Repatriation Issues

7/29/2019 Repatriation Issues

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INTERNATIONAL HUMAN

RESOURCE MANAGEMENT-

repatriation issues


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Repatriation

Repatriation may be defined as the activity of bringing anexpatriate back to the home country

Repatriation is the final step in the expatriation process(recruitment & selection predeparture training foreign assignment repatriation or reassignment)

Repatriation is important because with it are associateda number of severe challenges for the expatriate which

may significantly determine his or her performance priorto the return to the home country, and which hinder theexpatriates reintegration due to readjustment problemsor reverse culture shock (reentry shock) after return


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Phase-wise Perspective of Repatriation

Preparation

Physical Relocation

Transition

Readjustment

Repatriation Process


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Phases of the Repatriation Process (1)

Preparation Provision of information to the expatriateto facilitate the return to the home country. Example:Checklist of the things to do in the host country prior todeparture (closing accounts, payment of bills etc.)

Physical Relocation Includes activities such asremoving personal effects, breaking ties with colleaguesand friends and traveling to the home country. Help tothe expatriate and his or her family is usually provided byrelocation consultants or firms. Comprehensive andpersonalized relocation assistance serves to reduceanxiety, stress, uncertainty and disruption experiencedby the expatriate and his or her family


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Phases of the Repatriation Process (2)

Transition Phase in which the expatriate and his orher family readjust to their return to the home country.Some companies hire relocation consults to assist in thisphase also. Typical activities include acquiring temporary

accommodation, making arrangements for housing andschooling, performing necessary administrative tasks(e.g. renewing drivers license, applying for medicalinsurance, opening bank accounts)

Readjustment This phase involves coping withreverse culture shock and the expatriates careerdemands on the organization


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Expatriate Problems With Repatriation

(Career Anxiety)

The effect of an international assignment on anexpatriates career path are major concerns for thatindividual. Usually, an international assignment isaccepted because of its anticipated career benefits

Anxiety may arise if an expatriate feels that his or hercareer advancement opportunities are notcommensurate with the sacrifices made by the expatriateand his or her family as a consequence of acceptance ofthe assignment

Anxiety over the reentry position in the organization mayoccur long before repatriation


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(Possible Reasons for Career Anxiety)

Period of absence from the home country has caused loss of

visibility, isolation and feeling of being forgotten for the

expatriate, especially if he or she is based in a subsidiary unit

with lots or independence and comparatively little contact with

the organizations headquarters

Worry over inadequate planning by the organization and that

the expatriate will be given a mediocre or makeshift job

Worry about restructuring and/or downsizing measures

underway in an organization

Lack of a guaranteed job upon return to the parent

organization Worry that the position given or return

corresponds to a demotion


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(Career Anxiety)

The declining tendency of organizations to offer job

guarantees to expatriates after their return from a foreign

assignment may have adverse consequences in terms

of:

Staff Availability

Perception of Foreign Assignments (High-Risk Career Strategy)

Heightened Career Anxiety

Commitment to the Organization and Productivity while on theForeign Assignment


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(Devaluation of the Intern. Experience)

Expatriates are often confronted with being offered

reentry positions that appear unconnected with their

international experience

Sometimes returning expatriates are offered positions

that are less challenging and with reduced responsibility

and status than they had prior to going on their foreign

assignment (negative career progression), causing both

a demotivation (on the returning expatriate) and

deterrence (on potential expatriates) effect

Devaluation of international experience and repatriate

turnover tend to be positively correlated


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(Loss of Status and Pay (1))

International assignments often are associated with

considerable status and prestige for an expatriate, for

e.g. in terms of autonomy, more responsibility and a

prominent role in the local community (kingpin)

Returning to the parent organization usually results in

the loss of autonomy and status

Over there, you are the big fish in a small pond.

Back home, you return to being the small fish

in a big pond!


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(Loss of Status and Pay (2))

International assignments often bring with them several

compensatory benefits (expatriate premiums) and

additional savings, which have to be forgone when an

expatriate returns to the home country

After returning from an international assignment, an

expatriate may no longer be able to purchase a home

similar to the one he or she may have sold prior to goingon the international assignment. Also, the standard of

housing in the foreign assignment location may have

been better than on return to the home country


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(Social Considerations (1))

If an expatriate served in a foreign assignment in a high-

profile position where he or she enjoyed considerable

and sustained interaction with the social, economic and

political elites of the host country, a feeling of

disappointment may emerge after return to the homecountry. This feeling may be excacerbated by the loss of

the expatriate compensation premium and other benefits

In addition to the expatriates social readjustmentproblems, the social readjustment problems of his or her

accompanying family members must also be taken into

consideration as well


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(Social Considerations (2))

Reestablishment of social networks in the home country

may be difficult if, for e.g., the expatriate and family are

repatriated to another locality in the home country. It may

be that friends have moved away while the expatriate

was on assignment and that other friends may havejoined the workforce and have no time for social

activities

Children may encounter social readjustment problems inschool because they are not update on latest trends, and

may have problems adjusting to their home country

educational system


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(Effect on Partners Career)

Partners of expatriates may encounter problems in the

home country when they seek to enter or reenter the

workforce. Consequently, their self-esteem may decline,

hindering their readjustment, particularly if they were

employed prior to moving with the expatriate to the

foreign assignment location

Given the increase in the number of dual-career couples,

the career problems of the expatriates spouse need to

be taken more into consideration


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(Case Study)

International Human Resource Management

Managing People in a Multinational Context

Peter J. Dowling, Denice E. Welch, Randall S. Schuler

3rd. Edition

Pages 219 - 220


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(Organizational Responses (1))

Recent research indicates that the majority oforganizations have no formal repatriation programme tohelp expatriates readjust on return to the home country

Only a small proportion of the repatriation programmeshave consideration for the spouse

Typical reasons given by organizations for not having arepatriation programme include:

Lack of the requisite expertise

Programme cost

Lack of a perceived need by top management


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(Organizational Responses (2))

Some organizations provide a form of repatriationassistance in the form of a mentor

The mentor is usually a superior to the expatriate and

provides assistance in the form of information, bymaintaining regular contact with the expatriate, and bytaking the expatriates interests regarding promotion and

job placement on return etc. into account

Research indicates that the likelihood of an organizationusing mentors depends on the size of the expatriateworkforce, the organizational unit responsible forhandling expatriates and the nationality of theorganization

Repatriation Issues

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