Cross-cultural training is an essential component of any multinational organization’s relocation process. Training is a tool that optimizes corporate position within the global arena — where cultural factors impact all aspects of business — by educating and preparing corporations, managers, employees and families, by maximizing their cross-cultural adjustment, and by assisting in the prevention of premature returns.
These are all areas of concern for the corporation, the employee, and the accompanying family. Businesses that intend to operate and individuals who intend to function successfully in more than one culture need to be able to adjust their cultural predispositions (corporate and national) to those of the host countries.
Some of the benefits of cross-cultural training are evident when there is a need for home and host managers to understand what the expatriate is experiencing, a need for communication between offices in different cultures, or a need for managers of different cultures to understand each other, whether or not there is an expatriate involved.
In preparing for an expatriate assignment, corporations have to answer a number of questions around timing, depth and length, location and expectations of training. These issues often stand in the way of successful implementation, to the detriment of the expatriate assignment. So it is extremely important that organizations come to an understanding of these issues before embarking on a relocation assignment.
Finding the time
The turnaround from an assignee’s selection to departure tends to be short and, once the decision is made, corporations often want their employees positioned abroad as soon as possible. As a result, cross-cultural training must be implemented within a short window of time.
From the corporate perspective, human resource professionals wonder whether training can be accomplished in addition to completing imperative administrative needs. Another element of corporate resistance is the fact that many human resource professionals have not had expatriate experience themselves, and are easily persuaded that there is a lack of time, hence lack of need, for training.
Additional corporate resistance to cross-cultural training is often of a short-term financial nature. Organizations are hesitant to incur the expense of training in addition to other costs related to the move. The long-term reality is, however, that a failed assignment can represent a considerable financial loss — anywhere between $250,000 and $1,000,000 — and the primary reason for poor employee performance on international assignment is the difficulty experienced by the family in adjusting to the host country.
Family matters
For families, the pressure of accomplishing “a thousand and one” personal tasks means that the inclusion of training becomes a chore to wrestle with. Faced with all that needs to be done, blocking off two to three days or more for training can be a challenge. Yet this challenge is one that clearly needs to be met, when one considers that bewildering cultural differences and family adjustment problems are the most common reasons for assignment failure. Cross-cultural training assists families in the challenge of adjustment abroad and encourages them in this ongoing opportunity for growth.
Employees well-informed of the advantages of cross-cultural training with sufficient lead time often approach the training as a beneficial orientation, rather than as just one more item to accomplish in their hectic pre-departure schedule.
In addition, often expatriates have visited the host country, or have had previous expatriate experience. Their comfort level with the business culture may mean that they neglect to see the need for training of the family. With little time before departure, cross-cultural training may be seen as an “extra,” which can be foregone. However, although the expatriate may have had extensive exposure to the host culture, family members often have had little or none, and are ill-prepared for the emotional experience of leaving behind all that is familiar, and in developing skills to deal with adjustments that will need to be made.
The preoccupation of the corporation and the family with the logistics of the move, combined with an underestimation of its impact, may mean that focusing on the scheduling of training appears unnecessary and irrelevant. Factors such as those mentioned above may minimize the need for training in the eyes of the corporation, employee and family, affecting the attitude of the corporation toward cross-cultural training.
Corporate culture can be supportive or resistant to cross-cultural training. A supportive corporate culture can enhance the productivity of an assignee by lessening the uncertainty of support while on assignment, thereby freeing up energies which can be focused upon the job at hand.
In-depth training
for expat success
North Americans are accustomed to an instant society: instant coffee, instant photos, instant information and instant service. One effect of this is that instant adjustment and adaptation is often expected of people who have undergone cross-cultural training, so companies feel that giving minimal training — regardless of the host country — is sufficient. North American companies need to learn that the depth of training is a pivotal piece of the preparation process, where depth includes extensive preparation on day-to-day business issues and living within the host culture.
