services for corporate
For corporate multinationals, defense and government organizations
I offer a structured and modular set of services that allows the organization better cope with the challenges of expatriation and repatriation and reduce associated risks:
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Corporate preparation training. This will be conducted through frontal presentation of the program objectives and tools to raise awareness of the challenges and risks and to advise the organization, how to tune and enrich organizational tools to be used within the boundaries of the organization, which tools are made available through the program and how to make effective use of them.
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Expat evaluation program. This is a structure modules that makes use of expatriation candidate assessment purely focused on the expatiation aspects of the assignment, (for example, involving spouse and family aspects that are not touched in typical executive assessments) combining an online questionnaire, processed results and a frontal/video session with the candidate and his/her spouse.
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An expat support consultancy program. This is a 12 hour frontal and video program that is tailored to:
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Put a finger on expatriation risks and deficiencies associated with family structure, family members' status, cultural intelligence, etc
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Prepare and guide the family members towards anticipated challenges and how to cope with them.
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Support the family in the first 6 months after the move and when repatriating.
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Tailored private and/or family sessions
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Culture readiness training
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A seminar to prepare the family to the destination culture
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Business culture seminar to prepare the executive to be better prepared to the destination business culture.
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a problem worth solving
Challenges
Research by Finnacord indicates that, in 2018, there were 56.8M expatriates (defined as people ex-patriated for 6 months to 5 years, on temporary assignments). According to Harvard Business Review, “between 10% and 20% of managers sent abroad returned early because of job dissatisfaction or difficulties in adjusting to a foreign country.” For many other expats, productivity is compromised because of challenges associated directly or indirectly with the move. According to the same research, corporate expats cost between 300K to 1M USD per year, and often constitute the biggest investment in manpower, after the CEO. Nevertheless, HBR reports that “few HR managers—only 11%, according to our research—have ever worked abroad themselves; most have little understanding of a global assignment’s unique personal and professional challenges.”
who is it addressed to?
Recruiters in multinationals, government and military organizations. Recruitment agencies that look to diversify and add unique value to their offering. We also offer a standalone service for private expatriates and their families.
what do I offer to you?
I offer to increase success rate of employee expatriation and repatriation. I achieve that by creating a safe psychological environment for the employee and his/her family throughout the process and by better assessing candidates and their family to the specific challenge of moving, living and operating in a new environment.
For the corporate we achieve increased productivity. For the employee we increase the changes of successful expatriation and repatriation, positive and fulfilling experience.
why me?
I am an experienced professional, specialized in the psychology of the expatriate, experienced in assessing and handling such challenges, and offers a unique set-up and suite of services to cope:
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I offer my services as a third party, maintaining full confidentiality.
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I offer full segregation of services for the organization, the employee, and his/her family separately.
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I provide unique, specialized domain expertise and knowledge. I adapt and grow my research and methodology as I serve more clients.
Here are some common challenges I encounter, and the services I accordingly provide:
Expats are often perceived as wealthy employees and families, so expatriation is regarded as an opportunity for adventure, professional and personal growth, and improvements in quality of life. Organizations, managers, recruiters and colleagues often consider the expatriating employee unlikely to need extra support and attention. In other words, expats can be perceived as “privileged” or looked-after, and are therefore overlooked for certain basic support mechanisms.
It is a fact, however, that expatriation causes strong emotional imbalances, as well as psychological and familial challenges. Many eventually find a new center of gravity, but others hide their struggles; presenting a positive, grateful facade to new friends, neighbours and colleagues. In many families, one or more members suffer considerably. Circumstances drive the family to suppress problems, which are often only handled when they have reached boiling point. The overall estimated rate of total expatriation failure is 10%-20%, but there are many other cases of severe crises that have a significant effect on the employee's performance, stability, and quality of life.
I have grouped some of the common challenges below, though I often encounter a combination of these—and one can trigger another, leading to an emotional snowball.
Almost all expats would testify that—despite their positive façade—they encounter one or more of challenges they hadn’t anticipated and for which they weren’t prepared.
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Anxiety:
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Depression:
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Relationships distress
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Couples’ distress
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Adolescents’ distress
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Challenges in Culture Adaptability