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A

Study

On Repatriation Process

(International Human Resource

Management)

Submitted To: Submitted By:

Prof. Swati Shome Rashika Gupta (M00111)

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Table of Content

1. Process of returning back ................................................................................. 3

1.1 Introduction of Repatriation ........................................................................... 3

Repatriation Process ............................................................................................. 3

The Importance of Repatriates ............................................................................. 3

1.2 Review of literature: ....................................................................................... 4

Article no.1 .......................................................................................................... 4

(Managing employee repatriation) ....................................................................... 4

Article no.2 .......................................................................................................... 4

(Repatriate Cultural Adjustment) ......................................................................... 4

Article no.3 .......................................................................................................... 5

(Repatriating Families: At Risk of Neglect) ......................................................... 5

Article no.4 ............................................................................................................ 5

(Going home successful repatriation of international assignees) ............................ 5

Article no.5 .......................................................................................................... 8

(Research Shows Repatriated Employees Often Leave for New Jobs) ................. 8

1.3 Case Study of Repatriation: - Going Home (U.S.) ........................................ 10

UAE Labour Law Section 15 - Repatriation of an employee ............................. 11

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1. Process of returning back

1.1 Introduction of Repatriation

Repatriation is a process of returning back from a international assignment to a home country

after completing the assignment or some other issues. Repatriation is the last step in the

expatriation cycle and it involves readjustment and re-entry of international managers and

their families back to their home country. Expatriation and repatriation are not two separated

processes, rather the former is a beginning and the latter the closure. The term may also refer

to the process of converting a foreign currency into the currency of one's own country.

Repatriation Process

1. Preparation: before 3-4 months of expatriate return

Developing plans for future and info about new position

Checklist of items before leaving (closure of bank a/c, bills etc.)

2. Physical Relocation

Removal of personal belongings , breaking ties with friends, colleagues before

returning

Re-entry training for home country's update, socio-cultural contrast orientation,

psychological aspects etc.

3. Transition:

Finding accommodations, school for children, opening bank A/c etc. for comfortable

living.

Relocation consultants used.

4. Readjustment

Coping with aspects as company changes , reverse culture shock and career demands

Example:. Repatriate returning from country where power distance is large as Thailand

may experience stress on returning to small power distance countries like Denmark.

The Importance of Repatriates

The repatriate perspective, here are some of the reasons why repatriated employees are

important:

Expatriates can bring new and unusual approaches to cultural environment,

information gathering, analysis of data, and problem-solving as a result of having work

cross-culturally in an effective manner.

Expatriates may have been more flexible, or less rigid, in changing circumstances. In

that different approaches have been tried in other contexts, they may be able to bring

insights and innovation to the planning process that may not have been considered

previously.

The repatriate who have performed at a high level in a HCN may bring a dimension of

confidence and competence that will enhance his or her value to the company as it

competes in a changing world market.

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1.2 Review of literature:

Article no.1

(Managing employee repatriation)

This article is related with the support practices that HR employees can consider helping

managers develop realistic expectations about their work and non-work lives before

repatriation, making the experience more positive and rewarding for all. In this they define

that there are variety of ways to make contact with them.

By defining an individual's repatriation job status early, they are less likely to worry about

their situation and more likely to concentrate on the job in hand. As a result, they can better

prepare for the repatriation when it eventually occurs.

In this they also consider the impact on work and personal relationships. The change in

interpersonal relationships between repatriates, their colleagues and friends must also be a

significant consideration. Family members and dependants also have a huge impact on the

success of the repatriation. So the company has to decide it is worth to doing it or not. They

have to analyse the each factor before taking a decision regarding repatriation.

In this article they talk about that repatriation woes can be overcome or not. Companies

invest heavily in sending employees for the international assignment when quit within

months and return they are facing a reverse culture shock and unable to adjust in this

environment. Before the international placement they have to look after the factors of their

family.

So when people returning home after a long stint on an international assignment often find it

difficult to adjust to the changes back home. Re-entry can bring on a certain amount

alienation, restlessness, and dissatisfaction akin to an employee's experience when working

in a foreign land. So at the end the organisations could give positive push to readjust in the

company

Article no.2

(Repatriate Cultural Adjustment)

This article is related with the cultural adjustment after coming back from the international

assignment from another country. So this has been one aspect of the expatriate cultural

adjustment process for a long time among persons working with those outbound to an

expatriate assignment.

In working with persons passing through the coming home process identified as repatriation,

the author identified four stages experienced typically by those persons. Repatriates usually

expect to come home to things as they were when they departed on an international

assignment. It usually does not take long for a repatriate to become acutely aware. Cultural

adjustment to one's home culture at re-entry is often more demanding than adjusting to a host

culture.

