Challenges and Recommendations for Expatriates in International Human Resource Management

Running head: INTERNATIONAL HUMAN RESOURCE MANAGEMENT
INTERNATIONAL HUMAN RESOURCE MANAGEMENT
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1INTERNATIONAL HUMAN RESOURCE MANAGEMENT
Abstract
At a time when the world is undergoing rapid globalization, it is a common thing for the
directors of the multinational enterprises (MNEs) to assign managers and the best employees
for taking up international assignment outside the home country. However, this expatriation
process comes with a few challenges for the expatriates as well as for the directors. The
present paper takes into consideration a case where the human resource director of an MNE
has to send two expatriates from Poland to manage assignments at the potential business side
of the MNE in Santiago, Chile. To this end, the paper discusses the problems that might be
faced by the director before sending the expatriates to Chile and provides recommendations
for the Polish expatriates that might help them to cope up with the culturally different work
and social environment in Chile and efficiently manage the assignments abroad. In
conclusion, the HR directors might face challenges like communication problems, unfamiliar
socio-cultural environments, stress due to family and personal relationships and challenges
associated with repatriation. Moreover, the expatriates can cope up with the environment in
Chile that is culturally different from Poland by gaining knowledge about the predominant
customs, etiquettes and communication styles of the Chilean business world.

2INTERNATIONAL HUMAN RESOURCE MANAGEMENT
Table of Contents
Introduction................................................................................................................................3
Challenges to be Addressed before Sending Expatriates to Santiago....................................3
Communication Problem...................................................................................................4
Unfamiliar Socio-Cultural Conditions...............................................................................4
Stress Due to Family and Personal Relationships..............................................................5
Repatriation Planning.........................................................................................................6
Briefing for the Expatriates....................................................................................................7
Recommendations with Justification.................................................................................7
Conclusion................................................................................................................................10
References................................................................................................................................11

3INTERNATIONAL HUMAN RESOURCE MANAGEMENT
Introduction
In a rapidly globalizing world, the human resource directors of the MNEs are inclined
at sending their best managers and employees to manage assignments outside the home
country. However, this process of expatriation comes with a few challenges. More than often
the expatriates who relocate to a different country face challenges or cultural shock, that
come along with the culturally different societal and corporate environment. This results in
de-motivation of the employees that significantly lowers their performance in the host
country. This paper takes into consideration a hypothetical situation for the purpose of
determining the problems that might be faced by the HR directors and the expatriates of an
MNE in the context of the expatriation process. The paper examines a situation where the
HR director of an MNE has to send two expatriates from Poland to Santiago, Chile to manage
assignments. The first section of the paper discusses the challenges that can be faced by the
HR director before sending the expatriates to Chile. The second section of the paper provides
a briefing for the Polish expatriates including recommendations and their justification that
can help them to cope with the different culture of Chile and efficiently manage the
assignments.
Challenges to be Addressed before Sending Expatriates to Santiago
As the human resource (HR) director of a multinational enterprise (MNE), one must
bear in mind that in the face of a foreign environment, expatriates often face discomfort since
working conditions are particularly different from the working conditions in the domestic
environment (McEvoy and Buller 2013). Therefore, it is important for the managers to select
candidates with utmost attention. The managers must keep in mind that when an employee
provides high performance in the domestic working conditions, it cannot be taken for granted
that the same employee will provide high performance in the face of foreign working
conditions (Teixeira et al. 2017). This is mainly because the expatriates undergo a cultural