ASC articles

Repatriering: Hvor er den røde løperen?10. Februar 2012 Utstasjonerte forventer at returen til hjemmelandet vil være problemfri. Logikken "det kan ikke være noe problem å flytte hjem, det livet kjenner vi jo så godt" er vanskelig å rokke. Et år etter retur til hjemlandet er det likevel slik at mange regner repatriering som den tøffeste delen av hele utstasjoneringen. Prosessen er preget av tre faser.
- Stjernefase
- Realitetsorientering
- Tilpassing

Stjernefasen preges av høy aktivitet og stor interesse fra venner, familie og kjente. Flyttelasset skal på plass, hus skal settes i stand, barn skal begynne på norsk skole igjen og gjenoppta kontakt med venner. Kollegaer på jobb viser interesse for utenlandserfaringene i lunsjen. Alt er ikke bare positivt: Frustrerende møter med norsk byråkrati, regler utfordringer på skole og prosesser på jobb kan sette sitt preg. Dettemøtes gjerne med samme problemløsnede holdning som de utstasjonerte ble flinke til i utlandet.

Realiteten melder seg gradvis ettersom livet faller på plass og det er færre oppgaver som må løses. Dagliglivet preges gjerne av et vakuum. Arbeidstaker, som var vant til å være litt spesiell eller unik i utlandet, er nå kun en av mange likemenn; dog uten lokalkunnskapen som har videreutviklet seg i Norge. Ofte er ikke en relevant stilling ledig. Som en repatriert arbeidstaker beskrev det: "Jeg har en lønn fra selskapet, bare ikke en jobb". Ledsager begynner å oppdatere CV'en og sette seg inn i jobbsøkerprosesser, som har endret seg drastisk fra sist prosessen ble gjennomgått. Barn oppdager at livet, både faglig og sosialt, har fortsatt i en litt annen bane enn sin egen. Hele familien merker at goder de ble vant med i utlandet ikke lenger er tilgjengelig.

Tilpasningsstadiet preges av at arbeidstaker finner en interessant og relevant stilling hos arbeidsgiver, hvor det er mulighet til å bruke kompetanser utviklet i utlandet. Ledsager finner en jobb som virker meningsfylt og kommer inn i et sosialt miljø. Barn tilpasser seg skolemiljøet og lærer å fokusere på de fagene de er relativt svake i. Familien finner også andre goder å verdsette, som erstatter de som var i utlandet.

Tiden det tar en repatriert arbeidstaker, med eller uten familie å nå tilpassningsstadiet varierer. Flere opplever at det tar mellom et og to år Perioden er en stor stressende, og kan bidra til en følelse av misnøye med selskapet. Tilsvarende får ikke selskapet utnyttet den ansattes fulle potensialet før de når dette stadiet. For familier med barn og tenåringer kan det være kritisk for utdannelsen at prosessen går raskt og de rette valgene tas. Feil valg kan i beste fall resultere at ungdom må ta opp eksamener, i verste gå glipp av muligheter.. ASC tilbyr kurs for arbeidstagere og deres familier som har returnert til hjemlandet etter utstasjonering. Fokus for kurset er å bevisstgjøring rundt prosessen knyttet til retur og gi bistand i hvordan møte forskjellige utfordringer på best mulig måte.

How we say is as important as what we say, and varies between cultures. 12. November 2011 We communicate constantly and take for granted that we know the form that works.  A closer analysis, however, reveals that this may not be universally true and that there are distinct cultural differences.  This is also the case for two core functions of communication:*

• Message information
• Relational maintenance

We are familiar as to how we adapt the balance of these communication aspects, depending on a given setting, ranging from paying for groceries in a shop, to talking to our grandmother. However, in a given situation, the variance in balance between cultures is less well understood. For example, when entering a busy coffee shop in the USA a shop assistant will ask: “how are you today”. After having come in three days in a row, one becomes a regular, and questions like: “so what are you working on today” may arise, indicating that the customer is recognized and valued. In Germany, attention is given to titles and rank in business meeting, failing to give these is a serious lack of courtesy. A Norwegian engineer at a local firm in Germany was reprimanded for not using the correct hierarchical sequence of addresses when Carbon Copying an email to all members of his team. Relational aspects are even more important in the Middle East and Asian countries like Korea and Japan, and will take a significant portion of the initial communication.