The employees have experienced inbound cultural adjustment after an expatriate assignment,

so they comments on the four steps suggested for the repatriation process would be

welcomed. If you have a corporate responsibility for expatriates and have not shared their

experience, it is hoped these steps will equip you better for helping meet the needs of those

employees when they go through the coming home experience in repatriation.

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Article no.3

(Repatriating Families: At Risk of Neglect)

This article is related with the risk of neglect the repatriate and repatriating families. The

author found that in working with families returning from international assignments that

large numbers of former expatriates go through experiences when readjusting to their culture

of origin.

So this article they said that Repatriation Services is ready to visit with you about how you

can do at least two things that How you can lessen or eliminate the period of trauma, or

lessen its intensity, among those of your employee families when going through the

repatriation experiences and Reduce the risk of forfeiting your considerable investment on

expatriate employees by conveying to them and their families this vital message as you

provide them resources for repatriation. 1

Article no.4

(Going home successful repatriation of international assignees)

The need to support assignees as they begin international assignments is on the whole well

understood and well provided for by the majority of global organisations, however, the topic of

going home is sometimes overlooked, but the process of repatriation isnt always easy on the

assignee and can result in costly repatriate attrition when you take into account the investment in an

overseas assignment and loss of talent. (18 NOVEMBER 2013)

The good news is that according to the Unigroup Relocation/RES Forum 2012 Global

Mobility Survey 81 per cent of surveyed organisations have some form of repatriation

process for long term assignees although only 53 per cent have a formal policy in place.

Lack of repatriation process

Some of the major issues arising from a lack of repatriation process can include:

Reverse culture shock having become used to and engrained in the host location

culture and way of life many expats will adjust so well that coming home requires

readjustments.

Lack of career progression an inability to use new skills, return to a job of similar or

increased status and a frustration with lack of development can leave many assignees

dis-satisfied on return home. According to the report the primary reason (64 per cent)

1 http://www.ukessays.com/essays/international-studies/process-of-returning-back.php#ixzz2w2S7gSnR

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for assignees leaving their organisation upon repatriation is the lure of a better career

opportunity available externally.

Change in salary, benefits, and adjusting to the requirement to handle their own living

cost expenses again.

Social re-entry re-integrating into social groups (both personal and business) when

you dont recognise any changes in yourself or expect them in your peer group at

home but where inevitably dynamics have shifted.

Formal repatriation policy

If organisation is looking at developing a formal repatriation policy here are some top areas

to consider:

Communicate the repatriation process at the start of the assignment so that the

assignee and their family understand what is going to happen and alleviate concerns

over the end of the assignment.

Give notice of repatriation and plan early this allows you, the assignee and their

family plenty of time to prepare for successful repatriation. According to the report 27

per cent of organisations start planning three to six months before a proposed

repatriation date with 48 per cent planning to two to three months in advance.

Keep in touch throughout assignment support the assignee in maintaining work

connections at their home location, helping them keep up to date with whats going on

at the company, with their colleagues and vice versa. This will help reduce the impact

of potential lack of business relationships on return.

Plan for reintegration, including:

1. Repatriation debriefing - depending on how closely the employee has maintained

their relationship with their home entity during assignment it may be required to

formally debrief in planning reintegration. What new skills does the employee

have, how have their career goals developed? What opportunities will the company

need to provide to retain talent on return?

2. Provide career support According to the survey 49 per cent of respondents provide

career support with a summary of relevant job opportunities available in the home

country entity for employees to apply for whilst 44 per cent of organisations review

experience and skills acquired by the employee during the assignment, and create

relevant role to maximise the return on investment of the assignment.

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Assist with the repatriation process

Assist with the repatriation process this could be in terms of one off financial support (76 per

cent provide an allowance on repatriation. Either a percentage of salary, or a fixed amount)

or Relocation Services, for example:

Tax Support 93 per cent of respondents provide tax return support and a majority

also provides tax briefings

Accommodation support - the vast majority (84 per cent) state that their organisation

pays for temporary accommodation (majority up to 1 month) and 25 per cent provide

house-hunting support to the whole family when required.

Education support - exactly a quarter of respondents provide school search assistance

for the family of the assignee if required. Its important to recognise the impact of

reintegration into the education system on a successful repatriation for assignees

children, take into consideration potential gaps in curriculums, social issues (such as

culture or accents) as well as timing of school terms etc

Cultural training to help long term assignees prepare for reverse culture shock of

reverting to their previous ways of life, even if they dont think that they have changed

much many long term assignees will adjust so well to a new culture that it becomes

second nature, with their home country culture seeming alien on return.

