EXPATS & FAMILY

Coaching for a successful expatriation

Anne Egros – October 5, 2010Anne Egros – October 5, 2010

DEFINITIONSDEFINITIONS1.1. ExpatriatesExpatriates

2.2. InpatriatesInpatriates

3.3. TranspatriatesTranspatriates

1

2

HQs

3

Country Managers

“There is just not enough talent to go around for the foreseeable future, so

emerging markets will take talent from developed economies”

#Quote by: peter Felix, president of the Association of Executive Search Consultants (AESC)-

Stephenie Overman (SHRM  2010)

THE WAR FOR GLOBAL TALENT IS JUST THE WAR FOR GLOBAL TALENT IS JUST STARTINGSTARTING

WHAT DOES IT MEAN FOR WHAT DOES IT MEAN FOR HR MANAGERSHR MANAGERS ? ?

THE CHALLENGES OF EXPATRIATE EXECUTIVES

INTERNALNORMS & VALUES

ORGANIZATIONSTRUCTURE &

SYSTEMS

CORPORATESTRATEGY

HOST GOVERNMENTSOBJECTIVES, POLICIES

NATIONAL CONSTITUENTINTERESTS (EMPLOYEES, CONSUMERS, UNIONS)

LOCAL NORMS & VALUES

NATIONALCOMPETITORSACTIONS

GLOBAL COMPETITIVEACTIVITY

LOCAL MARKET AND INDUSTRY STRUCTURE

HOST COUNTRY

INTERESTS

GLOBALCOMPETITIVE

ENVIRONMENT

CORPORATEMOTIVATIONS

EXPATRIATE EXECUTIVEPERSONALVALUES

LEVERAGING INTERCULTURAL DIFFERENCE

Creating 3rd Cultures

Corporate Culture

3rdCultures

HQHQAffiliatAffiliate e

WHY EXPATRIATES FAIL ?

CAUSES OF EXPATRIATION FAILURES

Poor local culture assimilation

1. Job Satisfaction Issues2. Family Issues3. Spouse: Career Loss,

Social Isolation

No repatriation Plan

1. Switch to competitors

2. Reverse culture shock

3. No more fit

Wrong candidate selection process

Ethnocentric Management

What Are The  Drivers  Of Successful Expatriates

1.1. Financial incentivesFinancial incentives are not considered are not considered as a key success factor by most as a key success factor by most successful expat familiessuccessful expat families

2.2. Personal and fruitful professional Personal and fruitful professional experiencesexperiences with other cultures are with other cultures are intrinsically rewarding.intrinsically rewarding.

HAPPY SUCCESSFUL EXPATRIATES

What types of training and supports are the most useful ?

1-Clarifying Expectations/KPI

2-Define ideal Profile

3-Candidate Assessment

Include the family in assessment and selection

4-Decision Process

5-Executive coaching

1-Cross-cultural Training

2-Cultural Sensitivity & Culture Shock Coaching

3-Executive International Leadership Coaching

4-Social Networking/media

5-Spouse employment

1-Succession planning

2-Reverse culture shock

3- Career Coaching

http://www.awb.com/http://www.blogjump.eu/

http://www.expatwomen.com/countries/expat_women_living_in_belgium.php#2

http://www.accueil-bruxelles.be/http://www.expatfocus.com/expatriate-belgium

http://www.expatica.com/be/main.htmlhttp://www.vlan.be/

http://www.brussels.angloinfo.com/http://www.awcb.org/

http://www.brusselsprout.net/http://www.expatlist.be/home/

http://www.expatarrivals.com/belgium/brussels/moving-to-brusselshttp://www.expat-blog.com/en/directory/europe/belgium/

http//www.trabel.com/brussels.htmhttp://www.easyexpat.com/http://www.xpats.com/home

http://catwomaninbrussels.wordpress.com/love-and-the-cities/http://newzealandersinbelgium.blogspot.com/

THE STRESS OF RELOCATION INFORMATION OVERLOAD

Effective Coaching:Finding WHAT YOU need

Cultural Sensitivity CoachingCultural Sensitivity Coaching

• Overview of Cultural Adjustment and Culture ShockOverview of Cultural Adjustment and Culture Shock• Coping With Culture Shock and Emotional FeelingsCoping With Culture Shock and Emotional Feelings• Language Barriers Language Barriers • Cultural Differences and Cultural UnderstandingCultural Differences and Cultural Understanding• Social Etiquette and Its ImportanceSocial Etiquette and Its Importance• Cultural Beliefs About Social InteractionsCultural Beliefs About Social Interactions• Cultural Beliefs About Medical CareCultural Beliefs About Medical Care• Trust and Cultural HumilityTrust and Cultural Humility• Reverse Culture ShockReverse Culture Shock

Honey moon initial

euphoria

Frustration, Anxiety,Hostility

Acceptation and

Adjustment

Realization

Repatriation Grief Circle

Time Span

Happin

ess

Culture Shock and Emotional Feelings

Effective Cross-Cultural Coaching

• Focus on the positive aspects of host country Focus on the positive aspects of host country learning to avoid comparing with their home learning to avoid comparing with their home countrycountry. . 

• The executive and family need to The executive and family need to assimilate  the assimilate  the local culturelocal culture as much as possibleas much as possible but the family but the family should also be should also be connected with other expatriatesconnected with other expatriates. . 

Expatriate & SpouseCareer Management

►Before accepting a foreign assignment

► Expatriation Phase

► Repatriation

WORK-LIFE ISSUES IN MULTICULTURAL CONTEXTS

• Do not assume “one-size fits all” in global HR policies

• In western cultures, family concerns are the dominant cause of premature return

• Spouse/partner dissatisfaction is the

number one reason for assignment failure. 

  The #1 reason why people move The #1 reason why people move abroad is abroad is

HAPPINESS HAPPINESS 

Paying attention to the family and spouse Paying attention to the family and spouse specific needs is key to expatriation specific needs is key to expatriation

successsuccess

CONCLUSION