It has become common practice, for top employees in global firms, to relocate to far flung offices in order to facilitate innovation, modernisation, or to implement new trading avenues.
However, in recent years the number of employees who are finishing overseas assignments early has increased significantly.
The reason for this is primarily due to failure to adapt to a new culture; different working methods, language barriers, societal change and differing laws and regulations, can make working, and living abroad a challenge.
However, there are methods for improving your, or your employees, chances of success in their relocation through use of training courses that teach practical skills for worldwide country transfers.
These training courses look at a multitude of factors such as cultural awareness, business etiquette, and so on, and enable a smoother transition for staff from one culture to another.
The following approach will lead to greater success rates, and higher retention, in relocation assignments:
1. Cultural Awareness Training
Cultural awareness training is vital prior to any relocation of talent overseas.
While an employee may have been top of their game in their native country, moving to a new location, uprooting their family, or leaving family and friends behind, can lead to feelings of isolation and loneliness. No-one works well in this state of mind, or under these conditions.
While dealing with the above issues, expats will also have to cope with learning a new set of cultural norms, business etiquettes, languages, currencies, and so on, which can make day-to-day life awkward and indecipherable.
Cultural awareness training, prior to relocation, will ensure most of these differences are understood, and will facilitate a smoother transition into new realms. It will increase the employee’s knowledge of the host country, its people and their cultural norms.
Cultural competence will enable those who have been relocated to work across cultures, understand communication and varied working styles, ensuring they can get on with the task at hand – doing their new job to the best of their ability.
2. Host Inter-cultural Training
While the employee, who is planning to relocate, receives training regarding the country in which they will be relocated, it is also essential that the host team (including managers) receive some training regarding the expat’s culture and societal norms.
This should also be undertaken before the move has been completed, in order to give the best chance of success to the relocation.
Differences in management styles, communication methods, expectations, deadlines, company procedures, and so on, should all be evaluated and considered by the host team so that they can fully comprehend the expat’s perspectives and expectations.
3. Project Configuration Meeting
It is worth setting up a project configuration meeting between the host manager and the employee that is relocating, well in advance of the project start date.
At this meeting they can discuss any cultural differences that might affect the success, or smooth running of the assignment, any bridging implementation that might be required, alongside briefings of expectations of both parties, timelines, milestones, and strategic structures.
This meeting can also tie-in with arranging tours of local areas, expat societies, helpful information regarding previous relocations, property advice, schools, and so on.
4. In-country Coach
Providing an in-country coach who facilitates frequent coaching sessions with the expat in order to evaluate success, assist with best practices, discuss any issues as they arise, and offer advice regarding meetings and interactions with host team members.
In some cases the coach may wish to monitor staff meeting or interactions with hose team members in order to advance coaching.
5. Document and Disseminate Data
Each expat’s experience is unique, however, there are also some experiences that are likely to be shared and collective.
The proper documentation and dissemination of data collected before, during, and after, each relocation process is vital to ensure that any lessons are understood, evaluated and acted upon in the future.
This collected information can facilitate smoother relocations, avoid recurring issues, and can help implement best practices.
Cultural awareness training programs can often be designed to suit the particular needs of participants, and their sponsor. Covering areas such as, language, cultural etiquette, business protocol, and nuances related to specific countries, these courses are the best method for ensuring a relocation goes smoothly, and successfully, for all those involved.
If you would like to discuss cultural competence, expatriate relocation, or cultural team building courses, please contact us.