Shipping / Removals - safely and timely return of an assignees belongings can reduce

the stress of returning home and allow a family to settle quickly with familiar things

around them allowing them to feel at home.

Departure services dont forget things like terminating leases and utility contracts,

managing check out inventories and the other tasks involved in leaving the host

country.

Use the skills of the assignee to improve return on investment what can they share,

what can the organisation learn, what skills can they add to future roles.

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Provide on-going support readjustment support/counselling

Support the spouse/family as well as supporting your assignee in successfully

repatriating its important to consider the impact on the family and the negative effect

on an employees satisfaction and performance if the family does not re-integrate so

well. Weve already discussed education support but also consider some career support

for working spouses and extending cultural training and on-going support to the whole

family.2

Article no.5

(Research Shows Repatriated Employees Often Leave for New Jobs)

Workers for big multinational companies who spend time on a foreign assignment have a

higher than normal turnover rate when they come back home, and a new study suggests

thats because they dont feel fully appreciated for their global experience.

Home may not have changed, but it is not the same place because repatriates themselves have changed after having been expatriates, says Maria Kraimer, a professor of management and organizations in the University of Iowas Tippie College of Business who headed the research team.

Those who take international assignments often feel fundamentally different after returning, yet they may not see their development reflected in their treatment by their firms. That tension goes beyond what could be called culture shock, Kraimer says, and leads

repatriates to leave at a higher rate. She notes one recent study that shows 38 percent of

repatriated employees voluntarily quit their firm within the first year of returning to

their home country.

The overall turnover rate is only 13 percent, and this difference considerably increases a

firms costs for recruiting and training the kind of mid- and high-level employees who are most likely to receive international assignments.

For the study, Kraimer and her team of researchers collected data from 112 repatriated

employees through surveys that were emailed to them shortly after their return home,

and then from a follow-up survey sent one year later.

The employees worked for medium to large multinational corporations based in the United

States, UK, Germany, and Australia, and were involved in such sectors as manufacturing,

accounting, technology, finance, and consumer food and beverage.

Of the 90 subjects who responded to both surveys, 17 of them had left their former employer

for a new job, for a 19 percent turnover rate.

2 http://www.relocatemagazine.com/relocation-articles/going-home-successful-repatriation-international-assignees-/1523

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The researchers found that living and working overseas in a new and different culture

changes employees in fundamental ways, to the point where many of them create whole new

identities for themselves. This new identity has a significant international component and

incorporates new meaning and aspirations in terms of how they approach their careers.

Kraimer says repatriates believe this new identity makes them a more valuable employee

than they were before they went overseas. However, the repatriates dont often feel their firms recognize that value, especially when they compare themselves to their co-workers

with no international experience.

When a repatriate perceives her job has less responsibility, respect, pay, or opportunities than the jobs of colleagues without global experience, the repatriate may believe that the

organization does not view her international experience and employee identity in the same

way that she does, Kraimer says.

That perceived lack of respect often leads them to find new jobs.

Kraimer says firms can take steps to reduce repatriate turnover. For instance, firms can use

repatriates to help train other employees about to go on their first international

assignment, or involve them more heavily to develop international strategy, both of

which draw on the employees global experience and shows the organization values that experience.

Firms could also more closely manage expatriates while theyre on international assignments, linking them with other divisions and maintaining close communications to

reinforce their identity with the organization.3

[Kraimers paper, No Place like Home? An Identity Strain Perspective on Repatriate Turnover, was published in the Academy of Management Journal. It was co-authored by Margaret Shaffer and Hong Ren of

the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee and David Harrison of the University of Texas]

3 http://tippie.uiowa.edu/news/story.cfm?id=2904

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1.3 Case Study of Repatriation: - Going Home (U.S.)

Back home and yet Katrina had felt more like she had just left. It had been six long years and

India had proved to be more to her. She prepared herself for the 1st international assignment

out of the USA.

A technical trainer by profession and she had worked for a leading medical transcription

company for 4yrs before the international assignment. The Pre- departure training involved

personal readings and browsing of India and Indian cultural differences and the Indian

customs.

When she back to USA she remembered the first week in Mysore, exploring the city,

unfamiliar with the local language and figuring out what were appropriate questions one

could ask in an interview. She found that the Indian team is very helpful and supportive.

