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Re-Entry and Career I ssues. Dony Eko Prasetyo, S.IP. Re-entry. Expatriation process also includes repatriation: the activity of bringing the expatriate back to the home country Re-entry presents new challenges May experience re-entry shock Some exit the company.
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Re-Entry and Career Issues Dony Eko Prasetyo, S.IP.
Re-entry • Expatriation process also includes repatriation: the activity of bringing the expatriate back to the home country • Re-entry presents new challenges • May experience re-entry shock • Some exit the company
Repatriation phases • Preparation - developing plans for the future; gathering information about the new position • Physical relocation • Transition • Readjustment - coping with change Use of relocation consultants and removal firms
Individual reactions: job-related • Career anxiety • No post-assignment guarantee of employment • Loss of visibility and isolation • Changes in the home workplace • Work adjustment • The employment relationship and career expectation • Re-entry position • Devaluing of international experience • Coping with new role demands • Loss of status and pay
UK repatriate study • Survey of 124 recently repatriated employees • Data analysis indicated five predictors for repatriate maladjustment (in ranked order): • Length of time abroad • Unrealistic expectations • Downward job mobility • Reduced work status • Negative perceptions of employer’s support N. Forster (1994) The Forgotten Employees? The Experience of Expatriate Staff Returning to the UK, International Journal of Human Resource Management, 5 (2): 408
Individual reactions: social factors • International experience can distance the repatriate (and family) socially and psychologically (eg. Kingpin syndrome) • Each family member undergoing readjustment • Re-establishing social networks can be difficult • Effect on partner’s career
Multinational responses • Staff availability • How repatriation is handled is critical • Return on investment (ROI) • Defining ROI in terms of expatriation • Gains accruing through repatriated staff • Knowledge transfer • A one-way activity? • Tacit and person-bound?
Difficulties in measuring ROI • Receiving feedback from the business unit concerned • Tracking international assignments in a systematic way • No formal planning • Lack of objective measures • Too many decisions made without cost considerations From responses to GMAC-GRS 2002 survey
The use of mentors • Aims to alleviate the ‘out-of-sight, ‘out-of-mind’ feeling by keeping expatriate informed • Mentor should ensure that the expatriate is not forgotten when important decisions are made re positions and promotions • Effective mentoring needs managing