Author: Alan Marshall

Topic: Cultural awareness

About: Global HR Consultants is a pan European company providing a global service in the area of HR administration and can assist you in a variety of ways from creating cost effective and competitive people-friendly policies to searching and selecting software solutions for a variety of HR administration applications. In addition, creative training services are available to provide your staff with the skills required to ensure your greatest assets are protected.

OVERVIEW

In addition to the management guide Search and Selection | expatriates, this article provides some tips and advice when you are considering sending employees overseas.

Cultural familiarisation is money well spent when calculated as a percentage of the total assignment costs and the cost of potential failure. In addition, loss of business will also be a significant cost item.

Some of this article is equally valuable for business travellers and can help avoid embarrassing errors made through ignorance that ultimately could cost you valuable business.

WHEN TO USE THIS GUIDE

Are you considering any of the following?:

• Employing people from abroad.
• Sending employees abroad to work as expatriates.
• Sending employees on overseas business trips.
• Receiving foreign business visitors.
• Just want to get an appreciation of differing cultures as your organisation becomes increasingly diverse.

10-STEP ACTION PLAN
 
1. It’s not about what is perceived to be right or wrong between home and host countries but down to understanding the differences:

• The multinational manager is aware of differences.
• The international manager respects differences. 
• The global manager can reconcile differences.

2. When you are at the search and selection stage it is very important to look for a suitable cultural fit.

• Would a female general manager have any difficulties leading a new joint venture in a country where the female manager is unheard of?
• Or perhaps a very young person in a country where age/experience is seen as paramount?

3. Religion may also be very important to the expatriate and the host country personnel.

• Check it out.

4. Learning a language is best done in conjunction with:

• Getting to know the local culture.
• Learning about the customs and taboos of the host country.

This makes language learning much less tedious and mechanical and adds the essential dimension of cultural awareness to the knowledge of the language.

Expats should never use home country jargon or abbreviations and you should try and build a list of local jargon to help get the expats off the ground quickly.

5. Non verbal communication can be just as important as the spoken word. 

Here are some simple examples and there are many more:

• Business cards can be presented casually, or with both hands text facing the recipient, or with the right hand only but will your employees know which method to use and for which country/region?

• Make sure the reverse side of the card is printed in the host country language and present this side and not the home country side when overseas.

• Handshakes, bows, greeting men/women differently, recognising the most senior people first, are all very important.

• Hugs and kisses? The hug is commonplace in Latin countries but would you do this in Asia?

• The Indian head nod/shake is well known and mastering the interpretation of this may never be achievable. Always seek confirmation until you feel sure it was yes, or no, or maybe!

6. How safe is the host country?

• You may already be providing secure housing in an expat compound but what happens when the spouse takes the kids to school or visits the local shops and supermarket?

• Also, weekends will be a time for the whole family to explore the new location so knowing the undesirable areas could be very important.

7. Will the spouse be able to follow a normal lifestyle?

• Advice on dress sense may be very important in some countries i.e. where the head must be covered and/or arms/legs etc.
• Obvious but important things like how the bins get emptied, or solving utility issues such as power cuts and water leaks.
• What about emergency services, how will rapid contact be made?
• Doctor, dentist and chemist are essential services so should be researched before the assignment begins.

8. Children and spouses

Children will be the biggest area of concern for the expatriate and spouse so getting this right will take you at least half way to making this assignment a success. 

The novelty of being stared at and being the centre of attention wears off after about three to four weeks. After that the children may suffer a type of withdrawal and become homesick so a specialised program to slow down integration often offsets this.

9. Home comforts 

Taking some essential (favourite) food supplies and then ensuring a method of replenishment could well be a lifeline particularly if someone is unwell or just feeling down.

• Research what is safe to eat/drink.
• Check out the water quality and local fruit and vegetables.

10. Expatriate networks

Expatriate networks are good for finding out what to get from where and getting the real story about what is good/bad about living in a particular location.  Clubs often exist in popular expat destinations. Life long friends are likely to be the outcome of sharing issues with other expats.

EXPECTED OUTCOMES | RESULTS
 
The big test comes at approximately six months in the assignment. You will have had plenty of contact with all sorts of issues up to that stage.

If this slides away and is near to zero by 12 months then all is well and the next big challenge will be repatriation and “reverse culture shock”.
 
FOR MORE INFORMATION 

Global HR Consultants
Contact: Alan Marshall
T: 01325 339058
E:: enquiries@globalhrc.co.uk
www.globalhrc.co.uk
www.expatexpert.co.uk

This organisation also incorporates expatexpert.co.uk to provide a friendly and efficient help service whether simple or complex in this highly specialised and demanding HR area.
 
For assistance with Search and Selection of expatriates contact:


Protostar Leadership Development
Contact: Michael Coates
T: 0191 3855455
E: info@protostar-dev.com 
                                                      www.protostar-dev.com