The task was very easy as she assumed. The Indian team was eager to help and assist and

even do things for her. On the work front the task was challenging, hiring was easy and

training was tougher and she surprised to discover a whole new dimension in the Indian

corporate setup. Self learning sessions are replaced with the classrooms and well supervised

training sessions, with detailed time schedule to ensure that the employees climb the learning

curve faster.

A year into the assignment, she married Rob her fianc of 12yrs, her college mate who was

himself a globe-trotting sales executive for an oil company based out of the UAE. Katrina

was pregnant and was excited to have a baby in India. Andrew was raised in a Montessori

school and a English speaking baby sitter take care of him. Katrina had trained a team of 5

trainers.

After 3 yrs of stay in India, she was asked to stay for another 3 yrs and train more people.

India operations were booming and the Indian BPO was making huge profits, Katrina never

wanted to miss this huge event. Suddenly she was repatriated to US headquarters. After

joining the US office Katrina felt out of place and wasn't happy to join back the same team

and office. She was not given any assignment and no tasks were given, she was not asked

what she was doing and to tell her what she was expected to do. Even Andrew was not

feeling good after coming back home, at the day care centre, his friends would laugh at his

strange accent. This all added up to Katrina's misery. Rob used to call her daily from his busy

schedule because he was in the middle of a huge oil contract, which was important for his

promotion.

Katrina was under a huge stress as she had some issues in office and she could even sense the

problems of Andrew and even Rob was not there to support her, so she used to cry after

Andrew went to bed. This will help her to manage the stress. Rob's parents moved in and

asked Katrina to let Andrew go with them, so that she could focus on her carrier and they can

take care of Andrew for a while. Rob's father suggest Katrina to look for a new job as the

skill set she had was a premium one and many company's were looking for such employees

who had International exposure specially from some developing country. Katrina felt really

bad in moving away from the company, as she has been with this company from last 10 yrs

and she felt connected with the company. She never wanted to leave the company and she

never wanted the hard work of 6 yrs to be a part of files and forgotten. She wanted to make a

difference.

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Result: - Readjustment part was missing in relocating Katrina back to US. Readjustment

involves coping with such aspects as company changes, reverse cultural shock and carrier

demands. In this case we can see that Katrina got reverse cultural shock because there she

was not able to adjust in the US when she was back from India. She felt ignored by the

Company and irrelevant to the team back at the US headquarters. She also had no work to do

and no work was assign to her and no one ask her what she had done. She did not know who

to blame.4

UAE Labour Law Section 15 - Repatriation of an employee

Full text of Article 15 of the UAE Labour Law Gulf News

Published: 18:49 July 11, 2013

REPATRIATION OF EMPLOYEE

1. Who bears the repatriation expenses?

At the end of the contract, an employer shall sustain repatriation expenses of the employee to

the place of recruitment or to any other place which the two parties have agreed upon. If the

employee served with another employer at the termination of his contract, the new employer

shall pay the cost of the travel at the end of the service. However, if the employee is

responsible for terminating the contract, he shall be repatriated at his own expense if he has

sufficient means.

2. Does the repatriation of the employee means that the employer has also to pay for

furniture and family members?

If the employer had paid for the travelling expenses of the employee, his family and the

furniture or such provision as stipulated in the contract, the employer then will have to pay

for the family and the furniture and any expenses incurred therewith. However, if at the time

when the contract was commenced there was no agreement on payment of family

repatriation costs or furniture shipment costs and the employer didn't pay for these at the

commencement of the contract, the employer will not be liable to pay the same, unless the

rules within the establishment specify otherwise.

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3. When does the employee have to vacate his accommodation if it was provided to him by

the employer?

In cases where the employer provides accommodation to the employee, the employee shall

be obliged to vacate the premises within a period that does not exceed 30 days from the date

of termination of his services. The employee may not extend this period for whatever reasons

provided that the employer actually pays for the following:

The repatriation expenses as agreed.

End of service benefits and other entitlements which are provided by the labour contract or

the regulation of the establishment.

In case of a dispute between the employer and the employee, the labour office must give the

recommendation of expenses within a week from the date the complaint is filed, and inform

the employee of the amount payable. In such a case, the 30 days will commence from the

date the employee deposits the amount recommended by the labour office with its office as

deposit. In a situation where the premises were not vacated, the Ministry of Labour will order

the vacation of the premises with the assistance of the local police in the emirate concerned.

This of course, is without prejudice to the employee's right to challenge the amount

recommended by the labour office at the court5

5 http://gulfnews.com/uaessentials/ask-the-law/uae-labour-law-section-15-repatriation-of-an-employee-1.1208170