Lack of cross-cultural awareness can cause serious problems.
Do organizations give the same attention to short-term international assignments as they do to long-term relocations? Unfortunately, the answer is often “no.”
Much has been written about the challenges facing employees who accept a long-term (two- to three-year) international assignment. Most organizations now offer these individuals special training to ensure they thrive during their time abroad. The family usually meets with a psychologist who helps them develop strategies for coping with change, and with a cross-cultural trainer who helps them understand the different attitudes, values and behaviour they will encounter in the host country.
However, because of the rapid globalization of the economy, more and more individuals are now going on short-term (three- to six-month) international assignments. Unfortunately, these people rarely receive adequate preparation prior to their cross-border placements. Most companies rationalize that since the employee is only going to be away a short time, they don’t need specialized training or counselling. This viewpoint is terribly short-sighted as it fails to take into account the unique challenges facing these employees.
One major problem is their lack of cross-cultural awareness. Many individuals have specifically been chosen for their short-term assignments because they have made their mark here in Canada. Unfortunately, they often fail to realize their North American management skills, which have made them so successful up until now, can actually cause serious problems in foreign settings.
Blithely unaware that the host country can have very different values and beliefs, Canadians often behave as if they are still in a Canadian workplace. For example, “Ronald” was sent to Chile for three months to oversee a new joint-venture mining project.
He arrived at the Santiago office and, after exchanging a few pleasantries with his Chilean colleagues, asked for all the necessary data and settled down to the task at hand. After all, he was on a tight schedule. He had only a few months to accomplish a great deal. He certainly couldn’t afford to spend time chatting in the office like the others.
What Ronald did not understand was that his behaviour was counterproductive. Chileans find it very difficult to work with someone unless they have first built a solid relationship and have established an atmosphere of trust. It took Ronald a while to understand these different expectations. Just when things began to make sense, it was time for him to go home.
It is no wonder that many individuals sent on short-term assignments suffer from extreme frustration and anxiety. Without cross-cultural training it can be very difficult to understand not only how things are done, but why they are done that way. If Ronald had been sensitive to these differences before he arrived, he would probably have been more effective and achieved greater productivity right from the beginning.
Many employees on short-term assignment face another problem. The people at the Canadian head office are rarely aware of these cross-cultural differences. They expect quick results and set goals for their international counterparts according to a North American time schedule.
Unfortunately, those working in the host country often find themselves in the inevitable position of having to balance the expectations of their Canadian supervisors with what they can realistically achieve in a relatively short period of time.
Another difficulty facing employees on short-term assignment is extreme loneliness. Without proper pre-departure counselling to help them deal with this stressful situation, employees often have difficulty adjusting to living on their own.
Usually the family stays behind in Canada while the professional flies off to the host country. Staying in a hotel and eating out every night may seem glamorous at first, but after a few months, ennui begins to set in. Aggressive behaviour or patterns of withdrawal begin to emerge. Many don’t understand what is happening and have not learned the coping skills that would have helped them deal with this situation. As a result, they often try to overcompensate by throwing themselves totally into their work. This can result in extremely high stress levels and eventual burnout.
An important question asked by an employee who returns from a short-term international assignment is, “How will this assignment affect my position in the company?” They usually have gained valuable expertise relating to the global marketplace and have acquired cross-cultural knowledge. In addition, they have developed new insights into foreign trade.
Naturally, they expect that the company will recognize their talents and offer them more challenging work with new responsibilities. For some, this does happen, and they feel appreciated. For others, however, they go back to their old positions and are unable to make use of their international experiences. They often feel undervalued, and resentment begins to build toward the company and the people who work there. This can lead to a very unpleasant situation unless it is dealt with early.
The challenges associated with short-term international assignments are many, but with proper preparation and support, employees can enjoy great success, both while they are away and when they return.
