| Expatriates and foreign nationals who
| |
| | their HR manual of acronyms and alphabet
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| relocate to the United States to live and
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| | soup: PPO, HMO, ADA, EEOC, FLMA, and
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| work often have mixed perceptions about
| |
| | 401K. Translation please?Said one foreign
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| this young nation. Those feelings are
| |
| | executive, "You are screened by a nurse,
|
| probably best described by the late Irish
| |
| | and then you spend 30 seconds to two
|
| poet and playwright, Oscar Wilde, who
| |
| | minutes with a doctor. You are reimbursed
|
| referred to America as "a land of
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| | and talk to computers. All these plans,
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| unmatched vitality and vulgarity."While
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| | long-term and short-term disability, are
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| most Americans rarely think of their
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| | extremely complex."Rather than
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| country as "foreign," the fact is that
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| | proactively taking the time to explain
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| non-Americans who relocate to the United
| |
| | these bureaucratic plans and policies to
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| States to do business and "do lunch" are
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| | foreigners, most HR managers simply react
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| often surprised to find they experience a
| |
| | and respond to questions. What HR
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| severe case of "corporate culture
| |
| | managers do not understand is that
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| shock."According to recently conducted
| |
| | non-Americans have no knowledge base on
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| research with dozens of foreign business
| |
| | which they can even begin to formulate
|
| professionals working in Atlanta and
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| | intelligent questions. Human resources
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| other southeastern U.S. cities, the human
| |
| | must instead begin at the beginning.The
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| resource departments of multinational
| |
| | American Spirit at WorkMost foreigners
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| corporations are woefully inadequate in
| |
| | first come to know America through its
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| preparing foreigners for the American
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| | media--movies, music, magazines, TV
|
| workplace. The purpose of the study was
| |
| | sitcoms, and theme parks. Americans are
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| to learn about foreign managers'
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| | projected as fun loving, risk-taking
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| experiences and attitudes regarding the
| |
| | rugged individuals who "get to the point"
|
| American business culture. More than half
| |
| | and "tell it like it is." Pick up most
|
| of this diverse group of CEOs, CFOs, vice
| |
| | any book about American culture and you
|
| presidents, directors, managers,
| |
| | will read about the legendary open,
|
| engineers, and analysts were European. In
| |
| | honest, and direct communication style of
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| total, 26 different countries were
| |
| | Americans. And so it seems that the bold
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| represented.Equally disturbing is the
| |
| | and brazen American is, indeed, alive and
|
| finding that American employees lack
| |
| | well when socializing or selling. But
|
| cross-cultural awareness and skills that
| |
| | foreigners paint a different picture of
|
| would enable them to draw on the diverse,
| |
| | the American at work. It is not John
|
| global talents and business experiences
| |
| | Wayne or Indiana Jones who they encounter
|
| of their non-American counterparts.Once
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| | behind the corporate cubicle--it is
|
| the physical relocation to the United
| |
| | Dilbert.According to the research,
|
| States is complete, most foreigners and
| |
| | foreigners observe that there is little
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| their families say employers provide
| |
| | evidence of those cherished American
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| little, if any, assistance to help them
| |
| | values of equality and freedom of speech
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| integrate into the American community and
| |
| | in the workplace, especially in big
|
| business environment. They often struggle
| |
| | corporations. The single, greatest
|
| up to a year or longer to adapt.The
| |
| | discomfort that foreigners report in the
|
| financial cost of cross-border
| |
| | U.S. workplace is reconciling the
|
| relocations is steep; often two to four
| |
| | perception of business informality ("I'm
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| times the transferee's salary. But the
| |
| | your CEO but just call me Bob;" "business
|
| cost of lost productivity because of
| |
| | casual is what we wear here") and the
|
| months of isolation, confusion, and
| |
| | reality of corporate hierarchy and
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| frustration is incalculable. The
| |
| | extreme deference to rank and
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| adaptation period could be reduced by 50
| |
| | titles."People worry about political
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| percent with adequate cultural
| |
| | correctness all the time to the point
|
| orientation and training, professional
| |
| | where they won't say anything in a
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| coaching, and mentoring. If corporations
| |
| | meeting because their boss is in there,"
|
| would simply invest an additional 5 to 10
| |
| | said a British manager who has worked in
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| percent of their relocation cost into
| |
| | the United States for seven years. A
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| cross-cultural orientation, training, and
| |
| | Dutch marketing manager agreed, "In
|
| coaching, they would be buying an
| |
| | Europe, if you have a good idea, you
|
| insurance policy that protects their
| |
| | bring it to the table. In the United
|
| substantial investment in their
| |
| | States, until the boss puts it on the
|
| expatriate and foreign nationals,
| |
| | radar screen, it's not as important."A
|
| realizing a greater productivity return
| |
| | German manager says, "Here, I have to
|
| on their investment much sooner.Stages of
| |
| | package my opinions very nicely."
