as they send expats to other countries is the struggle to maintain a positive image of the company especially when on a daily basis that responsibility lies in the hands of employees and their relocating dependants. The “expat life” tends to placate a vacation mentality, a sense of entitlement and a feeling of exemption from daily rigors of the host nation lifestyle. This is especially true when most instances of expat placement happen in developing or less developed nations, and when most expat contracts allow for extra compensation and incentives to make these assignments attractive to otherwise well accomplished employees. It is very commonplace for the expat lifestyle to stir up a need for travel, sightseeing and exploring. Most expats take on these assignments as a stepping stone to seeing the world, travelling and breaking out of the monotonous routines of being in their home country. It is fairly easy to tip the scale and crossover the very fine line that exists between working arduously to achieve company goals and engaging in a state of perpetual vacation and exploration.
With the current wave of backlash against multinationals, conglomerate companies, big government and big business in general, there is always the threat to expat safety in some parts of the world. The fact that the expat is indeed the face of the company and sometimes even the face of a nation presents a problem if and when host nationals cannot make the distinction between employees and government foreign investment policies.
2、Do you have the "Survival Skills" to be a successful expatriate manager? Go to the Integrated Resources web site, locate and take the Overseas Assignment Inventory. Score it and provide your opinion of whether you would do well overseas.
3、What are some of the capabilities that other expatriates believe contribute to success and failure in overseas assignments?
A great part of an expat’s success in a foreign country is dependent upon how flexible, tolerant, and adaptive the expat is to the social structure and working conditions of the host nation. To be successful as an expat, one must venture outside the personal mental cyst and embrace the standards of the new work environment. It is essentially a complete adaptation of the proverbial “when in Rome” mentality that allows for successful expat assignments. There are of course some limitations that often times make this approach unsuccessful, instances can include chronic corruption, illegal behavior etc. The decision to avoid these instances then becomes a test of moral standing, and when such is the case….choosing to avoid such activities in a foreign land is always the best option. Failure is almost always a result of the inability to adapt to conditions foreign countries.
4、What have been some of the key issues for successful expatriation of families?
When a whole family is being moved to a foreign country the responsibility of creating a clear vision and pathway for the new life overseas lies with the assigned expat to provide full disclosure to every family member. An expat family should have discussions even with the youngest of its members to make sure they understand what assuming this new role means. Corporations must also provide informative material and educate assigned employees and their families on what life in the new country is going to be like. A company must invest in an efficient relocation service that will provide these services to employees and their families before the final move is made to the new assignment. It is also almost always imperative that, at least, the assigned employee…if not his entire family…be allowed to visit the assigned location for a short time to give them a feel for what life at the new location might be like. Relocation services must be made available upon the visit, and it is also essential that potential expats be left alone for a day or two to get a sense of what living on their own might be like in this new location. Comprehensive packets with information on life in the new location are a must- where to shop for food, transportation information, emergency contacts etc.
5、How can firms help with the repatriation process?
The repatriation process is usually very tedious. Shipping costs, new housing and transportation issues, schools for children, finding a new assignment in some cases, can all be very stressful undertaking for a repatriating family. There needs to be a back end relocation plan in place as well. The company needs to provide adequate, efficient services, such as temporary accommodations and transportation for returning employees and their families.