5 Stages of the Expatriate Lifecycle
What does it take to start life as an expat in a new country?
His secondment letter was rolled out.?
Japan’s Hiroko San was relocating to Mumbai as the International Logistics Manager of a transnational company headquartered in India.
He began by contacting the immigration consultants to get his and his family’s visas done. While their visa approval was underway, he was scrambling to get information about his kid’s education in India.?
A decision to relocate impacts not just the concerned person but his/her entire family.
When he landed in India, Hiroko San found himself juggling many things at the same time-
The house hunting was long and arduous. The little kid was feeling out of place at this new school. Just like his father at his new office. They were all clueless about the Hindi chatters around them. The letters on the walls and hoardings spoke a language that was not theirs.?
The road ahead felt bumpy.
Why should companies focus on improving the user experience (read expat experience)?
Because international assignments are expensive. And when these assignments fail, organizations lose out on strategic opportunities and truckloads of money.
The Investment - A fully loaded expatriate package is sometimes the largest expenditure companies make on an individual except for the CEO.
The Return on Investment - Expats returning early due to job dissatisfaction/ difficulties adjusting to a foreign country. Those deciding to stay back giving a sub-par performance, and upon repatriation, choosing to join a competitor business.
Understanding the 5 phases of the expat lifecycle
Hiroko San’s story is not fictitious. Nor it is a one-off. Rather, it is a super simplified version of what expats actually go through while settling abroad.
To ensure a successful overseas secondment, it is pertinent to understand the expat lifecycle -
1. The Pre-departure Phase ??
The phase where the to-be expats have butterflies in their stomachs, where they are equal parts excited and nervous about relocating.
Smart employees and employers start their preparation in full swing from this stage itself.
2. The Honeymoon Phase ??
“Couldn’t have asked more from life!” said the expat and their accompanying families.?
Their time in the new country feels like an extended vacation. Their to-dos here primarily include -?
3. Culture Shock ????
We’ve all come across those 2-year-olds who wake up in the middle of the night and start crying for their mums.?
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The expats at this stage become like those 2-year-olds.
Reality hits - that’s all the vacation the expats and their families asked for. It’s time to go home. But this is their new home.
The kids in the new school become cranky. The exotic language the expats were learning feels like a burden. It’s difficult to eat food that is either too bland or too spicy. They’re no real friends.?
“Who signed up to work in this professional environment? And there are only so many currency conversions and language translations a sane person can do. Why is the partner so disillusioned all the time?”
To avoid electrocution at this stage, it's best to start preparation in the pre-departure and honeymoon phases. But no matter how much one prepares, there is going to be some element of shock.??
Double down on your expat forums, we suggest.
Take help from experts- Expat Orbit’s intercultural trainers help global companies and their relocating employees in navigating cross-cultural differences and developing ways to not just cope but also thrive and flourish in a new environment.?
4. Adaptation ??
The sun shines the brightest after the darkest night.
After the super high of the honeymoon phase and the super low of the cultural shock phase comes the plateau - the phase where the expats finally settle in and only occasionally miss their home country.??
This is the most productive phase of the assignment. The learning curve, both professionally and personally, shoots up. There is a newfound confidence in their way of living. People figure out how to mix their cultures and food, and this phase is now their comfort zone.
With the expats now finally calling their host country their home country, it's important that they keep an eye on their finances - timely deposit of taxes, social security, and repatriation of money - and other legal & regulatory compliance.
Sometimes it becomes too late to learn about finances and taxes while already in the midst of the assignment.
Hence, at Expat Orbit we begin with a pre-arrival tax counseling session and apprise expats on how taxes and social security will work for them in a cross-border context and continuously advise their employers on the best compensation structuring measures that benefit both the employers and their relocating expats.
5. Repatriation??
Homecoming should be easy…right??
Wrong.
The truth is, repatriation is as much of an upheaval in an expat’s life as the initial relocation was.?
In all likelihood, organisations have reshuffled. Old mentors and colleagues have left and new ones have stepped in. Change occurs in personal lives, too. Old friends and relatives have moved on. Kids find it hard to relate to old peers.?
Companies that truly want to reap the dividends of an expat assignment initiate the repatriation process at least 6 months in advance.?
Returning expats need to be given career guidance and help in figuring out ways to put their international experience and newly acquired skills into meaningful work.
We ensure Hiroko San’s expat lifecycle is smooth and his employer can reap the benefits of a successful international secondment.
Ignoring the cultural and administrative aspects (like logistics, accommodation, and conveyance) when it comes to global talent mobility can create a frustrating employee experience. Having multiple, unprofessional vendors and counselors only to tick the box, can make matters worse.?
Expat Orbit enables transnational organizations in framing and executing holistic and compliant mobility programs - we keep your strategic goals in mind and integrate the needs of your expat employees into your mobility program.
Our end-to-end support areas throughout the expat lifecycle include -
Reach out to us here?and allow us to ensure a successful international secondment for you and your expatriating employees!