Dony Eko Prasetyo, S.IP.

• 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
7/2

Expatriation includes repatriation
7/3

The repatriation process
7/4

• Preparation - developing plans for the future; gathering information about the new position
• Physical relocation
• Transition
Use of relocation consultants and removal firms
• Readjustment - coping with change
7/5

• 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
7/6

The repatriate’s role
7/7

• 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
7/8

The readjustment challenge
7/9

• 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
7/10

• 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?
7/11

• 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
7/12

Topics covered by a repatriation program
7/13

• Aims to alleviate the ‘out-of-sight, ‘out-ofmind’ 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
7/14