In the global market today there is an indisputable need for human resource systems that encourage and exhibit individual and corporate global competence. Of particular value are globally competent managers who understand a diversity of foreign markets and cultures, who can interact with people from other countries, and have the skills to effectively live and work outside of their own countries. This competence is developed only by giving expatriates in-depth cross-cultural training.
From the corporate perspective, in-depth cross-cultural training is essential as a tool for maximizing performance. For the most part, assignments are relatively short, and employees need to be capable of exercizing their adaptability from the point of landing. With this in mind, superficial training that addresses isolated facts about the host country while ignoring in-depth cross-cultural information is essentially a waste of money and time.
Conversely, a comprehensive survey of issues related to cultural adaptation and cross-cultural skills can result in assignees who exhibit competence and posses self-awareness to minimize the effect of obstacles encountered by most expatriates, for example, culture shock or feelings of isolation.
Employees tend to think of relocation solely in terms of their job within the corporation, rather than looking at the whole picture. A broader perspective allows the assignee the chance to become aware of and prepare for other aspects of the move including, cultural differences, culture shock, family adjustment, and so on, all of which can have a direct or indirect impact on their performance at work.
In addition, customized training sessions optimize what time is available by focusing on issues of particular concern to each individual, family and corporation. The process of acquiring the skills for adaptation cannot be completed in a matter of hours, nor is it a process that can be accomplished merely by reading a book, or a series of articles, or watching a video.
Preparation for an international assignment requires both an experiential component and an in-depth study of the host culture. Not only does an assignee have to understand the generic cross-cultural differences between people but must be able to understand those differences that are embedded within a corporate culture.
With regard to families, not only do expatriates require the generic information about cross-cultural living, but also the knowledge necessary for functioning within the new society on a day-to-day basis. For example, language training could be integrated into cross-cultural training and should be encouraged to continue in the new culture, facilitating adaptation and enhancing coping skills. Other areas of in-depth focus may include host culture perceptions of proper etiquette, visiting practices and conflict management skills.
In order to maximize performance of expatriate employees and families in business and daily life, effective cross-cultural adaptation requires thorough planning, needs assessment, co-operation between the corporation and the expatriate, and expertise on the part of trainers who oversee this process.
Where to train
The issues of timing, and depth and length of training leads to the question of location of training. In most cases cross-cultural training takes place in the weeks or days prior to the move. Pre-departure training is often assumed by corporations, employees and families to be the only option, thereby increasing resistance on the part of all concerned due to time constraints. With an eye to these pressures on all concerned, training must be provided in the home country, host country or both, as required.
The issue of best location for training can be resolved by conducting a proper assessment of the expatriates and their families, the time constraints they are under, the locations available, and the depth and length of training that they require.
In many cases pre-departure preparation in the home country is sufficient. For some participants, the ideal combination may be of training taking place prior to departure as well as after arrival in the host country. Under other circumstances the entire cross-cultural training may be done in the host country — ideally within four to eight weeks after arrival — when the family is somewhat settled and positioned to absorb the information.
The key to success is the greatest flexibility and adaptability when offering services in both the home and host sites. Furthermore, when training is provided at a combination of locations, co-operation between the trainers is imperative to ensure that the family receives consistent training without redundancy.
Establish realistic expectations
Along with the issues of time constraints, depth requirements and training location, unclear expectations regarding the scope and results of cross-cultural training can lead to misunderstandings and resistance on the part of corporations and individuals.
Corporations that are going global and are reluctant to use cross-cultural training may have a culture that does not understand the impact of such training. The underlying assumption is that the technical job is of sole importance and that relocating an executive from Toronto to Beijing will play out in the same way as a relocation from Toronto to Ottawa. At other times, corporations and expatriates assume that the sole focus of all training will be on the workplace, minimizing the importance of daily living and family issues.
On occasion the corporation, the individual expatriates and their families have somewhat unrealistic expectations of what cross-cultural training can accomplish.
It is unrealistic to expect that after cross-cultural training is completed they will be expert in daily activities such as knowing where to find housing, specific area orientations, people to contact, where to buy North American-type foods, and where to find western-style facilities and services.
