Why not now? Expat experiences are definitely worth it!

Plans interrupted.

Earlier this year, I was all ready to start writing again with a new article titled, “Why not now?  There is no time better than the present for an expat assignment.” And then it happened — coronavirus disease (COVID-19). Just like that…

Life in lockdown with nowhere to go.

I have spent roughly five months working from home with the majority of that time in lockdown.  During lockdown, my routine became the following: waking up and having breakfast, watching the news, switching on my laptop and working, breaking for lunch, getting back to work, and stopping for dinner and personal time. 

Of course, there were the trips to the market, catching up on the latest Netflix series, reading historical fiction, and online workouts.  Throw in some virtual happy hours and video calls, and that pretty much sums up my life in lockdown.

When the COVID-19 news was really bad, the stress of the unknown made me think about my family, my community and my job.  Life abroad is such a big part of who I am. So it is only natural that I also wondered about that too.  Would COVID-19 deprive other business professionals of the expat experience?

Time to reflect on your next career move.

Given the state of the global job market, I am thankful to be employed and doing the work that I love.  However, I know that this is not the case for everyone. The reality for many is daunting. There are now millions of individuals who are out of work, on furloughs or soon to be laid off.  We all know someone living through this nightmare. 

I have been made redundant more than once in my career. So, I am familiar with that feeling of uncertainty. It can be overwhelming.  That said, jumping on a plane for an expat assignment may not be your number one priority today. However, it can be within your next one-to-two career moves.

From a career standpoint, one thing this pandemic has given us is time to assess what we want to do. If it is still your dream to work abroad, don’t stop planning.  Maybe now is not the time to travel, but it is certainly the time to take action.

Workplace trends pre COVID-19.

On a positive note, prior to the pandemic, talent management professionals were expecting short-term assignments to be one of the top workforce mobility trends for 2020. Another important trend we were expecting to see was the return to internal hiring, which can also be seen as positive for overseas assignments.  Per a report from LinkedIn Talent Solutions, LinkedIn Global Talent Trends 2020, 73 percent of the talent professionals surveyed stated that internal recruiting is becoming more important to their organizations. 

In the same report, 96 percent of HR/talent professionals stated that employee experience is becoming more important too.   While economists are struggling to understand the impact of the pandemic, companies are realizing that it is a two-way street. If you want to keep top talent, you will need to meet employee needs. Hiring from the outside takes time and ends up becoming more expensive for your organization. 

Why work abroad as an expat?

For me, my time abroad has enriched my life in so many ways. Here is how my life has been positively impacted.

• Regularly introduced to people from all over the globe who I never would have met.
  
  
• Exposed to opportunities to work throughout Europe that would not have come my way.
  
  
• Discovered, in depth, a new culture something one can only grasp by living in that place.
  
  
• Created a new life in a new country from scratch.
  

I’ve also traveled extensively, learned a new language, tested myself in ways never possible before, obtained dual citizenship, and purchased a house in another country. I could go on here, but I hope you get the point – an expat assignment opens the doors to life-changing opportunities and experiences.  So, if your company offers it, go for it! 

Employee benefits and expat opportunities.

After reading the findings from MetLife’s 17th annual U.S. Employee Benefit Trends Study published last summer, I was both pleased and perplexed.  Pleased to see that Americans are, in fact, still interested in working abroad.  Sixty-seven percent of American employees are interested in taking an expatriate (expat) assignment through their employer. This is encouraging given the times we are living in – economic uncertainty, and the rise in nationalistic and anti-immigration sentiment.  Yet, I was confused when I read that only 15 percent of American employees stated that they have taken an expat assignment.  So, what’s going on here?  Employees are interested, but unaware that an overseas assignment is within their reach with their current employer.

Rewards of an expat assignment.

Expat assignments can range from extended business travel of a few months to multiple years abroad.  Whether it is a short stint or a long one, expat opportunities provide a win-win scenario for both the employer and employee.  So, where’s the disconnect and why the miss on both sides of the fence? 

For the employer, it’s obvious.  Companies need to do a better job at pitching overseas opportunities as a company benefit for top performers. If this is, in fact, a benefit why would a company hide it? With the shortage of qualified candidates for open positions and the increasing competition for top talent, you would think that companies would do a better job at communicating these types of company perks as part of their retention strategy. 

Accelerate career development.

Expat assignments not only help retain top talent but also help create a bond between the employer and the employee.  On top of building loyalty, expat assignments help develop both professional and soft skills.

Learn a new language.

Expat opportunities provide the ideal environment to learn a new language. The expat will need to learn the basics of the new language quickly. Fluency will depend on how intrenched the expat is and how much he or she works at it.

Understand and manage cultural differences.

Often overlooked, awareness and sensitivity to differences in culture will be critical to success abroad. What worked at home won’t necessarily work overseas. The sooner the expat is open to new ideas, the better he or she will be at fitting in and achieving success. In late August, around the globe, people witnessed the most recent episode of civil unrest in America, demonstrating just how important cultural awareness and acceptance of others is. 

Problem solve for new challenges.

Working abroad typically places the expat outside their comfort zone. Unknown scenarios will require a new way of thinking for everything from small everyday issues to complex work problems. 

Develop teamwork skills.

Success on an expat assignment depends on multiple factors including collaboration and relationship building skills. Understanding the local culture, fitting in and being open to new ideas will be essential to success abroad. Flexibility and patience will also play an important role. For potential leaders, success on an overseas assignment will be important for future jobs that require the management of teams spanning multiple geographies. 

Get to know yourself better.

If anything, an expat will walk away from their time abroad with a deeper understanding of who they are, what they want to do, and where they want to go.

Build confidence from day 1.

An overseas project can build confidence in one’s ability to tackle and succeed in unknown circumstances. The expat will be tested in ways that weren’t possible at home – from everyday communications, adapting to the local culture, building relationships, to getting the job done.  

Millennials are interested in expat jobs.

Furthermore, wooing millennials, who are expected to make up 75% of the global workforce by 2025, will require a shift in thinking when it comes to workplace benefits. Per the MetLife survey, 75 percent of millennials are interested in an expat experience among other things. That puts companies with no expat or rotational program at a huge disadvantage when recruiting this generation of workers.   

Find expat opportunities.

For the employee, if your company doesn’t openly advertise expat assignments, you may need to be more proactive.  Ask around, check in with HR or your career development department.  Consult your mentor or boss, network and explore your options which can include:

• Applying for an open job in another corporate office
  
  
• Being part of an M&A team that is onboarding the latest acquired business
  
  
• Opening a new office, and training and/or hiring staff
  
  
• Rolling out a new product or service in new geographies
  
  
• Introducing new internal tools or a software platform across multiple locations
  
  
• Onboarding a third-party vendor or strategic partner
  

Listed above are just a few of the many ways that you can find yourself in an overseas opportunity with your current employer.  It could be as big as a posted position on a job board or an informal project that requires you to be close to the source of the work.

Plan for your expat assignment.

Unless there is an immediate need, your assignment overseas will take time to plan even if it is through your company, pandemic or no pandemic.  Sorting out paperwork and getting overseas can take several months or more.

Accepting a job or short-term assignment overseas is a huge commitment for you and your family, if you have one.  It requires planning, flexibility, patience, and openness to the unknown, but the payoff can be big both personally and professionally. 

While it is easy to find excuses not to go abroad, my experience tells me the benefits far outweigh the costs.  There will never be a perfect time to take the plunge – just like publishing this article. 😉 So, do your homework and if everything checks out, follow Nike’s slogan and just do it! 

Image: Photo by Christina Morillo from Pexels