Question

COLLAPSE What kinds of problems do expatriates face when returning home? Identify and describe four of the most important. What can MNCs do to deal with these repatriation problems effectively?

Answer 1

Answer: The following are four major challenges that the expatriates may face while they return home along with the actions that the MNC’s may take for reducing them

1. Changes in the job profile: Often the foreign assignments offer more responsibility and authority to the expatriates as compared to home assignments. Hence when the expatriates come back they fell that their responsibility and authority have reduced. For this purpose the MNC’s should use tools like job enrichment and enlargement for avoiding such issues

2. Changes in the home country environment: There are often changes that have taken place in the home country business environment when the expatriates come back. This can create issues for them. The MNC’s therefore should arrange repatriation training for such people so that they become aware about the changes

3. Personal issues: The friends and acquaintances of such managers may have changed over the time and they may not adjust well with the new friends or loss of friends and feel socially isolated in their own home country. The MNC’s therefore should arrange counseling sessions for such people so that they handle such stress.

4. Uncertainty about the future: International assignments offer better growth opportunities as compared to the domestic ones hence when an expatriate comes back, he or she may face uncertainties’ related with the future prospects. For this purpose the MNC’s should brief the expatriates about their future growth prospects