This type of need is best served by way of providing host country destination services that orient the employee, rather than cross-cultural training.
Cross-cultural training is aimed at developing an understanding of both the business and day-to-day living aspects of the host culture. The primary objective of the training process is to assist with cross-cultural adaptation issues and prepare for the integration of all family members in their new lives. Further goals and objectives of cross-cultural training include:
•providing background learning about the host country with regard to the culture, the history, the religion, the economy;
•facilitating the adaptation process and the acquisition of cross-cultural awareness skills in the area of business, and managing and supervising employees;
•providing information on business conditions, ethics, etiquette and conflict-resolution; and
•developing the ability to explore the attitudes and relationships both within their own work culture and between members of different corporations and cultures. On the family side, the training provides culturally-specific information on issues of everyday living and addresses the individual needs of the participants.
Research has found that a positive relationship exists between realistic expectations and cross-cultural adjustment. Related pre-departure training helps expatriates develop these realistic expectations of their experiences in the host culture.
Successful expatriates find that business and social networking are facilitated by cross-cultural training, because people are prepared for cultural differences and learn about how to access support and build connections to the host culture while maintaining communication with the home location.
Basic information about host cultural norms, such as typical greetings, gestures and what they mean can also facilitate the adjustment of individuals and their families to host cultures, and may ease the transition.
Ensuring proper expectations about what cross-cultural training can and cannot do is of utmost importance. Once a clear understanding of the goals and objectives of cross-cultural training is attained, the businesses, employees and families concerned have an appreciation of the significance of cross-cultural awareness and adjustment processes.
Training: an integral part
of expat training
Multinational companies need to develop an understanding of national cultures in order to be successful in the global arena, as national culture pervades corporate culture and affects negotiations, marketing, organizational structures and general functioning. Employees who have the skills needed to adjust and adapt to a new culture have a definite edge in the global arena, as do the corporations which support and advocate such cross-cultural learning.
This global competence means that the corporation, the relocating employee, and the relocating family will be able to integrate with other cultures.
Cross-cultural training is one intervention embedded within an entire area of preparation for expatriates and their families. The questions of timing, depth, location and expectations regarding cross-cultural training are faced by corporations and the training organizations servicing them when implementing effective training programs.
To say that cross-cultural training guarantees the success of international assignments would be inaccurate, however as an integral ingredient in terms of preparing employees and as a preventative measure for premature returns due to personal and family reasons, cross-cultural training is an essential service. It is important to note that cross-cultural training is not only an issue for personal and family cross-cultural adaptation, it is an intervention that brings practical and profitable solutions to any multinational organization.
Allon Bross is the president of FGI, which offers global relocation support services in over 100 countries worldwide. FGI’s head office is in Toronto.
Adrienne Churchill is the resource co-ordinator for FGI, where she specializes in the research and preparation of cross-cultural training materials.
And Judi Zifkin is the director of Cross-cultural Training and Destination Services for FGI, where she oversees worldwide provision of these services. They can be reached at (905) 886-2157 or 1-800-263-4533.
Recommendations for successful training
Cross-cultural training for individual expatriates and their families should be incorporated as a standardized preparatory tool for a successful international assignment. The following are recommendations for corporations with regard to implementing this essential service:
1. Cross-cultural training should be considered a mandatory process. In view of the ability to provide training in the home country, host country (or both), the issue of the timing of training becomes of less importance.
2. The location of training should be established in accordance with the needs of the family as part of the preparation process, and corporations need to accept that training can be done in home or host country. This position should be integrated into the thinking process about applying cross-cultural training.
3. The depth of training is of utmost importance. If corporations are going to provide cross-cultural training, it needs to be done properly, with depth and with care.
4. Families must be incorporated into the training process. Training for expatriates alone is only sufficient if the expatriate is on an individualized assignment.
5. Language training should be incorporated into cross-cultural training wherever possible and should be encouraged as an ongoing aspect of the assignment.
