Don’t Send Your Assignees into the Unknown Unprepared

The rapid changes that are occurring in countries around the world are enough to keep our heads spinning. For global mobility managers restarting their programs and sending assignees to one or more countries, it can be impossible to keep up with the latest compliance requirements, safety issues, and information needed to ensure that assignments are successful.

Global Mobility Programs Will Remain a Talent Attraction Advantage

The pandemic did not slow down our desire to travel, and it did not change how potential talent evaluates your company. According to a recent study, nearly 60% of respondents believe international experience is critical to professional growth. And because we’ve all learned that employees can work from anywhere successfully, our ability to recruit talent from virtually anywhere on the globe has also expanded.

Unless you have people already on the ground in the destinations you are targeting, you need up-to-the-minute information for your employees about the countries to which they are assigned. This might include recent news about quarantining and COVID-19 testing, new rules about vaccination requirements, issues with political or economic instability, and updated information about everything from compliance to housing to healthcare.

Make Better Decisions with Quick Access to Updated, Vetted Information

SHRM reports that the “establishment of an agile communication ecosystem is essential for global mobility to quickly pivot and deliver real-time insights to both internal and external stakeholders.” They describe global mobility as something “situated in a hub-and-spoke two-way model where it sources real-time governance and market expertise from internal corporate functions and external partners. The function translates and communicates credible, practical and empathetic advice to business line managers and mobile employees.”

When you’re assessing a location or need to update an assignee, you can make better decisions with better information. Erin Fitzgerald, a global mobility specialist at Living Abroad, explains that one of the best ways to evaluate a destination is by looking at how gatherings are being handled in the area. At Living Abroad, we help organizations access information about their destinations quickly by putting it on the front of each of our country pages in our International Relocation Center (IRC). Our IRC can be offered as a standalone resource or integrated into your existing platform as a value-add for your users.

Prepare Assignees with Improved Cultural Knowledge

The other effective way to better prepare assignees for their destinations is to make sure they have the cultural knowledge they need to navigate building relationships with colleagues and clients from different backgrounds. As I wrote previously on Living Abroad’s blog:

Developing cultural agility helps teams to avoid cultural collisions and misunderstandings. Team members can gauge cognitive, relational, and behavioral differences along the dimensions where cultural gaps are most common, and managers can assess the whole team in those areas.

The attributes of a culturally agile person are:

• Willingness to learn about differences
• Awareness of your individual cultural background & preferences
• Knowledge about the cultures of your colleagues
• Adaptability and ability to style shift

Cultural knowledge is essential. Having the ability to provide access to employees, to improve their knowledge virtually, will not only help you retain existing employees who are eager to improve their skills but will also attract new talent. Living Abroad’s Culture Coach Online is a powerful learning platform. It is designed to prepare users to understand the impact of culture on business and personal relationships, and to learn how to improve their own cultural agility.

As you restart your global mobility programs, having the right resources at your fingertips can help to ensure the success of your program. Get in touch to learn more about how Living Abroad can partner with you to give you and your assignees the best possible support.

Living Abroad is working diligently to keep your employees prepared. Living Abroad’s Culture Coach Online is available for online learning and support, with translations available in over 100 languages. Completing the Culture Coach Online program will better equip your employees to deal with individuals who are different from themselves – whether abroad or at home. Our International Relocation Center provides up-to-date, vetted information for over 200 locations.

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As Managing Director of Living Abroad, Cathy has been involved with the core service, the International Relocation Center, for more than 20 years. Cathy oversaw the successful transition of hard copy to the current online service under the Craighead name. Current clients of Living Abroad are many of the Fortune 1000 and government organizations. Cathy is co-facilitator of the Forum for Expatriate Management New York City Chapter, which brings mobility thought leaders to the corporate community through monthly meetings.