ExpatRepat Services
by Robert E. "", President
ExpatRepat Services
It would seem apparent to all that an employee of any enterprise who adjusted well to a host culture in an international assignment and performed effectively there would be highly valued. This may be true among some companies. But there is evidence in many companies repatriates do not perceive they are valued. Such a viewpoint among repatriated employees may tend to contribute to the reported 20% of those repatriates who will seek other employment within two years of re-entry.
From the repatriate perspective, here are some of the reasons why repatriated employees are valuable assets:
Their successful international assignment has afforded them a valuable perspective on specific areas of the world, or markets in which the company does business.
As expatriates those employees learned many things that could be useful to those who will be sent to that same country--if--some means could be identified as to how they might be mentors to future expatriate employees. Their skills might include transfer of technology, managing cross-culturally, negotiating in a specific culture, communicating effectively in a host culture, and understanding the history and culture of a country in dimensions that would be invaluable to future international assignees there.
They can bring fresh and unusual approaches to information gathering, analysis of data, and problem-solving as a result of having work cross-culturally in an effective manner.
They may have become more flexible, or less rigid, in changing circumstances. In that different approaches have been tried in other contexts, they may be able to bring insights and innovation to the planning process that may not have been considered previously. This may increase their value to the company when helping it to shift from a domestic to a global perspective.
The returned expatriate who has performed at a high level in a host culture may bring a dimension of confidence and competence that will enhance his or her value to the company as it competes in a changing world market.
Having worked outside the culture of the company and the country, the repatriated employee may well have insights that can effect needed change. That perspective ought to be valued and given a voice within the company.
The repatriated employee will likely bring a greater tolerance for divergent ideas and less structured and orderly contexts in which to work. Rather than to be discouraged by such factors, he or she may be energized when confronted with the need to deal with such factors in daily operations.
The effective international employee may well have gained insights in how to effect a more coordinated group effort than encouraging individual achievement.
What is your Awareness Quotient on repatriate experience? Is your company allowing a potentially valuable resource to be underused, or most tragically—to go unused at all?
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