6. Education and expectations of training must be laid out by training companies for international human resource professionals and in turn be easily translated for the preparation of each individual expatriate. This can be through appropriate written information being prepared for the expatriate and reinforced by the service provider reiterating the goals and expectations prior to the training days.
These are all areas of concern for the corporation, the employee, and the accompanying family. Businesses that intend to operate and individuals who intend to function successfully in more than one culture need to be able to adjust their cultural predispositions (corporate and national) to those of the host countries.
Some of the benefits of cross-cultural training are evident when there is a need for home and host managers to understand what the expatriate is experiencing, a need for communication between offices in different cultures, or a need for managers of different cultures to understand each other, whether or not there is an expatriate involved.
In preparing for an expatriate assignment, corporations have to answer a number of questions around timing, depth and length, location and expectations of training. These issues often stand in the way of successful implementation, to the detriment of the expatriate assignment. So it is extremely important that organizations come to an understanding of these issues before embarking on a relocation assignment.
Finding the time
The turnaround from an assignee’s selection to departure tends to be short and, once the decision is made, corporations often want their employees positioned abroad as soon as possible. As a result, cross-cultural training must be implemented within a short window of time.
From the corporate perspective, human resource professionals wonder whether training can be accomplished in addition to completing imperative administrative needs. Another element of corporate resistance is the fact that many human resource professionals have not had expatriate experience themselves, and are easily persuaded that there is a lack of time, hence lack of need, for training.
Additional corporate resistance to cross-cultural training is often of a short-term financial nature. Organizations are hesitant to incur the expense of training in addition to other costs related to the move. The long-term reality is, however, that a failed assignment can represent a considerable financial loss — anywhere between $250,000 and $1,000,000 — and the primary reason for poor employee performance on international assignment is the difficulty experienced by the family in adjusting to the host country.
Family matters
For families, the pressure of accomplishing “a thousand and one” personal tasks means that the inclusion of training becomes a chore to wrestle with. Faced with all that needs to be done, blocking off two to three days or more for training can be a challenge. Yet this challenge is one that clearly needs to be met, when one considers that bewildering cultural differences and family adjustment problems are the most common reasons for assignment failure. Cross-cultural training assists families in the challenge of adjustment abroad and encourages them in this ongoing opportunity for growth.
Employees well-informed of the advantages of cross-cultural training with sufficient lead time often approach the training as a beneficial orientation, rather than as just one more item to accomplish in their hectic pre-departure schedule.
In addition, often expatriates have visited the host country, or have had previous expatriate experience. Their comfort level with the business culture may mean that they neglect to see the need for training of the family. With little time before departure, cross-cultural training may be seen as an “extra,” which can be foregone. However, although the expatriate may have had extensive exposure to the host culture, family members often have had little or none, and are ill-prepared for the emotional experience of leaving behind all that is familiar, and in developing skills to deal with adjustments that will need to be made.
The preoccupation of the corporation and the family with the logistics of the move, combined with an underestimation of its impact, may mean that focusing on the scheduling of training appears unnecessary and irrelevant. Factors such as those mentioned above may minimize the need for training in the eyes of the corporation, employee and family, affecting the attitude of the corporation toward cross-cultural training.
Corporate culture can be supportive or resistant to cross-cultural training. A supportive corporate culture can enhance the productivity of an assignee by lessening the uncertainty of support while on assignment, thereby freeing up energies which can be focused upon the job at hand.
In-depth training
for expat success
North Americans are accustomed to an instant society: instant coffee, instant photos, instant information and instant service. One effect of this is that instant adjustment and adaptation is often expected of people who have undergone cross-cultural training, so companies feel that giving minimal training — regardless of the host country — is sufficient. North American companies need to learn that the depth of training is a pivotal piece of the preparation process, where depth includes extensive preparation on day-to-day business issues and living within the host culture.
In the global market today there is an indisputable need for human resource systems that encourage and exhibit individual and corporate global competence. Of particular value are globally competent managers who understand a diversity of foreign markets and cultures, who can interact with people from other countries, and have the skills to effectively live and work outside of their own countries. This competence is developed only by giving expatriates in-depth cross-cultural training.
