Expatriate Preparation

Expatriate cultural preparation is sadly often forgotten when considering sending an employee abroad. A large amount of money is often spent in sending employees on international assignments to fulfil vacancies or as appreciation for a job well done and to motivate the employee. However, lack of assignee preparation can lead to unmet objectives which in turn leads to early repatriation. 

Cultural challenges of international assignments

Studies show that employees are usually selected for an international assignment due to their technical skills and not much thought goes into whether or not the assignee is interculturally competent.

One of the often cited reasons for early return from an international assignment is the cultural challenges that the assignee and/or spouse/partner struggle with. That is to say, that the assignee and/or their spouse were not able to adapt to the cultural norms in the host country.

What does this course aim to do?

The aim of this course is to assist expatriates in settling into their new business role. Firstly, they learn to adjust to their new culture by learning what the main differences are that they might expect compared to what they may be accustomed to.

Secondly, we examine the employee’s behaviour and values before looking at those of the country where he/she will be on assignment. Subsequently, the assignee and/or spouse are given tools to help them modify their communication to be more effective with nationals in the host country.

Moreover, we explain how to deal with culture shock and learn how to overcome to be more effective in their personal and business life.

Who is this course for?

The course is most beneficial for international assignees and their spouse/partner moving abroad for an extended period. Most importantly, it is best to start as a pre-assignment training and then continue post arrival in the host country. Therefore, it’s divided into short modules.

Format of the expatriate preparation course

The course is divided into 4/6 individual coaching sessions. Each session is approximately 90 minutes long and is held in a virtual format (usually over ZOOM).

  • Session #01: Understanding the objectives of the assignee and their spouse/partner
  • Session #02: Host country core values and how they influence work methods and communication
  • Session #03: Assignee and spouse/partner core values
  • Session #04: Personal challenges / Culture shock
  • Session #05 : Personal challenges / Spouse objectives
  • Session #06: Action planning for success

The main areas covered:

  • Learn the values of the relocating family and how they affect work methods
  • Understand different communication methods and working techniques across cultures
  • Learn the employee’s/partner’s communication strengths and how to use them across cultures
  • Learn the typical communication and work methods of the assignment country
  • Learn how to modify their communication techniques to be more effective with people (colleagues) of the assignment country
  • Understand how to get through the difficult moments (culture shock)
  • Learn the best methods to communicate with the home office

Contact Form

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