Good communication involves more than just relaying information. We find out where companies often fall short.

Assign someone who can be a 'buddy' in the host country

Most employers are adept at 'downward communication,' according to a new organisational communication survey conducted by the Society of Human Resource Management (SHRM) and CareerJournal.com, The Wall Street Journal's executive career site. However, the survey finds that only slightly more than half (59 percent) of employees polled feel their organisations listen to what they have to say.

This perception seems to be well-founded. Fewer than half (46 percent) of all HR professionals surveyed report that their organisations collect employee opinions. Perhaps it's not surprising then that although 80 percent of HR professional feel their organisations are open to suggestions and improvements from employees, only 66 percent of employees concur.

On assignment

'Upward communication' appears to be an issue for the general employee population. But it can be particularly problematic for employees on foreign assignment who have fewer opportunities to communicate with management, as well as circumstances that differ from other staff members.

Indeed, because expat circumstances tend to be unique, global employee research and consulting firm ISR tells Expatica that some organisations ask for feedback from them as group, as opposed to others that poll expats as part of broad cultural surveys.

However, Gary Berger, executive director of the Americas for ISR, indicates that surveying expats as a group and focusing on their concerns is by no means widespread. He says the process tends to be more common in specific sectors, such as financial services and the oil and gas industry, among organisations that have extensive experience in deploying a global workforce.

Organisations that conduct expat surveys typically look at the effectiveness of administrative support from home and host countries, an expat's ability to acclimate in the host country, and his/her acclimation upon repatriation, among other issues.

Asking them

ISR creates and administers custom expat surveys for client organisations. These surveys vary, depending on objective. Sometimes the entire expat population is surveyed; other times organisations may opt to survey expats at the beginning of relocation.

In addition to surveying employees on assignment, ISR often surveys spouses and adult or teenage children.

Companies that survey are listening to spouses

Berger tells of one study that ISR is conducting for a client in Saudi Arabia, citing the challenges of spouse orientation as well as restrictions for teenage children as areas of concern.

These kinds of issues might not have surfaced had the survey only focused on employees, who are typically immersed in the work demands of the assignment.

"You not only have to listen to employees, you have to listen to spouses," Berger says.

And companies that survey are listening to spouses. In fact, Berger tells Expatica of an oil company that actually hired an employee's spouse as a consultant upon the couple's repatriation. Based on the spouse's input, the company developed a resource manual for expats and their families.

Family satisfaction

Companies that underestimate the importance of spousal satisfaction are overlooking a major factor in assignment success, according to Berger.

In a lot of countries there are rules that won't allow spouses to work, he explains. Therefore, orientation for the spouse and family becomes even more critical.

"The worst thing you can have on these expat assignments are families that are unhappy," says Berger, indicating that when assignments fail because of family issues, it's often because the family wasn't properly orientated.

Lack of connection

One of the other major problems ISR sees is that there is no planning for reintegration back to the home country.

An employee is often uncertain about what happens in his/her career upon return, Berger says. The result is that expats often choose to become employee nomads, moving from expat assignment to expat assignment.

Lack of feedback contributes to a rootless feeling. Indeed, according to data ISR has collected from more than 2,000 expats, feedback is one of the biggest concerns.

Expats don't feel they get regular feedback, and don't feel they have information readily available, says Patrick Kulesa, global research director for ISR. What's more, expats generally don't understand how what they're doing affects broader organisational goals.

Yet, these same expats also have a strong sense of empowerment. Of those surveyed, 75 percent feel they can challenge tradition and 83 percent indicate they are encouraged to come up with innovative solutions.

The issue for management becomes how to tap into expat strengths while addressing employee concerns—concerns which centre largely on communication.

The cost of a failed assignment is often touted as the primary reason for closer scrutiny of an expat programme, but more than money is at stake. "It is the development ground for the future leaders of multinationals," says Kulesa.

Finding solutions

Admittedly, there are challenges to listening to employees on the other side of the globe. In order to address the distance issue, some companies have set up sponsors in host countries. By assigning someone who can be a buddy in the host country, there is better onsite communication, Berger explains.

Creating a flatter structure for the employee, with more emphasis on the individual as opposed to the culture, is also among organisational best practices, Kulesa tells Expatica.

When it comes to assessing culture, success is often attributed to whether or not a host country is difficult or easy from the point of assimilation. However, Kulesa indicates it's more a matter of expectation levels.

Because expectation seems to drive success, it's important to provide resources and information prior to relocation, particularly when sending an employee to a dissimilar culture. By the same token, focusing on effective orientation is critical, as is providing attention to repatriation. And all involve listening to the expat, as well as relaying information.

The good news for expats and employers is that in the last three to four years ISR has seen improved scores in its expat surveys. Although Kulesa indicates that all is not ideal everywhere in the world, in core countries expat practices are improving. In general, companies are communicating better and have practical policies in place.

For the organisation seeking to improve its level of communication, ISR recommends that it focus on the expat's areas of concern. At the top of the list is the family perspective, including acclimation and day-to-day activities. The expat also wants feedback on job performance. Knowing how to live outside work is a concern as well.

"A lot of what we find is that a lot of the issues are communication issues. Expats are employees, but employees in a unique situation," Berger says.

Like ISR's research, the SHRM/CareerJournal.com survey makes a case for listening to employees. Although less than half of polled organisations ask for employee input, of the HR professionals who use staff feedback forms, 86 percent rate the effectiveness of the interactions as "good" or "very good."

August 2005

Paula Santonocito is a freelance writer specializing in workforce management issues. She is the author of more than 500 articles on a wide range of topics.

Subject: expat surveys, internal communications, expatriate feedback