|
| AdjustmentLeft on their own, foreign
| |
| | Foreigners also are surprised at how
|
| professionals frequently go through three
| |
| | Americans avoid face-to-face conflict at
|
| stages of acculturation:
| |
| | work. Said one German who has worked in
|
|
| |
| | the United States for five years,
|
| Discovery. First, they encounter the
| |
| | "Everyone is hiding behind policy and not
|
| barriers and differences that create
| |
| | getting out from behind their walls."A
|
| discomfort and frustration for them and
| |
| | Finnish distributorship president
|
| their families.
| |
| | speculated that Americans avoid direct
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| Search. Second, they begin to look for
| |
| | conflict because of the litigious society
|
| the people and resources that can help
| |
| | they live in. "This is a big difference
|
| them overcome the cultural barriers.
| |
| | between America and the rest of the
|
| Adaptation. Finally, they make the
| |
| | world. People put things in writing here
|
| necessary adjustments to their
| |
| | if there is some conflict or
|
| communication style, work style, and
| |
| | misunderstanding. Frivolous lawsuits
|
| business practices to build relationships
| |
| | don't exist in the rest of the world."The
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| with their American colleagues.
| |
| | lack of job security and an adequate
|
| Some foreigners never make it through
| |
| | "safety net" for unemployment is another
|
| the adaptation stage and continue to
| |
| | reason given.Conquering Corporate Culture
|
| remain isolated from their American
| |
| | ShockIf global companies would take the
|
| colleagues and are less-than-effective in
| |
| | following four actions, they would help
|
| their jobs.Bottom of the PyramidIn their
| |
| | to ease the transition of foreigners into
|
| home countries, most international
| |
| | the U.S. workplace and greatly enhance
|
| professionals enjoy a certain degree of
| |
| | their productivity.
|
| accomplishment and self-esteem. On
| |
| |
|
| arriving in the United States, however,
| |
| | Provide community orientation and
|
| they are pulled down to the bottom rung
| |
| | logistical support beyond finding housing
|
| of Maslow's pyramid of needs. Physical
| |
| | and schools. Help the transferees acquire
|
| needs become top priorities again.Even
| |
| | basic survival skills and social ties
|
| the most basic everyday needs become
| |
| | with their community.
|
| major obstacles for foreign transferees.
| |
| | Take the time to explain employee
|
| Obtaining credit is often a major hurdle,
| |
| | benefits, policies, and laws. Do not
|
| even for affluent non-Americans. A
| |
| | assume foreigners understand the policies
|
| general manager of a French company's
| |
| | and plans or the words associated with
|
| North American division moved from Paris,
| |
| | them. They are unique to America. Give
|
| France, to Atlanta, GA, three years ago.
| |
| | them an easy way to get their HR
|
| He described his family's effort to
| |
| | questions answered. Be proactive versus
|
| establish credit as a "nightmare.""We had
| |
| | reactive.
|
| no credit history here and felt like
| |
| | Assign a trained American mentor or
|
| thieves," said the transferee.
| |
| | external coach to foreign transferees
|
| Another vice president also complained
| |
| | during the first few months of the
|
| of credit problems when he moved his
| |
| | transition process to hasten
|
| family from Paris to Atlanta with a
| |
| | acculturation. Foreigners in the study
|
| global Dutch company. An Atlanta car
| |
| | strongly favored this idea. "Having a
|
| dealer refused to sell him an automobile
| |
| | coach or mentor is absolutely essential
|
| without a U.S. credit history, even
| |
| | for getting direct first-hand feedback,
|
| though he had used an American Express
| |
| | asking questions, learning how Americans
|
| credit card in Europe for four years. The
| |
| | see the situation, culture, work
|
| executive and his wife said they felt
| |
| | practices, even for subtle differences.
