Managing Expatriates During Crises

Recently,  an article on Disaster Plan was published based on recent Tsunami and 9.0 earthquake that shook Japan. It provided a list of reminders for everyone who is living in a zone that has a prevalent catastrophic activity like earthquakes, volcanic eruptions, tsunamis etc. 


Evacuation of Expatriates in Critical Zones


Expatriates living in different countries are not exempted in this area.  While an expat is living in a foreign country, it was a part of his/her orientation about learning the nuances of living in the new home country.  The nuances are not only related to culture, business practices, schooling for children, language barriers, and way of life and lifestyles.  It also cover learning about current local rules, regulations and laws that might affect your temporary living in that particular country.


Disaster Plan is also a part of an Expatriate Program Management. Organizations with competent Human Capital Program Managers should have this plan incorporated in their Mobility Program.  However, the most important of that equation is the how and logistics of exit.  It is a a very challenging activity when an expat will take an exit at the soonest in a country that is in turmoil. Have you thought of that logistics when you were creating your program or the least your policy?


Recently, numerous British expats living in Bahrain were surprised with the impact of a current local law that will not allow those individuals to leave the kingdom if they have outstanding debts with banks and private firms regardless of the situation of the country. 


Solutions Planning and Management

The Human Capital Manager who is in-charge in the deployment of Expats in any country must take every efforts in putting together important pieces of Evacuation Plan. One part of that plan is providing adequate knowledge, guidance and training to their expatriates.  The same dedication is expected on the part of the Expat so that they know when and how to exit when such situation present itself.


On the case of Bahrain, expats have down-played the reality of having debt while they are in a temporary living status in this kingdom. Are they aware on the existence of the law? or not? 


Perspectives:
In any situation and regardless of location of expatriate living. One must take responsibility in understanding what are the things that are convenient and advantageous while living as an expat.  But one must not ignore the force of a local law that will prohibit their exit from such country when there is a turmoil or similar event that will take place. 


The Evacuation Plan must illustrate actionable logistics that employees can execute immediately from their current location.  Human Capital Management must be the Lead at the very beginning of planning by informing their expat employees on the limitations and prohibitions including privileges of certain laws at specific countries.


Consequence of Situations:
At the event that there is a turmoil at host country of the expat, and they cannot exit due to certain obligations such as debt in Bahrain that is enforced by local laws. How can an employer assist the expat? At what extent that the employer will play a role even though certain obligations are incurred by personal activities? It's a tough decision but someone will have to bite a bullet in order to evacuate expats from danger zones. 


Share us your thoughts and ideas by sending your email to: info@jntconsulting.com or write your comments at the comments section below. 


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Global: Expatriates Struggles caused by Missing Skills and Comptencies

Expatriates are one among the most active professionals that move from one workplace to another work location. At times they are the so called 'creme of the crop at a workplace' and they oftentimes the envy of others.


Opportunities to live, work and relocate in a new country are very exciting. New Job level, management or individual contributor category, single or with family. New places to go and visit. Meeting new friends. Tasting new types of foods, immersion to new culture, New school for children and many others.

Not long behold, there are few important skills that are missing. Few months after arrival at new location of assignment. Homesickness to friends and family back home starts surfacing. Strange behavior of people begin to appear in front of the expatriate's face. Foods are becoming a subject of irritation as they are not the same as he/she used to. Communicating with others particularly with nationals in the country of assignment was becoming a struggle. What are basics compared to complex and advanced knowledge and training about culture and adjust-ability becomes an apparent cause of additional confusion?

In order to read the full article, please click on the link Expatriate Struggles caused by Missing Skills and Competencies

For questions on this articles, please share your comments to the comments section below.

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Global: Expatriate Living Abroad can be SUCCESSFUL!

Expatriate Living in another country has a lot of challenges and opportunities. It entails many tasks that you have never come across unless you have a prior experience, however essential. If you are a green horn in the expatriate community you are challenged with identifying the right information. Yes the internet is widely open and you can find anything but the main point is... which ones are correct and which ones are not; "most prevalent practice is to bite your teeth and hope for the best!"

