Hiring, Preparing, and Deploying Expatriates

Posted: December 21st, 2022

Hiring, Preparing, and Deploying Expatriates

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Hiring, Preparing, and Deploying Expatriates

Organizations are increasingly seeing the need to hire expatriates as opposed to local workers with the belief that they have the capacity to run company affairs more effectively and appropriately. It is true that hiring expatriates presents a suitable chance to excel as a firm, and increases the likelihood for being more competitive. Nonetheless, businesses that excel with their expatriates take various factors into consideration that increase the likelihood of the workers to perform better and achieve targeted goals in foreign lands. It is imperative to create guiding structures that determine how workers leave and comeback with the sole purpose of elevating their performance. Hence, the essay presents the reasons why firms hire expatriates, processes for selecting qualified employees, and procedures and guidelines that need to be in place to function as effectively as possible.

AC 4.1 – Reasons why Companies use Expatriates for International Working

Corporations, often-multinational firms, use expatriates for international working due to various benefits that come with the approach. To begin with, expatriates are individuals living or working in a nation other than her or his country of nationality, usually momentarily and for work-related reasons (Laken et al. 2019, p. 5). Organizations use expatriates for their international working because they want to achieve diversity in their workstations. Intentionally employing a workforce composed of people with a range of qualities, such as sexual orientation, ethnicity, gender, education, race, and age according to Laken et al. (2019, p. 9) increases the probability of understanding consumers’ needs and develop ideas to achieve them. In addition to fostering diversity at the workplace, corporations use expatriates for their international working because such workers come with much experience, which is highly needed when running a multinational firm or any other business for that matter. They bring in ready experiences as well awareness of international standards. Hence, hiring expatriates is a vital consideration for companies that seek to improve their international working.

However, using local employees could present considerable constraints, which is the reason why organizations would focus on expatriates. Hiring locally could restrain how the company attracts talent, which is equally essential when a firm seeks to enhance its competitive advantage. Lack of talent at the company could have devastating implications because when there is no talent, workers do not do their tasks as competitively as possible (Laken et al. 2019, p. 27). In addition, whereas hiring local workers may be cost effective as compared to recruiting foreign employees, the option may deprive the firm of the needed innovative skills that modern businesses require to foster their competitiveness. Therefore, organizations that aspire to strengthen their position in the global arena should focus on working with expatriates.

AC 4.2 – Process for Selecting, Preparing, and Managing Expatriates

The team responsible for positing expatriates consider several factors and deploy effective appraisal mechanisms to settle on the most suitable candidate. Often, employers or the HR team would consider employees who are flexible and not likely to encounter much difficulty adjusting to the new environment. Candidates who display global curiosity such that they have interest and are excited about foreign cultures are likely to be considered for posting to another country because they may find their ways into the new structure more easily (Laken et al. 2016, p. 415). Similarly, cultural adaptability is a fundamental factor that could increase one’s probability of being selected as an expatriate. That means one who qualifies respects and is tolerant to the culture of new people and have the capacity to adapt quite effectively. It is imperative to consider such critical factors to avoid sending incompetent individuals who may not elevate the firm to the levels where it wishes to be.

Typically, those responsible for the selection process use a suitable approaches to prepare expatriates for overseas working. Firms mostly train qualifying workers and take them through orientation processes to familiarize them with new customs, beliefs, and practices. The article by Laken et al. (2016, p. 419) encourages orientation where the authors equates the practice to training. They contend that orientation serves to help new workers with information and tools they require to excel in the job. Moreover, training and orientation according to Laken et al. (2016, p. 419) offers the new workers with precise and concrete information to make expatriates more comfortable in the work. In addition, the preparation approaches fosters worker confidence and assist the expat adapt faster to the new environment. Using the approaches as effectively as possible increases the chances of deploying more qualified personnel to represent the company abroad.

AC 4.3 – How People Practice Support Re-entry and Resettlement

People practice play vital practices in supporting employee re-entry and resettlement of overseas employees. The approaches a firm deploys would determine whether workers who leave the organization for a short time or extended period due to reasons that compel them to offer their services outside the country. Similarly, enacting proper structures facilitates the resettlement of overseas employees and helps to avoid blunders that could affect how expatriates deliver their services (Laken et al. 2019, p. 40). Institutions that want to achieve smooth progress in this area often enact policies and processes to guide the return of expatriates. The policies should inform about the conditions that workers are likely to meet upon returning from their new environment because when employees encounter other scenarios they may be upset or uncomfortable. For example, the policy may state that upon returning from abroad, an employee’s rank would rise, an approach that is likely to appeal to expats and facilitate the re-entry and resettlement process. Moreover, the policies should determine the amount of pay and benefits the expatriate would receive upon returning from the assignment because this may play a critical role in heartening service providers and possible encourage the resettlement process. In addition, organizations should support expatriates with professional changes, which include briefing them on new techniques and approaches to work (Laken et al. 2019, p. 43). Implementing the suggestions widens the chances of making the re-entry and resettlement process more appealing to expatriates.

Conclusion

Recruiting expatriates is a crucial factor to consider for firms that operate internationally because these staff members come with immense benefit. They make the organization more diverse and bring with them great talent and skills. However, dispatching expatriates to foreign nations should follow a particular protocol that would ensure that those who qualify really deserve the opportunity and also to avoid mishaps that could affect operations. It is essential to consider the skills that they bring as well as examine their ability to adapt to a new environment. Also important is to have a programme that facilitate their re-entry and resettlement to hearten the service providers as they rejoin the company.

Reference List

Laken, P, Engen, M, Veldhoven, M, & Paauwe, J. (2019) ‘Fostering expatriate success: A meta-analysis of the differential benefits of social support’, Human Resource Management Review, vol. 29, no. 4, 1-66.  

Laken, P, Engen, M, Veldhoven, M, & Paauwe, J. (2016) Expatriate support and success: A systematic review of organization-based sources of social support,’ Journal of Global Mobility, vol. 4, no. 4, pp. 408-431.