Norwegians tend to focus on the message aspect of a communication and can get impatient with others who do not. This impatience can be met by a feeling that the Norwegian is cold, harsh and impersonal. Both reactions are natural and valid, and distract from the reason for communication, as each party is trying to understand the other in an uncomfortable setting, rather than the core message. When one or both parties adapt, attention is refocus on the matter at hand. Recognizing the expected balance of a given situation and having the ability to adapt, greatly increases the level of communication.

Even more challenging than adapting in a personal meeting, is finding the right balance in electronic communications may be even more challenging that adapting in a personal meeting.**. A meeting in person allows us to adapt to cues from the other party, Conversely, when writing an e-mail and with no cues to guide our writing, we tend to revert to our normal underlying assumptions and tone. Similarly, the recipient will use his or her own cultural perspective and assumptions when reading, opening up for unfortunate or unhelpful  misunderstandings. This is especially apparent when using literary devices such as irony, sarcasm and humor.

At the ASC courses, participants are taught the value of finding these balances and given tools for how to employ them.

* Yuri Miyamoto, Norbert Schwarz, When conveying a message may hurt the relationship: Cultural differences in the difficulty of using an answering machine, Journal of Experimental Social Psychology, Volume 42, Issue 4, July 2006

** Justin Kruger, Nicholas Epley, Jason Parker, Zhi-Wen Ng, Egocentrism Over E-Mail: Can We Communicate as Well as We Think?, Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, Volume 89, Issue 6, December 2005.

Expatriation increases creativity15. September 2011

Current research* shows a marked increase in a person's creativity as a result of having lived abroad. When adapting to life abroad the expatriate sees how things are done differently by locals and starts to explore the reasons for the differences. This in turn leads expatriates to question some of their own basic assumptions. An example can be typical customs for greeting new people at a business meeting. Whereas in Norway it is common to start with the person closest to you, one is expected to follow rank in India and China, starting with the most senior. The repeated process of accepting that there  is more than one solution to a given situation, leads to a learning  situation which causes the brain to become more creative. As this is a process of learning, it causes permanent change in the mind. These developments are not seen in tourists or people who travel on business, as a key to the learning experience is a constant stream of learning situations over an extended period of time.

The results apply to expatriates who adapt to the host culture and who then become more flexible in their demeanor. However, this is not the case for all, as moving abroad is a stressful process and often leads to a culture shock. A certain proportion of expatriates deal with this difficult situation by clinging  to own cultural beliefs, norms and values more than they otherwise would. These expatriates tend to become more rigid in their thinking.

Successful cultural adaption  is associated with factors such as having social interaction with host country nationals and learning about the local culture. An important aspect  is for the expatriate to seek insight and understanding for the underlying reasons for the local customs. In turn, this knowledge is used to make sense of other aspects of the culture. In the example above, about greeting rituals, a Norwegian who understands the fundamental reasons for greeting the most senior first, such as the importance of face, respect and hierarchy in China and India, can then use this learning in other contexts and situations.

Participants at the ASC courses are encouraged to explore the logic behind various customs so as to gain a deeper understanding and respect. Examples and cases are included in various aspects such as etiquette and morals, and can be posed such as: "Why do men in Arab countries hold hands?"
To learn more, watch the ten minute interview with William Maddux.

Ethics: tools for your moral compass when living abroad9. August 2011 Different cultures have different moral values, both in the business and social setting. Much time and resources are devoted to ethics in the business world, where companies strive to maintain their ethical standards throughout their operations. Part of the relocation experience is outside the business climate, where the expatriate and accompanying family is often less prepared to deal with the differences, as they arise within the social and everyday life. Although this is most apparent when relocating to a country that is culturally very different, the challenges are at least as great when in the process of integrating to a country with apparently similar values.  In the latter case, it may take critically vital time to identify the importantly slight differences.  Such arenas to be aware of can include social hierarchy, child rearing, petty bribery, social values and alcohol consumption to name but a few.

