How can you manage the performance and expectations of expatriate employees effectively?

A hack I usually use to manage the performance and expectations of expatriate employees effectively is to establish a comprehensive pre-departure training and ongoing support program. This program includes cultural orientation, language classes if necessary, and a detailed briefing about the work environment and expectations in the new location.

Additional tip (especially for the company side) - make sure your training material is empathetic and understanding of the international employee. Many trainings programs are made by natives and they sometimes miss the blind spots that exist when it comes to understanding the cultural differences in the workplace. It’s an honest mistake that many of us might make in our home countries. Therefore, I recommend researching the training material and make sure it has the insights of another international who made the transition successfully and can review the quality of material.

An insightful approach to providing adequate training and support for expatriate employees lies in understanding that successful adaptation goes beyond just professional acclimatization. It encompasses personal and emotional adjustment to the new environment. Pre-departure training is essential, but the real challenge often starts upon arrival. Continuous support, like establishing a strong expatriate community where employees can share experiences and advice, can be invaluable. This community could be facilitated through social events, online forums, or regular meetings.

From a management perspective, the suggestion to monitor and evaluate the performance of expatriate employees regularly is a robust approach to ensuring their effectiveness and well-being. Expatriates often face unique challenges due to cultural, social, and professional differences in their host countries. These challenges can lead to feelings of isolation and being overwhelmed, which, if not addressed, can adversely affect their performance and job satisfaction.

Ask every employee what they are looking for, and ask them to rate the importance of every imput. For example: -Low cost accomodation -Language course -Yes/No overtime work -Children support -Etc. When every employee write what is important to him/her, you will have understanding what is the most common for all of them.

The five variables are compensation package, tasks, headquarters support , host environment and cultural adjustment are not mutually exclusive, but interact in a way that has significant implications for the appraisal of international employees’ performance.