The intercultural challenges of a global relocation are tough on employees; if not pro-actively managed, they become a productivity sink. That’s why effectively managing an expat's transition during a global relocation is so vital to the employee and the company.
Relocated employees are immediately aware of the changes in their surroundings, which means they can no longer operate the way they are used to – on automatic pilot. Everything they see, hear, smell and even taste is open to interpretation. And beyond the physical differences, expats might find coworkers have different behaviors and expectations. In some cases, the people they interact with will speak a different language. Given these and a hundred other little things, it’s no wonder productivity takes a hit after relocation.
There are various strategies to overcome intercultural challenges that can dramatically accelerate the return to full productivity after relocation. Here are five such tips.
1. Insist Upon Cross-Cultural Training
Cross-cultural training provides a foundation for the expat to begin to understand which behaviors might be different and why these behaviors are more common than he or she is used to. Knowing in advance the intercultural challenges he or she will face gives the expat the grounding needed to develop ways to work more effectively in the new location. Coming into the new location armed with success strategies enhances productivity.
2. Recommend Language Training
Even if the expat's language is widely spoken, understanding the local language can be a huge plus. When employees are emotionally charged, they often revert to their home language. Another benefit of local-language classes is that the instructor often explains the appropriate language to use in specific situations; so, in essence, the expat gets a mini cross-cultural course at each lesson. This is a good reinforcement of the cross-cultural training given before the relocation.
Learning the “lingo” – even if it's just greetings or how to buy things in the market – improves the expat's confidence and, hence, their productivity. If the language doesn't use the same alphabet, being able to recognize certain words makes it easier to find the right product in the shops or the right streets when traveling. I learned this the hard way: I accidentally bought dishwashing detergent during one expat assignment when I wanted hair conditioner.
3. Create a Mission Statement
Develop a brief (no more than one page) statement outlining what the company expects the expat to accomplish while on assignment in the new location. Be clear and specific about the goals and deliverables expected, as well as the relative importance of each. Quite often, the local operation hands the expat a long to-do list the day after relocation. Having concrete goals and objectives beforehand allows expats to prioritize their work, which increases their productivity. It also allows them to reduce role ambiguity by discussing the mission statement with the new boss and perhaps even having a three-way conversation with the home location to get everyone on the same page.
4. Assign a Home-Country Mentor
We've all heard the expression, "out of sight, out of mind." Well, once the expat leaves the office, he or she loses touch with the daily pace of life at home, even if they remain on email distribution lists. Feeling out of the loop can increase their sense of isolation, which makes it more difficult to be fully productive. Ideally, a home-country mentor should have been through at least one global relocation, so the person has first-hand experience about the intercultural challenges facing the expat. Suggest a schedule for these chats so they are seen as a priority. During these monthly (or more frequent) conversations, the expat and mentor can discuss how the assignment is going, the status of key goals and objectives, and any areas where the expat might need to improve their performance while there is time to make the change. Expats are more productive when they have clear direction and are certain that they are meeting their deliverables.
5. Ask for a Host Country Mentor
Finally, a host-country mentor can help the expat adapt more readily to the local country and office, as well as provide some of the cross-cultural training needed. Research shows that having a host-country mentor helps reduce expat job stress and increases productivity by providing on-going support and accurate information to better understand the new work environment, job requirements, and office politics. By providing reliable information, the host-country mentor can help mitigate any ambiguity and uncertainty the expatriate feels, which can be a boon for productivity.
Further, when possible, provide a host-country buddy for the family. Experts claim it can take up to one year to fully adjust after relocation. If someone in the expat's family has trouble adapting to the new location, this impacts the expat's productivity, since they will have many distractions that take their focus from the job. Setting the family up with another family can provide that much-needed personal touch.
There is no quick fix to keeping a relocated worker fully productive, but being conscious of intercultural challenges and productivity issues will reap dividends in the end – for the employee and the company.
Want to learn more about how to work effectively with different cultures? 
