Question

Discuss ways and means that Global Management Teams can assure workers and their families can prepare, adapt and repatriate after or during a work assignment.

Answer 1

The process of expatriation and repatriation would be difficult for the employees if not carefully planned and the more difficult part would be repatriation. The Global Management Teams can ensure to prepare, adapt and repatriate the workers and their families by following the below steps.

1. Global Management Teams should provide appropriate training for the employees to cover the cultural differences and the behavioral differences in the host country. The employee should be provided with training on how to execute the job responsibilities and how to adjust to the language and customs in the host country. The expat’s family also should be provided with the cross cultural training to deal with the cultural differences and necessary training on the rules and regulations in the host country to live peacefully.

2. The employee should be compensated with the right compensation approach that would ensure that the expatriation would not negatively impact the employee’s standard of living. Most of the companies use balance sheet approach which focuses on expenses including income taxes, housing, goods and services, and discretionary expenses. Compensation is the most crucial part which ensures employee adaptation to the host country.

3. The Global management Team should make the arrangements to meet the necessities of the family including arranging a good home to stay, arranging schools for school going children of the employee and providing assistance for the spouse to keep engaged through helping to find a job or continue the education.

4. Employees should be provided with certain benefits including medical insurance and educational expense for the kids to meet the necessary expense related to basic needs. This would help the employee to sucessfully cover the additional expenses.

4. Global management team also should make necessary arrangements to ensure the security of the expat in the host country so that the employee can work without any external stress and can deliver best results.

5. Once the assignment is completed the global management team should take the necessary steps to repatriate the employee. The employee should be provided with knowledge on the current scenario in the home office and the chance to establish communication with the home office employees. The employee should be given repatriation services including relocation assistance for the employee and his/her family to return the home country without difficulties and reintegrate with the culture. The employee should be given assistance in finding a suitable position in the company and continue his service.