Zelda Fedder is president of Zelda Fedder Communications International. She may be contacted at (416) 733-4600 or [email protected]. Visit www.zfcommunications.com for more information.
Much has been written about the challenges facing employees who accept a long-term (two- to three-year) international assignment. Most organizations now offer these individuals special training to ensure they thrive during their time abroad. The family usually meets with a psychologist who helps them develop strategies for coping with change, and with a cross-cultural trainer who helps them understand the different attitudes, values and behaviour they will encounter in the host country.
However, because of the rapid globalization of the economy, more and more individuals are now going on short-term (three- to six-month) international assignments. Unfortunately, these people rarely receive adequate preparation prior to their cross-border placements. Most companies rationalize that since the employee is only going to be away a short time, they don’t need specialized training or counselling. This viewpoint is terribly short-sighted as it fails to take into account the unique challenges facing these employees.
One major problem is their lack of cross-cultural awareness. Many individuals have specifically been chosen for their short-term assignments because they have made their mark here in Canada. Unfortunately, they often fail to realize their North American management skills, which have made them so successful up until now, can actually cause serious problems in foreign settings.
Blithely unaware that the host country can have very different values and beliefs, Canadians often behave as if they are still in a Canadian workplace. For example, “Ronald” was sent to Chile for three months to oversee a new joint-venture mining project.
He arrived at the Santiago office and, after exchanging a few pleasantries with his Chilean colleagues, asked for all the necessary data and settled down to the task at hand. After all, he was on a tight schedule. He had only a few months to accomplish a great deal. He certainly couldn’t afford to spend time chatting in the office like the others.
What Ronald did not understand was that his behaviour was counterproductive. Chileans find it very difficult to work with someone unless they have first built a solid relationship and have established an atmosphere of trust. It took Ronald a while to understand these different expectations. Just when things began to make sense, it was time for him to go home.
It is no wonder that many individuals sent on short-term assignments suffer from extreme frustration and anxiety. Without cross-cultural training it can be very difficult to understand not only how things are done, but why they are done that way. If Ronald had been sensitive to these differences before he arrived, he would probably have been more effective and achieved greater productivity right from the beginning.
Many employees on short-term assignment face another problem. The people at the Canadian head office are rarely aware of these cross-cultural differences. They expect quick results and set goals for their international counterparts according to a North American time schedule.
Unfortunately, those working in the host country often find themselves in the inevitable position of having to balance the expectations of their Canadian supervisors with what they can realistically achieve in a relatively short period of time.
Another difficulty facing employees on short-term assignment is extreme loneliness. Without proper pre-departure counselling to help them deal with this stressful situation, employees often have difficulty adjusting to living on their own.
Usually the family stays behind in Canada while the professional flies off to the host country. Staying in a hotel and eating out every night may seem glamorous at first, but after a few months, ennui begins to set in. Aggressive behaviour or patterns of withdrawal begin to emerge. Many don’t understand what is happening and have not learned the coping skills that would have helped them deal with this situation. As a result, they often try to overcompensate by throwing themselves totally into their work. This can result in extremely high stress levels and eventual burnout.
An important question asked by an employee who returns from a short-term international assignment is, “How will this assignment affect my position in the company?” They usually have gained valuable expertise relating to the global marketplace and have acquired cross-cultural knowledge. In addition, they have developed new insights into foreign trade.
Naturally, they expect that the company will recognize their talents and offer them more challenging work with new responsibilities. For some, this does happen, and they feel appreciated. For others, however, they go back to their old positions and are unable to make use of their international experiences. They often feel undervalued, and resentment begins to build toward the company and the people who work there. This can lead to a very unpleasant situation unless it is dealt with early.
The challenges associated with short-term international assignments are many, but with proper preparation and support, employees can enjoy great success, both while they are away and when they return.
Zelda Fedder is president of Zelda Fedder Communications International. She may be contacted at (416) 733-4600 or [email protected]. Visit www.zfcommunications.com for more information.