A common question expatriates ask is: Should we adapt to local customs, or should we hold true to our own values? Research* distinguishes these two approaches as:

• Cultural relativism
• Ethical imperialism

Etiquette: enhance and direct your communication when abroad9. May 2011 Working and building a social network abroad often demands interaction and acceptance of local groups. In social psychology this is known as gaining entry to the “in group”. First impressions and adherence to local etiquette can help or hinder acceptance to these groups, as the current members respond to how they identify with the newcomer.

To understand how one is perceived, one needs first to look at how, and what, one communicates. When meeting a new person, the first communications consist of different signals which are interpreted by the recipient. These signals are observed through various channels, including:
• The word base
• Body language
• Tone and language
• Dress and etiquette

A typical visual example would be the Norwegian businessman meeting an Arab businesswoman in an Abaya, where there are clear issues including suitable attire, whether to shake hands and topics of conversation. Whereas most Norwegians working in the Arab countries are aware of these signals, less attention is often given when meeting a British businessman or woman, where the same issues are relevant, and practice different from Norway.

The part most people focus on when communicating are the words used, which, in the long run, are also the dominant and most important. In the early stages of a relationship, other signals are important and correct handling of these can help communicating a given message.

To understand the relative importance of various signals, the red line in the graph below indicates the necessary amount of signals needed to make sense of a communication. The word base alone is not sufficient, so the recipient uses other signals available to achieve understanding. As the relationship deepens, there is an abundance of signals to choose from, thus allowing the recipient to filter out the unnecessary. For example, the first time one meets a new colleague, one notices the choice of clothes, the dialect, the courtesy shown, the perfume, tone of voice, language, perceived competence etc. Over time, one filters out and stops noticing aspects that are seen as unimportant, such as dialect, perfume, language and even choice of clothes; and focuses more on demonstrated competence.

It thus follows that knowledge and control of the non-verbal aspects merit attention and can be leveraged profitably.

A rule of thumb for good etiquette is to meet the local expectations of our host. Although a universal description, it requires us to adjust our behavior to our current location and situation. Common aspects to consider include:
• Body language
• Dress
• Dining
• Language
• Greetings and small talk

By rapidly seeing and assimilating to local expectations, the newcomer can then more easily enter the wanted "in - group", or by distinguishing from the expectations, signal that something will now be done differently.

Although believe they are able to see past such non-verbal signals, current research (Nelissen & Meijers*) shows how people strongly react subconsciously, even to discrete signals like a desirable clothing brand label.

The importance of correct etiquette is often not valued by traveling professionals from Norway. One reason for this is past experience apparently suggesting the contrary. An example is a Norwegian software engineer who had been told that all professionals in the USA wear suits to work. On arriving at the office in Silicon Valley, he saw all around him people dressed casually; thus negating the instruction he had got in Norway.

When working internationally it is important to remember that all groups have their unique signals, the key is to identify what they are, assimilate where possible, and distinguish where necessary, so as to best communicate the desired message. At the ASC courses we discuss the various relevant areas tone should be aware of, various methods to leverage differences and then offer strategies for picking up relevant practices.

Citation:
* Social benefits of luxury brands as costly signals of wealth and status
Rob M.A. Nelissen, Marijn H.C. Meijers
Evolution & Human Behavior - 18 March 2011

The expatriate spouse - a productive and positive experience31. March 2011

Accepting an expatriation opportunity may, for the spouse, entail putting ones career and personal life on hold. The first period abroad is often characterized by a need to make routines for daily life, build a social network and find meaningful activities. Succeeding at this is often more demanding than assumed, and the spouse’s level of satisfaction can often be seen in proportion to these factors.
The new routines for daily life which one considered mundane at home, can include locating groceries, clothes, recreational services, transport, furniture and other items for the house. In a conversation with a group of returned spouses from Houston, things like choosing the “right” cereal from the vast selection in the supermarket was keenly remembered as a stressful factor. For spouses traveling with children, organizing their logistics adds further to the strain.

