The struggles faced are not just experienced by new expats integrating into the workplace but also those that are months or even years into their assignment; struggles that could have been avoided with the correct professional support and preparation.
As an expat coach, too often I have seen the negative effects of international assignees not having the emotional support to integrate quickly and effectively into the workplace. A successful assignment is as much about coping with the emotional challenges of an international move as much as the logistics of the relocation. Once the relocation support involved in the preparation of the move, the shipping, immigration, accommodation search, etc., is completed, individuals are then left completely alone and expected to hit the ground running in their host country with no further support. Feelings of homesickness, isolation, depression and loss of identity become inevitable culprits and have a serious knock-on effect in the workplace.
So, how do you successfully integrate quickly into the workplace without overwhelm, loneliness and stress? How do you increase your productivity and make your assignment a successful one? The following are just some of the most influential but often underestimated tips to ensuring you have the best start to an enriched working life overseas.
Adapt to cultural differences
The key to your survival abroad! Many companies offer some cultural training classes, but preparation needs to go further than this. From my 10 years' of experience working with expatriates, I have noticed that cross-cultural training plays the most critical role in assignee adjustment. Conducting research in advance of the host country's cultural norms and local laws allows you to understand behaviors and practices in other countries and is a vital element to succeeding in your career abroad.
Having an understanding of basic cultural differences decreases unnecessary conflicts and major miscommunication in the workplace. Instead, it will increase your effectiveness in a cross-cultural setting where you can fully relate and interact effectively with your colleagues. Communication nuances play a very powerful role in your daily interactions with others, and taking the time to educate yourself on these is essential.
Some things to research include how people communicate with each other in the office. In many cultures, non-verbal communication, such as facial expressions and hand gestures, is more crucial than verbal language when doing business. For example, the British can often use sense of humor as a way to reduce tension during negotiation, but other cultures will not. Are there hierarchical relations? Are decisions taken as a team, or does seniority define the decision?
To develop your intercultural intelligence, it is fundamental to spend a couple of weeks just observing and listening to your colleagues, stay humble, empathetic, openminded and respect the new norms. Cultural differences can often be small and require just the slightest change in behaviors. Being aware of these can significantly increase your positive attitude and confidence in the workplace and better set you up for effective integration.
Utilize a buddy system, network and make friends quickly
The power of having the space to talk to someone is underestimated. Frequently, the most effective way of truly getting a feel for a country is talking to somebody who already lives and works there. It helps iron out any worries and concerns and allows assignees to gain accurate insight into the daily realities of living abroad and corporate culture.
Some employers provide formal global buddy programs, which have been shown to significantly ease the transition for expatriates, both improving retention and productivity. Many of my clients who have been able to partner with a buddy have reinforced the importance and value of this; being educated on host-office norms and informally introduced to friends and networks significantly strengthened their happiness and credibility in the workplace.
Having a colleague to provide inside knowledge on personal admin, such as where best to get groceries, receive medical care and eat out, for example, contributes to alleviating stress for both the assignee and their family. This, in turn, speeds up the process of settling in and further minimizes the time it takes to operate at peak productivity.
Take the time to settle in and be kind to yourself
Understand that the first month is a period of adjustment, and don't put too much pressure on yourself. It takes time to get used to how things are done, find the post office and doctors, learn how things work, and sort out admin such as bank accounts. Processes in other countries can be slower than you are used to, and this can be infuriating. This is something I empathize strongly with, where getting a birth certificate during my time in South East Asia took 6 months!
You're not going to feel at home overnight but implementing some form of routine often helps many to balance their personal life whilst integrating into the workplace. Focus on little wins and organize regular calls with friends and family at home to maintain some form of familiarity. For some expats it may take months, even years, to settle and to really feel at home in a host location. Putting too high expectations on yourself will only lead to disappointment and demotivation in the workplace.
Communicate
Keeping in regular contact with your line manager is essential to a successful assignment, not only to keep in the loop on a professional front but also to reduce the feeling of isolation. Regular check-ins provide the ideal opportunity to highlight any issues and what can be improved. This also applies to the support for your family. If your family is not receiving adequate support, it is unlikely that you will be performing to your full potential in the workplace.
Frequent contact with both home and host HR teams and line managers also increases your engagement within the company; being able to connect with your host company's goals and values will reinforce your willingness to fully support the company's success. Communication should continue throughout the assignment, not decrease after the first few weeks.
Learn the language
Obvious but often overlooked, language is the key to cultural integration and a sense of belonging. Even if the host country office is predominantly English speaking, some form of language tuition is beneficial as some gestures and words can come across as offensive in some cultures.
If your employer does not provide any language courses within the pre-departure training, it is well worth taking the time to find a tutor. Use language apps, watch YouTube videos or subtitled TV, and fully immerse yourself in the society of your destination country, speak the local language at every opportunity; it can be surprising how much your skills can improve over just a couple of weeks!
Having an understanding of just the basics of an unfamiliar language will significantly boost your confidence in the workplace, ability to integrate and leads to a smoother transition overall. Being able to talk to local people and socialize minimizes the common feelings of homesickness, loss of identity and isolation, and instead ensures you get the most out of your new expat life.
Expat coaching
An expat coach speeds up the process of integration into your host country and can be your best ally and a key partner to a successful relocation. They save you stress and time, both of which are limited when moving overseas, and bring emotional and practical support to both you and your family. An expat coach supports and ensures you make progress every day, keeping you motivated and accountable for your goals. They can immediately empathize with your situation and act as a sounding board to ensure you continue to grow and level up in both your professional and personal life. Expats who have partnered with a coach are much more effective and influential with others in the workplace, reporting that they accomplish tasks and projects much more efficiently. Expat coaches are used to overcome the increasing negative feelings of expat life and instead ensure you continue to move forward, to hit the ground running upon arrival into the host country so the focus can be spent on adjusting to your new job role.
Conclusion
How successfully you and your family settle in sets the tone for the assignment. More international work assignments fail as a result of personal reasons than they do for commercial reasons. If you are having challenges with any aspect of your assignment, it will most likely translate into your work.
Although many of the tips sound obvious, they can be easily forgotten amongst the chaos of a move and can be underestimated. Actioning the above steps will enable you to start to work more relaxed and be more productive. It will ensure successful integration and assignment overall.
