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Expat Health Insurance

As organizations become globalized, there is an increasing challenge to use expatriates on international assignments to complete strategically critical tasks (Gregersen & Black 1996, Brewster 1998, Downes & Thomas 1999). Multinational corporations (MNCs) use expatriates, not only for corporate control and expertise reasons in vital global markets but also to facilitate entry into new markets or to develop international management competencies (Bird & Dunbar 1991, Boyacigiller 1991, Rosenzweig 1994, Shaffer, Harrison & Gilley 1999, Forster 2000).
Was the employee being unreasonable in his requests?  How did the HR team handle the situation?
As per the employee’s argument in the video, I would say that he has to be unreasonable in his requests. Employee failed assignments due to premature return from France and as result Company lost a lot of money. It was the employee’s responsibility to get ready for this international assignment before signing the contract for three years. Employee failed to learn the language professionally and also have his family to learn it and find out about the culture difference between France and New York. Although, the HR office has given him six months prior to departure to get ready for this assignment. The employee should have done thorough research about the new location, its culture, and education system so that to be able to adjust with his family properly without any challenge.
I believe the HR handled the situation professionally by offering him a position with the same salary although he suspended the France contract and returned back to New York without completing the assignment as per the three contracts. However, generally speaking, there was a communication gap between employee and HRM office during this process.
Given what you know about the challenges of expatriates, was there anything that the company should have done for this employee and/or his family?  Who is ultimately responsible for making sure the expatriate experience is a successful one?
These crises happen due to poor expatriate management and employee’s awareness about the oversees assignment and consequences of relocations.  This will damage the organization’s performance and capabilities in the international markets. “While it is recognized that Human Resource Management (HRM) problems are more complex in the international environment, there is also increased evidence to suggest that the management of international human resources is increasingly being acknowledged as a major determinant of success or failure in international business (Tung 1984, Dowling 1999, Hiltrop 1999).
The company should have done the following for this employee so to avoid the crisis of repatriation. First, the company’s HRM should have planned effectively for the selection of expatriates for overseas assignments, and determined whether this employee is a good fit for this job and he is ready mental and physically to relocate to France. Second, HRM should have closely followed up with employee’s progress in learning French as well as convinced employee to ensure his family understand that learning French language is necessary for this assignment for the entire family. Third, the company’s HRM should have given employee a comprehensive pre-departure briefing so that to find out if he is ready for this international assignment. If not, HRM could have given him more time to be prepared. Ultimately, the company is responsible for making sure the expatriate experience is successful since it will have a great impact on company’s business and reputation oversees.
Proposed Solutions for expatriate’s success:
I believe, these three factors will help in expatriates’ success in overseas assignments; 1) Expatriate selection 2) Expatriate preparation (pre-departure briefing) 3) Repatriation process
The company needs to develop a solid selection criteria and consider these essential elements, expatriate’s technical ability, managerial skills, adaptability, diplomacy, language ability, emotional stability and family adaptability. These factors will definitely contribute in expatriate’s success in their overseas assignment. According Tung (1981), these five factors are essential for expatriate’s success. Job factors, Relational dimensions, Motivational state, family situation, and language skills.
Once a company decides to send out an employee on an international assignment, pre-departure training becomes the next critical step in attempting to ensure the expatriate’s  effectiveness and  success  abroad (Mendenhall  et al.  1987).  This is an important step in expatriate’s effectiveness and success abroad. Pre departure briefing is so crucial for expatriates who are unfamiliar with the customs, cultures and various aspect of a host country and it is important to include family in this pre-departure trainings and briefings.

Also, a reentry training should be provided to expatriates upon their return so that to retain the expatriates with their new international experience, because the study shows that most of these expatriates leave their companies once they return from an overseas assignment. Given the difficulties of re-entry, expatriates and their families need help to readjust back into their home country.  The two most important issues are (1)  career planning and (2)   ‘reverse culture shock’ (Hammer,  Hart  & Rogan 1998). To  assist the expatriate and  family  to  readapt  to  work  and  life  in general and to help overcome reverse culture shock, re-entry training such  as counseling workshops and career development consultations prove useful in the adjustment process (Sievers 1998).

As a conclusion, I would say that every company should try to avoid a crisis of international assignment from occurring. The crisis includes failed assignments due to lack of communication between HRM and employee, lack of proper pre-departure training and premature retune from assignment and loss of returned expatriates due to poor or unfair repatriation process.

Reference:
Adler, N. (1981). Re-entry: Managing cross-cultural transitions. Group and Organizational Studies, 6(3), 341-3
Chew, Janet (2014) , Managing MNC Expatriates through crises: A challenge for International Human Resource
Piercy, D. (2014, Nov 4).  Global Human Resource Management. [Video File]. Retrieved from: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=COQgJyCpU4A

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