Having arrived at a new destination, most spouses need to build a group of friends. These friends often become very close as one relies heavily on them. Unless this network is created early, the feeling of isolation is likely to grow, thus making the expatriate life even more difficult. Many spouses experience that the lifestyle established abroad is such that few in the home network can relate to it. One important difference arises from the unfamiliar expectations attached to gender roles found most places outside Scandinavia.

The first period abroad is usually spent settling in to the new home and making friends. In the medium term it is important to find meaningful activities. What this constitutes is individual and can span from doing voluntary work, further education either at the new destination or through distance learning, specializing in a hobby, to continuing one’s own job from abroad. Depending on the type and level of activity, a framework and support needs to be established.

At the ASC seminar we cover these topics, preparing the expatriate unit for the challenges of the first period, offering strategies for solving them. In addition to practical and specific advice, we also teach practical cross cultural communications skills and understanding, which are valuable when making sense of one’s new home, and in getting to know people from different countries and cultures in the new network.

As the range of possible activities is large, the course focuses on how to evaluate what one wants to do, what the possibilities are and how to implement the plans. Topics can include how to locate suitable education options, setting up one’s own office, hiring help for the house when both are going to work and how to plan for hobbies.

The period abroad can go by very fast and the reward is proportional to the effort one puts in. The possibilities are vast, we want to help as many spouses as possible to find the expatriation a valuable experience.

Preparing expatriate children for acceptance to international schools27. October 2010

• Deciding on which school in the area will best suit the children, often choosing between the American, Canadian, British or International Baccalaureate systems at International Schools
• Getting a teacher / school report from the local school in Norway, in a format which will convey the information expected and required by the international school
• Parents and teachers completing the application form, understanding the implications of the various choices and available answers.
• Preparing the child/teenager for any applicable English language, math and reasoning tests for admission or placement
• Preparing teenagers for admissions interviews, where they show a reflected side of themselves

Expatriates experience high levels of stress in the relocation process3. October 2010

In his research Robert J. Brown (2008*) found that expatriate couples experience stress during international assignments. He categorized the factors causing stress into four groups, which were felt by both the employee and the spouse.

By using the life change units (LCU) scale presented by Mark Miller & Richard Rahe (1997**) it is possible to estimate an approximated level of stress for expatriate couples. The table below includes events an expatriate couple will experience when relocating.

Six month totals equal to or greater than 300 LCU, or 1-year totals equal to or greater than 500 LCU, are considered indicative of high recent life stress.

For expatriate families, additional stress factors relating to schooling and the children's adaption are to be expected.

With correct preparation, expatriates and their families are able to plan for, and recognize challenges as they arise, and are therefore better able to deal with them in an effective manner, thus reducing the experienced stress levels.

* Brown, Robert J.(2008) "Dominant stressors on expatriate couples during international assignments", The International Journal of Human Resource Management, 19: 6, 1018 — 1034

** Miller, Mark A. and Rahe, Richard H.(1997); "Life changes scaling for the 1990s"; Journal of Psychosomatic Research, Vol. 43, No. 3, pp. 279-292

Recommended reading for traveling with kids23. September 2010

Whether you are simply preparing for holiday or for that long plane journey to a new life far away, we heartily recommend William Gray’s “Travel with Kids”.  In this book you'll find suggestions for just about any situation, practical advice for planning, ideas for making the trip seem more fun for the little ones and sensible encouragement to meet the challenges of great destinations such as Wild Life Parks.

Families with children under one year old will also find "The Rough Guide to Travel with Babies" by Fawzia Rasheed de Francisco an inspiring read.  Both these books and many more especially relevant to particular destinations are featured on the ASC recommended books lists.