|
| like "criminals." They were forced to pay
| |
| | The fact is, the U.S. is different!" said
|
| cash for their first used car.Other
| |
| | a Swedish program manager.
|
| foreigners recalled the many frustrations
| |
| | Build American cultural awareness and
|
| they encountered in taking care of basic
| |
| | competence by offering cross-cultural
|
| living needs--opening a bank account,
| |
| | training, multicultural team coaching,
|
| connecting utilities, choosing a
| |
| | and cultural events. Many foreigners in
|
| long-distance company, haggling over the
| |
| | the study referred to their American
|
| price of a car, or buying home and auto
| |
| | colleagues as culturally "insensitive,"
|
| insurance. The marketing manager of a
| |
| | "ignorant," "egocentric," or "isolated."
|
| British-based international hotel chain
| |
| | As a result, the foreigners believe that
|
| moved from London, England, to the
| |
| | Americans do not fully appreciate and use
|
| American headquarters in Atlanta, GA,
| |
| | their unique backgrounds, talents, global
|
| only to discover that she did not know
| |
| | perspectives, and connections.
|
| how to dial long distance within the
| |
| | As global mergers and acquisitions
|
| United States. Neither did she know the
| |
| | continue and as America's multicultural
|
| meaning of dialing "911." Americans often
| |
| | workforce expands, it is vital that both
|
| take for granted the daily survival
| |
| | Americans and non-Americans understand
|
| skills that foreigners must relearn when
| |
| | each other and learn to work together to
|
| they arrive in the United States.American
| |
| | prevent cultural differences from getting
|
| English "Sports-speak"Understanding
| |
| | in the way of good business. As Sheila
|
| American English is one of the first
| |
| | (could this be Sheida?) Hodge states in
|
| challenges foreigners--even native
| |
| | her book, Global Smarts, "The trick is to
|
| English speakers--encounter in the U.S.
| |
| | capitalize on similarities without being
|
| corporate culture. American business
| |
| | ambushed by differences."If both
|
| conversation is riddled with clichés,
| |
| | Americans and non-Americans will adopt
|
| slang, regionalisms, and sports
| |
| | the mantra: "Think globally, act
|
| expressions that are not understood by
| |
| | locally," then their employers stand a
|
| non-Americans. "Sports-speak" is woven
| |
| | much greater chance of bringing better
|
| into business conversations constantly in
| |
| | ideas and approaches to the workplace and
|
| the United States with references to
| |
| | better products and services to the
|
| American football, baseball, and
| |
| | marketplace.Susan Davidson is founder and
|
| basketball. Expressions such as "slam
| |
| | president of Beyond Borders, Inc., an
|
| dunk," "homerun," "Monday morning
| |
| | Atlanta-based coaching, training and
|
| quarterback," "end run," "curveball,"
| |
| | consulting firm that specializes in
|
| "full court press," and "stepping up to
| |
| | improving the business performance of
|
| the plate" only serve to confuse
| |
| | global managers and teams.
|
| foreigners. Many Americans are oblivious
| |
| | Susan has worked with Fortune 500 and
|
| to the fact that baseball and American
| |
| | global corporations for more than 25
|
| football are not played in Europe and
| |
| | years to improve the sales, leadership
|
| other parts of the world.Acronym SoupThe
| |
| | skills, communications and business
|
| language of U.S. human resource
| |
| | effectiveness of leaders, employees and
|
| departments is equally foreign. Most
| |
| | salespeople.Ms. Davidson has published
|
| international professionals come to the
| |
| | several articles on her groundbreaking
|
| United States with no knowledge of
| |
| | research with foreign business
|
| managed health care or U.S. tax and
| |
| | professionals who experience "corporate
|
| discrimination law--complex issues that
| |
| | culture shock" in the U.S. workplace.
|
| Americans barely understand. It is no
| |
| | She is also a featured speaker for human
|
| wonder then that non-Americans consider
| |
| | resource, international and training
|
| these employee policies and plans a
| |
| | organizations. She can be reached at
|
| "nightmare" and glaze over when they read
| |
| | 770.451.
|
