ExpatRepat Services
by Robert E. "", President
ExpatRepat Services
There obviously are criteria by which employers decide who to send to fill an assignment in another nation. At the top of the list is probably an emphasis upon the professional competence of the employee, or employees, being considered. But are there other facets of screening needed?
ExpatRepat Services was contacted in the past by a major employer with a special need. A manager in International HR phoned to ask if we could help them solve a problem. When the nature of the problem in need of attention was described, we learned a top ranking domestic executive and his or her spouse had been sent on an international assignment. The executive was a top performing leader in the company. Yet, when this family was sent on an expatriate assignment, something unforeseen occurred. The high performing executive in domestic operations was unable to perform appropriately in a host country. It was not indicated whether it was the inability of the employee to adjust to the host culture or that of the accompanying spouse. It might have been either or both of them.
We were asked: "Can you help us create a pool of potential expatriate employees, or employee families, who would have a high degree of potential for adjusting well to a host culture so that they would be able to perform there effectively?"
We replied such was possible, but that those we would identify as having great potential for being able to adjust well to a host culture, would need additional assistance. We would recommend that they be given training in how to adjust to the specific host country to which they might be assigned.
This company had experienced a large amount of unbudgeted expense in that aborted assignment. Typically the unforseen cost ranges from $250,000 to more than $1 million. A less expensive approach was being sought in order to be prudent. We were able to design a solution for them that faced this challenge quickly.
This company was invited to identify any number of employees, or employees and spouses, likely to be considered for an expatriate assignment. We were invited to work with 15 employees, 14 of whom were married. Next, we worked with those 29 employees and spouses administering to each an appropriate assessment instrument to determine the level each would have in adjusting to any host culture. The 29 happened to live in six countries on four continents. All spoke English. We promptly administered the instrument to each of the 29 participants. It was computer scored. Additionally, we obtained an assessment from the immediate supervisor for each of the 15 employee's regarding his or her perceptions of that employee's potential for adjustment and performance in an expatriate assignment.
With a profile sheet before us on the findings of each individual screened, we had a reliable prediction on the percent of risk involved for each participant in the process to adjust to a host culture. By telephone, we conducted a behavioral interview with each employee, or employee and spouse, to give feedback on 14 factors research has found to impact adjustment to another culture. Our task was not to say whether or not an employee, or employee and spouse, should be sent on the assignment. Decisions on that matter were the responsibility of management. Yet, we did provide management with a written report on each employee, or employee and spouse, based on the computer graded responses regarding the level of risk of each participant in being able to adjust to a host culture, along with our perceptions from the personal telephone interview and the perceptions of the immediate supervisor.
The outcomes of the screening were immediately beneficial. The benefit was to each employee, or employee and spouse regarding their strength or challenges likely to be faced in the event they were sent to work in another host culture. Management received a written assessment by which they would be able to know the level of risk each employee, or employee and spouse, would face in being able to adjust to the host culture in an expatriate assignment. Even 24 months later, the findings in that screening service proved to be useful when considering a possible assignment of one employee later considered for an expatriate assignment.
What questions do you have about assessment and screening of potential expatriate candidates? For immediate assistance, contact us.
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