Cross-cultural training: key factor for the success of an expatriation

The companies that incorporate an intercultural training program in their expatriation policies achieve that about 80% of their expatriates finish their assignment in the foreseen term, while the projects that do not contemplate the cultural preparation of the employee for their new environment, achieve only a 60% of success.

The main reasons why international assignments ends prematurely are: due to the company’s needs, the employee’s health problems, personal and / or family circumstances of the employee and the lack of adaptation to the country of destination.

Prior to an internationalization project, companies can visualize several challenges and advantages in the new market, such as logistics, the labor market, trade and expansion routes, tax policies of the new destination, among others. But you must take special consideration at a transcendental factor; culture. It is important to be aware that behavior patterns, social behaviors, language and many other factors that define a business, work and life relationship abroad are totally different from your own.

Imagine being a Japanese engineer expatriated to Bolivia or a Mexican manager expatriated to Korea, however attractive the economic offer or the adventure of expatriation can be, it is important to evaluate the parameters of cultural shock. There are expatriations to remote destinations, and these examples may seem extreme, but cultural differences can occur even between neighboring countries such as Spain with its adjacent countries, Portugal, France and Morocco, where the culture is totally different.

It is common to think that an international assignment can amount to a long trip and that the challenges consist only of finding housing and carrying out the migratory procedures. However, the success of the project depends largely on the adaptation that the employee may have in his new destination, in the facility to solve and solve situations that arise on a daily basis, where communication is often a major factor for negotiation, fluency, leadership and performance with co-workers, superiors, employees in charge, clients , suppliers, etc. This communication and these relationships do not have the same mechanics in America, Asia, Europe or the Middle East.

How to achieve an effective adaptation in the country of destination?

Intercultural training before and during expatriation is the answer, not only for the expatriate but also for his family, since family stability is an extremely important factor for the expatriate. A good intercultural education should contemplate:

• A guide of the destination country; that considers the socioeconomic, political and sociocultural characteristics. It is essential that this guide considers the reality of the new destination, and that it mentions in detail dominant characteristics such as religion, food, health system, education, among others, so that the expatriate has an objective idea of the environment in which he will live. This will help to manage the expatriate’s expectations.

• Language training; an important point, especially if the expatriate travels with children, since in many destinations children need a minimum level of language management to be accepted in schools.

• Coaching sessions; that contemplate from the most basic aspects of everyday life to negotiation and leadership techniques.

The ideal is to start the training some time before the expatriation. It would also be convenient to support the employee and his family with psychological assistance in case they need it, since an expatriation entails situations that can generate a lot of stress.

The testimony of an Expat that ended his expatriation earlier than planned indicates:

“Apart from my experience and my technical and professional qualification to develop my work outside of Spain, I have come to understand that it should be the least decisive factor for the selection, cultural shock is an even more complex challenge to face, does any company have you bothered to consider whether the culture of the destination country is compatible with the personality, values or personal circumstances of the employee? I had no idea what I could find when I arrived, I do not mean that they have to give everything, but some information could have supported me. ”

Therefore, a good intercultural training and an objective preparation to face with certainty the challenges of the new destination, are key to ensure the success of an expatriation.