Repatriation Strategies and Career Management Mary Beth Nitz, CRP, SGMS, GPHR Director, Global Consulting Services Altair Global Relocation

How does repatriation feel?

And now for the obligatory statistics…

When an employee goes on assignment, do you consider what their next role will be when they repatriate?1

1 Res Forum Annual Report 2014 22013 KPMG Global Assignment Policies and Practices

How far in advance do you begin planning the assignee’s return to the home country?2

Which of the following services does your organization provide to its assignees?2

And now for the obligatory slide intended to make you laugh (hopefully)…

Let’s begin our journey…. Meet our international assignee

Paques Yeux Bagage Aka, “Pack Your Bags”

Paques is married and has 2 children, ages 10 and 12.

Paques and his family are headed to Zurich, Switzerland from Quebec for a 3-year assignment.

Paques and his family have never been on foreign assignment before.

Paques’ Assignment Begins

Q. When does the repatriation process begin?

A. Before the assignment even starts!!!

Mentor, “Anchor Person”, or Both? Mentor Home country based Amiable, approachable, committed Preferably a former international

assignee Could be assigned or chosen based

on mutual agreement between assignee and mentor

Provides link to the home country for the expatriate during the assignment

“Anchor Person” Home country based Home country team leader Connects with host manager on

annual basis to discuss performance Assigned by the company, based on

structure of program

Table # 1

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Communication Tools Tools to assist the assignee in maintaining consistent communication with the home country organization. Communication tools include: Communication schedule Communication record Information on what topics

should be discussed with home country contacts

Communication between assignee and home country mentor and/or “anchor person”.

Communication Record Allows the assignee to track conversations, either written or verbal, that he/she has with the home country contact and/or mentor. Conversations to be tracked should include those involving assignment objectives, the employee’s assignment experience, and plans for reintegration into the home organization upon repatriation. Conversations related to normal business activity should not be recorded on this form.

Table # 2

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On – Assignment Tools Tools for the assignee to track conferences/seminars attended while on assignment, clients met/relationships established while on assignment, and skills developed and/or acquired while on assignment.

Conference Attendance

Tracking Form

Table # 3

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Communication Tools

Table # 4

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On – Assignment Tools

Skill Development Tracking Form

Table # 5

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card!!!

Repatriation Timeline 9-12 Months Prior to

Repatriation

Confirm date of repatriation with home and host supervisors

and HR. Inform colleagues, family and

friends.

6-9 Months Prior to Repatriation Date

Begin planning for final home leave trip. Schedule exploratory

interviews.

Consult with your tax advisor and HR regarding any tax requirements and other compliance issues

to be resolved before leaving the host location.

Notify host country landlord and/or HR

regarding vacating host country housing and

related activities.

Notify home country HR regarding any real estate

needs upon return. If renting home country

residence, notify tenants of need to vacate

residence.

Notify host country schools of departure. Notify home country schools of enrollment

needs, etc.

Notify host country landlord and/or HR

regarding vacating host country housing and

related activities.

3-6 Months Prior to Repatriation Date

6-9 Months Prior to Repatriation Date

Take final home leave trip. Participate in

exploratory interviews during visit to home

office.

Ensure personal profile is completed and all

information is updated in the Repatriation Toolkit.

Distribute necessary information to home

country contact

Make arrangements for final return trip to home

country. Make temporary living arrangements as

needed.

1-3 Months Prior to Repatriation Date

Make arrangements for final return trip to home

country. Make temporary living arrangements as

needed.

Ensure banking arrangements are made,

including transfer of funds to home country.

Ensure mail is forwarded to home location.

1-3 Months Prior to Repatriation Date

Participate in available repatriation counseling

and training.

Post-Repatriation

Continue to network within home organization and continue job search activities, if applicable.

Submit to HR a critique of your assignment, highlighting positive aspects and providing

constructive feedback for program improvements.

Exploratory Interviews Goals Learn more about the particular department or division Assist assignee in making decisions regarding future career

path Uncover hidden job leads and networking opportunities Gain information regarding specific positions within a

department/division Share assignee experiences, skills, etc. with key

constituents Scheduling and Managing Should be scheduled in conjunction with final home leave

trip Call or write to identified contacts Educate beforehand regarding the department/division Formulate questions related to important aspects of the

particular department/division Share experience, skills, and knowledge

Exploratory Interviews Suggested Contacts Department heads / division leaders from those departments /

divisions whose focus and responsibilities interest you Former expatriates within the organization that accepted positions

upon repatriation in areas that interest you

Sample Questions for Department Heads/Division Leaders Why did you choose your particular field of expertise? What has been your previous experience with the company, i.e.

what other positions have you held, in which departments have you worked, etc.?

What skills are most sought in employees joining your department/division?

What do you enjoy most about your job? What other professionals within the department and/or

organization would you suggest that I meet with?

Sample Questions for Former Expatriates What was your biggest challenge with regards to locating a suitable

position within the company upon repatriation? As a former expatriate, what skills gained as a result of your

international assignment do you feel are most significant and critical to success in your current position?

What advice can you provide to assist me in ensuring a smooth repatriation and reintegration into the home organization?

Personal Profile

Table # 6

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card!!!

Repatriation Training

Overview of Repatriation Training Designed to help employees and their families confront

difficulties in readjustment both personally and professionally Provides families with the opportunity to step back and

consider their recent overseas experience and put it in perspective

Programs are carefully structured to address the unique situations of returning families through written and verbal needs assessment, and are facilitated by professional trainers who are themselves returned expatriates

Variety of methods used includes: guided discussions, presentation, critical incidents, role plays, individual self-assessment, group and individual development of action plans, family discussions, and selected readings

Training should take place 3-6 weeks after arrival in the home country

In addition to the adult programs, youth and teen programs may be provided for the families involved

Repatriation Cultural Training Reflect systematically upon your experiences overseas, and clarify

the long-term significance of these experiences for your personal and professional lives.

Recognize changes in yourself, your family, your company, and the home country during your time abroad; then anticipate the impact these changes will have upon them during your repatriation.

Formulate realistic expectations of yourself, your friends, and colleagues during the readjustment period.

Assess new information, insights and skills gained abroad in order to contribute as much as possible to your community and company.

Identify the often unexpected difficulties you are likely to encounter during each phase of readjustment; then practice constructive ways of dealing with these difficulties.

Plan a practical repatriation strategy in order to ensure a smooth readjustment to your home culture.

Recognize the central role and responsibility of each family member in the successful readjustment of the other family members.

Reintegration Training Identify the major events during the overseas and home front

experiences, raise awareness of challenges, and share coping strategies;

Identify the changes (newly acquired knowledge, skills, attitudes, roles), identify what to keep and what to let go of and develop strategies to re-adapt;

Decipher the re-entry experience so far and define strategies for effective re-adaptation;

Identify personal and professional priorities and develop a Plan of Action for the next year;

Review a model of culture and use decoding tools to analyze a difficult intercultural situation experienced in the field and raise awareness of the underlying cultural context; and

Distinguish between satisfaction and effectiveness, identify areas of effectiveness and relative indicators and make recommendations for future missions in fragile states.

The Result? A successful transition from an international assignment back to the home country and home organization.

Questions??

Comments??

Random Thoughts??