PRE-DEPARTURE TRAINING

Employees need to receive language training and an orientation in the new country’s culture and
customs.
The family should be included in the orientation.
Expatriates and their families need information about housing, schools, recreation, shopping,
and health care facilities in the area where they will live.
Experiential training methods are most effective in assignments that require significant
interpersonal interaction with host nationals.
COMPONENTS OF EFFECTIVE PRE-DEPARTURE TRAINING

i. Cultural Awareness Training

ii. Preliminary Visits,
iii. Language training,
iv. Security Briefings.
v. Training For The Training Role
vi. TCN And HCN Expatriate Training
vii. Non-traditional Assignments And Training
CULTURAL AWARENESS TRAINING

A well-designed, cultural awareness training

program can be extremely beneficial, as it
seeks to foster an appreciation of the host
country’s culture so that expatriates can
behave accordingly, or at least develop
appropriate coping patterns.
The components of cultural awareness
programs vary according to country of
assignment , duration, purpose of the
transfer, and the provider of such programs.
PRELIMINARY VISIT

A well-planned overseas trip for the

candidate and spouse provides a preview
that allows them to:
 assess their suitability for and interest in
the assignment
 introduce expatriate candidates to the
business context in the host location
 adjust easier to the host location
LANGUAGE TRAINING

 The role of English as the language of

world business.
 Host-Country language skills and
adjustment.
 Knowledge of the corporate language.
PRACTICAL ASSISTANCE

 Practical assistance makes an important

contribution toward the adaptation of the
expatriate and his or her family to their new
environment
 Information that assists relocation
 Assistance in finding suitable
accommodation and schooling
 Further orientation programs and language
training
 Makes an important contribution to
adaptation of expatriate and accompanying
family members to the host location
SECURITY BRIEFINGS

 This has become necessary as expatriates

increasingly relocate to locations where
personal safety may be a concern, and
therefore presents increased and
unfamiliar threats to their health, safety
and security.
 Risks and threats to expatriates range from
hostile political environments (terrorism,
kidnapping, hijacking, coup, war), natural
disasters, exposure to disease (pandemics),
travel accidents and other common travel
problems (scheduling delays, passport
problems).
TRAINING FOR THE TRAINING ROLE

 The ability to transfer knowledge and

manner perhaps should be an integral part
of pre-departure training programs –
particularly if training is part of the
expatriate’s role in the host country.
effective knowledge transfer occurs when
there is a fit between individual readiness
to transfer knowledge and organizational
receptivity to knowledge.
TCN AND HCN EXPATRIATE TRAINING

Pre-departure training may not be provided

to TCNs and HCNs . Where it is provided, it
may not be to the extent of that available to
PCNs. This omission could create
perceptions of inequitable treatment in
situations where PCNs and TCNs work in
the same foreign location, and affect
adjustment to the international assignment.
NON-TRADITIONAL ASSIGNMENTS AND
TRAINING

All staff should be provided with the

necessary level of pre-departure training
given the demands of the international
assignment. Pre-departure training should
also be provided for employees on short-
term assignments, on non-standard
assignments such as commuting, and to
international business travelers.