From the corporate perspective, in-depth cross-cultural training is essential as a tool for maximizing performance. For the most part, assignments are relatively short, and employees need to be capable of exercizing their adaptability from the point of landing. With this in mind, superficial training that addresses isolated facts about the host country while ignoring in-depth cross-cultural information is essentially a waste of money and time.
Conversely, a comprehensive survey of issues related to cultural adaptation and cross-cultural skills can result in assignees who exhibit competence and posses self-awareness to minimize the effect of obstacles encountered by most expatriates, for example, culture shock or feelings of isolation.
Employees tend to think of relocation solely in terms of their job within the corporation, rather than looking at the whole picture. A broader perspective allows the assignee the chance to become aware of and prepare for other aspects of the move including, cultural differences, culture shock, family adjustment, and so on, all of which can have a direct or indirect impact on their performance at work.
In addition, customized training sessions optimize what time is available by focusing on issues of particular concern to each individual, family and corporation. The process of acquiring the skills for adaptation cannot be completed in a matter of hours, nor is it a process that can be accomplished merely by reading a book, or a series of articles, or watching a video.
Preparation for an international assignment requires both an experiential component and an in-depth study of the host culture. Not only does an assignee have to understand the generic cross-cultural differences between people but must be able to understand those differences that are embedded within a corporate culture.
With regard to families, not only do expatriates require the generic information about cross-cultural living, but also the knowledge necessary for functioning within the new society on a day-to-day basis. For example, language training could be integrated into cross-cultural training and should be encouraged to continue in the new culture, facilitating adaptation and enhancing coping skills. Other areas of in-depth focus may include host culture perceptions of proper etiquette, visiting practices and conflict management skills.
In order to maximize performance of expatriate employees and families in business and daily life, effective cross-cultural adaptation requires thorough planning, needs assessment, co-operation between the corporation and the expatriate, and expertise on the part of trainers who oversee this process.
Where to train
The issues of timing, and depth and length of training leads to the question of location of training. In most cases cross-cultural training takes place in the weeks or days prior to the move. Pre-departure training is often assumed by corporations, employees and families to be the only option, thereby increasing resistance on the part of all concerned due to time constraints. With an eye to these pressures on all concerned, training must be provided in the home country, host country or both, as required.
The issue of best location for training can be resolved by conducting a proper assessment of the expatriates and their families, the time constraints they are under, the locations available, and the depth and length of training that they require.
In many cases pre-departure preparation in the home country is sufficient. For some participants, the ideal combination may be of training taking place prior to departure as well as after arrival in the host country. Under other circumstances the entire cross-cultural training may be done in the host country — ideally within four to eight weeks after arrival — when the family is somewhat settled and positioned to absorb the information.
The key to success is the greatest flexibility and adaptability when offering services in both the home and host sites. Furthermore, when training is provided at a combination of locations, co-operation between the trainers is imperative to ensure that the family receives consistent training without redundancy.
Establish realistic expectations
Along with the issues of time constraints, depth requirements and training location, unclear expectations regarding the scope and results of cross-cultural training can lead to misunderstandings and resistance on the part of corporations and individuals.
Corporations that are going global and are reluctant to use cross-cultural training may have a culture that does not understand the impact of such training. The underlying assumption is that the technical job is of sole importance and that relocating an executive from Toronto to Beijing will play out in the same way as a relocation from Toronto to Ottawa. At other times, corporations and expatriates assume that the sole focus of all training will be on the workplace, minimizing the importance of daily living and family issues.
On occasion the corporation, the individual expatriates and their families have somewhat unrealistic expectations of what cross-cultural training can accomplish.
It is unrealistic to expect that after cross-cultural training is completed they will be expert in daily activities such as knowing where to find housing, specific area orientations, people to contact, where to buy North American-type foods, and where to find western-style facilities and services.
This type of need is best served by way of providing host country destination services that orient the employee, rather than cross-cultural training.
