Are relocation prospects hearing realities of life overseas?
International assignments don’t usually fail because the individual lacks the requisite business skills, but due to spousal, family or personal issues or an inability to adapt to a foreign culture.
With the cost of sending a family to a foreign location reaching as high as $1 million, you’d think cost-conscious companies would have in-depth selection processes in place. The astonishing fact of the matter is that many don’t bother.
A well-developed selection and preparation procedure is the first critical step in the assignment process. This includes counsellors on hand, either in-house or on a consultative basis, who can assess if an individual and family will flourish or flounder. This assessment includes face-to-face time with the family to identify their strengths, vulnerabilities, beliefs, values, coping skills and any special needs.
The counsellor also looks at the family dynamics. Is the marriage mutually supportive or is the couple on shaky ground? Is there a history of depression or substance abuse with either spouse? Are there issues or needs concerning the children? Some families have a child with an exceptional ability in sport, the arts or academics and require special coaching or schooling. Such services may not exist in China, and that reality must be understood.
Cross-cultural training is an integral part of this pre-departure counselling. Culture shock may lead to depression, hostility toward native customs and people, and withdrawal — behaviours unlikely to endear someone to host country staff, fellow expats or the community at large. Families sometimes have stereotypical views of foreign countries based on travel brochures or movies. It’s important they know exactly what they’re getting into.
Counselling and preparing the entire family allows the employee to focus on the assignment and the family to enjoy the many advantages of living in a different culture. The costs of the selection process and any preparation services are minuscule when compared to the costs of a failed venture and a traumatized family.
Employees are more likely to succeed and thrive in a new culture if they possess certain character traits and coping abilities. It’s to their advantage if they’re flexible, outgoing, able to deal with stress and challenges, and sensitive to the host culture. These are the individuals who rise to meet the unknown instead of sinking in a sea of confusion, isolation and bewilderment.
A foreign assignment presents unique problems for the entire family. For the assignee, there’s how to lead, motivate and work with staff from another culture. His inclusive, consultative managerial style was a hit at home, but in Latin America, employees are more comfortable with a hierarchal, authoritarian style of management. If he’s in Tokyo, there’ll be long hours, as most business is conducted over drinks after the working day is over.
The wife (the overwhelming majority of international assignees continue to be male) has left her career behind and often can’t find new work due to language or cultural barriers. At home in North America she may be a strong, independent woman. In male-dominated cultures, such traits are not accepted in women and she’s viewed with suspicion. Her world becomes that of the insular expatriate community.
It’s easy to see how latent issues such as substance abuse or depression could resurface, how marital discord or infidelity could occur. Personal problems are intensified when an employee goes on assignment.
Although SARS and terrorism have caused many employees to turn down foreign assignments, surveys show the expat population is now back to pre-Sept. 11 numbers.
What’s changing is where expats are being sent. China is by far the most common new destination as more multinationals open branches or plants to tap into that country’s enormous consumer market and workforce. China is also the most problematic posting, with expats facing not only language and cultural differences, but tremendous lifestyle challenges in housing, transportation, education and medical care.
Rensia Melles is director, clinical products, global services, for FGI, a Toronto-based provider of cross-cultural training, repatriation services and employee assistance programs worldwide. She can be reached at [email protected] or (905) 886-2157.
With the cost of sending a family to a foreign location reaching as high as $1 million, you’d think cost-conscious companies would have in-depth selection processes in place. The astonishing fact of the matter is that many don’t bother.
A well-developed selection and preparation procedure is the first critical step in the assignment process. This includes counsellors on hand, either in-house or on a consultative basis, who can assess if an individual and family will flourish or flounder. This assessment includes face-to-face time with the family to identify their strengths, vulnerabilities, beliefs, values, coping skills and any special needs.
The counsellor also looks at the family dynamics. Is the marriage mutually supportive or is the couple on shaky ground? Is there a history of depression or substance abuse with either spouse? Are there issues or needs concerning the children? Some families have a child with an exceptional ability in sport, the arts or academics and require special coaching or schooling. Such services may not exist in China, and that reality must be understood.
Cross-cultural training is an integral part of this pre-departure counselling. Culture shock may lead to depression, hostility toward native customs and people, and withdrawal — behaviours unlikely to endear someone to host country staff, fellow expats or the community at large. Families sometimes have stereotypical views of foreign countries based on travel brochures or movies. It’s important they know exactly what they’re getting into.
Counselling and preparing the entire family allows the employee to focus on the assignment and the family to enjoy the many advantages of living in a different culture. The costs of the selection process and any preparation services are minuscule when compared to the costs of a failed venture and a traumatized family.
Employees are more likely to succeed and thrive in a new culture if they possess certain character traits and coping abilities. It’s to their advantage if they’re flexible, outgoing, able to deal with stress and challenges, and sensitive to the host culture. These are the individuals who rise to meet the unknown instead of sinking in a sea of confusion, isolation and bewilderment.
A foreign assignment presents unique problems for the entire family. For the assignee, there’s how to lead, motivate and work with staff from another culture. His inclusive, consultative managerial style was a hit at home, but in Latin America, employees are more comfortable with a hierarchal, authoritarian style of management. If he’s in Tokyo, there’ll be long hours, as most business is conducted over drinks after the working day is over.
The wife (the overwhelming majority of international assignees continue to be male) has left her career behind and often can’t find new work due to language or cultural barriers. At home in North America she may be a strong, independent woman. In male-dominated cultures, such traits are not accepted in women and she’s viewed with suspicion. Her world becomes that of the insular expatriate community.
It’s easy to see how latent issues such as substance abuse or depression could resurface, how marital discord or infidelity could occur. Personal problems are intensified when an employee goes on assignment.
Although SARS and terrorism have caused many employees to turn down foreign assignments, surveys show the expat population is now back to pre-Sept. 11 numbers.
What’s changing is where expats are being sent. China is by far the most common new destination as more multinationals open branches or plants to tap into that country’s enormous consumer market and workforce. China is also the most problematic posting, with expats facing not only language and cultural differences, but tremendous lifestyle challenges in housing, transportation, education and medical care.
Rensia Melles is director, clinical products, global services, for FGI, a Toronto-based provider of cross-cultural training, repatriation services and employee assistance programs worldwide. She can be reached at [email protected] or (905) 886-2157.