Many things are involved when you uproot yourself from your current living location to another part of the world. There are visas to enter and for employment purposes, current home management, transporting personal stuff, deficiency of cultural knowledge, favorite food, new home, temporary living style and convenience, hobbies, pets, driving license, bank account, medical information and sources, personal insurance, dependents comfort-ability, period of adjustments, survival coping skills and many more.

How and what are the best way to implement expatriate plans? Approach an experienced individual with this kind of lifestyle. Or make a search of an experienced Global Human Capital Consultant with successful experiences in global mobility management. Both types of individuals can provide you an experiential learnings about Expatriate Living abroad. Inquire about the challenges, the advantges and disadvantages. Identify to yourself the value of this experience for your personal fulfillment or growth. Set a short term goal and long term goal as both will help you achieve a balance to your lifestyle being an Expat inlcuding your family members (where applicable).

Dependents are crucial pieces of Expatriate Living. One of the most effective tool that make dependents happier is the implementation of a Cross Cultural Training to all parties. This will provide a pre-transitional adjustments and setting up of expectations. It will facilitate a better behavioral approach to adjustments. If the family member is happy - the expat can concentrate on job functions rather than easing up family's discomforts.

There are expats who were assisted with their relocations by third party companies procured by their Human Resources Department. These companies were meant to ease the challenges of every aspect of the international relocation and transitional lifestyle of the Expat. Experiences of an Expat and family members varies based on the level of service procured and provided by his/her employer. At certain aspects there were shortcomings of the service providers that were authorized by their employer. This is because of inexperience about the entire global mobility management. Oftentimes, companies cut corners and employ admin assistant type equivalents of personnel instead of a strategic experienced consultant. They like to present themselves as Specialist in the global mobility management area but the experience of their staff does not reflect that. However, the main frustration of the Expat and HR Manager - they only find out of the inexperience of such entity when the employee is on-board to relocate. The agreement has been signed and money has been disbursed. Cancelling the engagement is too late. When these arise - it creates a multitude of stress among relocating parties involved. Oversight of these issues can be avoided when working with experienced and strategic consultants in Global Mobility Management and in Global Human Capital Management. This type of professional who has executed both functions within the strategic international HR and external international services HR will definitely give you the best guidance and hand-holdings.

Returned Expatriate and their families can add valuable information to you. Seek out someone who has been in the country where you will be assigned or working. "The best teacher is experience."

Additional valuable information about Successful living of an Expatriate, Secondee or Assignee can be found at:
Your Relonavigator

Do you like to meet people with Expatriate Experience? Join us and share your thoughts and ideas ... learning from experienced professionals is invaluable ... visit our AZExpat Society page to learn more about Expatriate Living.


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Seoul, S. Korea: Expatriates Enjoy New Initiatives

The Expatriates living in Seoul, S. Korea will enjoy the new initiatives around Seoul when the city launched an online English reservation system on August 1 2008.

According to JoongAngDaily; "The city has operated the Internet reservation system since March 2005, but there was no English service.According to Seoul officials, expatriates will only need to enter their name and alien registration number to make a reservation. The Web site is http://yeyak.seoul.go.kr/index_Eyeyak.html Payment can be made with a credit card online.

Under the new system, expatriates will be able to reserve 249 city-operated facilities such as the Jamsil baseball stadium in Songpa District, Mokdong Ice Rink in Yangcheon District, Jangchung Gymnasium in Jung District and Seoul World Cup Stadium in Mapo District. Tennis, basketball and badminton courts at all 12 Han River parks are also available."


“As the world becomes more global, we need to offer handy services to expatriates living in Korea,” said Seoul official Na Jeong-pa. Online English reservations for classes offered by the Seoul city government will be launched soon, he said. Source: By Park Sang-woo, Staff Reporter, email: spark@joongang.co.kr, JoongAngDaily (http://joongangdaily.joins.com)


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