Cross-cultural training is aimed at developing an understanding of both the business and day-to-day living aspects of the host culture. The primary objective of the training process is to assist with cross-cultural adaptation issues and prepare for the integration of all family members in their new lives. Further goals and objectives of cross-cultural training include:
•providing background learning about the host country with regard to the culture, the history, the religion, the economy;
•facilitating the adaptation process and the acquisition of cross-cultural awareness skills in the area of business, and managing and supervising employees;
•providing information on business conditions, ethics, etiquette and conflict-resolution; and
•developing the ability to explore the attitudes and relationships both within their own work culture and between members of different corporations and cultures. On the family side, the training provides culturally-specific information on issues of everyday living and addresses the individual needs of the participants.
Research has found that a positive relationship exists between realistic expectations and cross-cultural adjustment. Related pre-departure training helps expatriates develop these realistic expectations of their experiences in the host culture.
Successful expatriates find that business and social networking are facilitated by cross-cultural training, because people are prepared for cultural differences and learn about how to access support and build connections to the host culture while maintaining communication with the home location.
Basic information about host cultural norms, such as typical greetings, gestures and what they mean can also facilitate the adjustment of individuals and their families to host cultures, and may ease the transition.
Ensuring proper expectations about what cross-cultural training can and cannot do is of utmost importance. Once a clear understanding of the goals and objectives of cross-cultural training is attained, the businesses, employees and families concerned have an appreciation of the significance of cross-cultural awareness and adjustment processes.
Training: an integral part
of expat training
Multinational companies need to develop an understanding of national cultures in order to be successful in the global arena, as national culture pervades corporate culture and affects negotiations, marketing, organizational structures and general functioning. Employees who have the skills needed to adjust and adapt to a new culture have a definite edge in the global arena, as do the corporations which support and advocate such cross-cultural learning.
This global competence means that the corporation, the relocating employee, and the relocating family will be able to integrate with other cultures.
Cross-cultural training is one intervention embedded within an entire area of preparation for expatriates and their families. The questions of timing, depth, location and expectations regarding cross-cultural training are faced by corporations and the training organizations servicing them when implementing effective training programs.
To say that cross-cultural training guarantees the success of international assignments would be inaccurate, however as an integral ingredient in terms of preparing employees and as a preventative measure for premature returns due to personal and family reasons, cross-cultural training is an essential service. It is important to note that cross-cultural training is not only an issue for personal and family cross-cultural adaptation, it is an intervention that brings practical and profitable solutions to any multinational organization.
Allon Bross is the president of FGI, which offers global relocation support services in over 100 countries worldwide. FGI’s head office is in Toronto.
Adrienne Churchill is the resource co-ordinator for FGI, where she specializes in the research and preparation of cross-cultural training materials.
And Judi Zifkin is the director of Cross-cultural Training and Destination Services for FGI, where she oversees worldwide provision of these services. They can be reached at (905) 886-2157 or 1-800-263-4533.
Recommendations for successful training
Cross-cultural training for individual expatriates and their families should be incorporated as a standardized preparatory tool for a successful international assignment. The following are recommendations for corporations with regard to implementing this essential service:
1. Cross-cultural training should be considered a mandatory process. In view of the ability to provide training in the home country, host country (or both), the issue of the timing of training becomes of less importance.
2. The location of training should be established in accordance with the needs of the family as part of the preparation process, and corporations need to accept that training can be done in home or host country. This position should be integrated into the thinking process about applying cross-cultural training.
3. The depth of training is of utmost importance. If corporations are going to provide cross-cultural training, it needs to be done properly, with depth and with care.
4. Families must be incorporated into the training process. Training for expatriates alone is only sufficient if the expatriate is on an individualized assignment.
5. Language training should be incorporated into cross-cultural training wherever possible and should be encouraged as an ongoing aspect of the assignment.
6. Education and expectations of training must be laid out by training companies for international human resource professionals and in turn be easily translated for the preparation of each individual expatriate. This can be through appropriate written information being prepared for the expatriate and reinforced by the service provider reiterating the goals and expectations prior to the training days.
