SC&RA COMMENT
INTERNATIONAL
ANDSPECIALIZED TRANSPORT
■
JANUARY 2015
41
It’snot uncommon for a company to send employees
overseas togainglobal experience, or even to
hire someonebecause they’veworkedoverseas.
Internationalwork experiencehas become amajor
contributor to career success formanypeopleworkingwith
multinational companieswhoplanon ascending into leadership
roles. By2020 it is expected that international assignmentswill
increaseby50per cent of today’snumbers,whichhave increased
by25% in the last decade, according toPwC in its publication
TalentMobility2020
.
Andyet there is growing evidence that says companies are
not taking full advantageof this global experience–whether it
is an international hire, or an employeehaving returned from
an assignment overseas. The reasons arediverse, but often settle
around two central themes: the companyhasn’t prepared itself to
learn from the employee and, or, an effort toovercome cultural
barriers hasnot been explored sufficiently, or evenput intoplace.
In an effort tounderstandwhy the impact of returnees on
home companies is falling short of expectations, businesswriter
and researcher,DanWang, completed the largest surveyof skilled
returnmigrants ever collected, involving4,108 respondents
representing81 countries of origin and spanning14years.All of
theworkers had four-year degrees or higher andhad spent time
alongsideUS colleagues in amultitudeof firms, fromgoliaths
likeGoogle, JPMorgan, andChase, to smaller start-ups andmid-
sized companies.
Wang’snumbers paint adiscouragingpicture concerningglobal
knowledge transfer. Less than70%of the respondents indicated
they’d shared anyof theknowledge and experience theygained
upon return. Perhapsworse, less than50% reportedhaving shared
theknowledge and then seen it implemented.
Withvoluntary returnmigration trendingupward (asmore
skilledworkers around theworld are returninghomedue to
emerging economicopportunities) suchworkers areoften
distinguished as facilitators of their homeland’s future economic
growth. China, Brazil, and countries acrossAsia, EasternEurope,
COMMENT
JoelMDandrea
andSouthAmericahave reported large swaths of returnworkers
looking toplug intonewgrowth and emergingmarkets.
These folks are expected tobringwith themnew ideas, skills,
and contacts, aswell as the social aptitude tobridge cultural gaps
for theirnew employers – tobe the agents for change these firms
need to join the globalmarketplace.Whichbegs thequestion:
What can companies do tomake sure thesepeople arenot only
absorbedback into the fold effectively, but seen andheard to the
extent that their experience catalyses that change?
Wang suggests three findings that apply to companies and
workers going toor returning from any country.
Experience at homematters too:Wang’s research found
that experience abroaddidn’t havemuch impact if the
individualwas lacking in any trueunderstandingofworkplace
practices in their own country. Successful returnworkerswere able
to combineprofessional aptitude from experience gained abroad
with a full graspof local operationalmethods and expectations.
Don’t build expectations around limitedknowledge: The
research also revealed thatmany companies often expect
employees to returnwith an acuteknowledgeof technical skills
andoperational procedures – and thus ignoreor brush aside
theoften invaluableknowledge gained connected tomanaging
relationships, understanding core values, and acceptingpeer
code reviews.
Cultural bias canbecome thebiggest barrier to success:
Many returnworkers inWang’s study reported resistance
from their colleagues in attempting tounderstandor embrace
knowledge andpractices derived from culturallyunfamiliar
places –whichwould seem counterproductiveoverall. But analysis
confirmed that negative attitudes towards the away countryplayed
a large role indeterminingwhether ornot the experience and
knowledgedelivered from the returneewouldbe seen, heard,
or implemented.
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Maximiseworker potential
WHO’SWHO
SPECIALIZEDCARRIERS
&RIGGINGASSOCIATION
EXECUTIVEVICEPRESIDENT
Joel Dandrea
5870TrinityParkway, Suite200
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Tel: +1 (703) 6980291
Fax: +1 (703) 6980297
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RonMontgomery
IntermountainRigging&HeavyHaul
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Barnhart CraneandRigging
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RiggingGearSales
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McTyreTrucking
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, KitchensCrane&
Equipment, Chesterfield, Virginia, USA
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CHAIRMAN
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JJCurranCrane
Company, Detroit,Michigan, USA
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Wheco
Richland,Washington, USA
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CHAIRMAN
JayFolladori,
Landstar
Jacksonville, Florida, USA
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OFFICERS
PRESIDENT:
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NBIS
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BraggCompanies
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PSCCrane&Rigging
Piqua, Ohio, USA
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