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As the global economy is expanding daily basis, companies working on the global platform must have the luxury to manage the expatriates as well as the repatriates. Considering the increasing numbers of foreign assignments, most of the organizations need to send their best human resources to the foreign countries. Therefore, a fully encumbered expatriate package has been offered to the best of the businesses in order to complete the international assignment. But, most of the times, companies do not value the repatriation process to support an employee returning from a foreign country after finishing an international assignment (Reinhardt, 2012).
Meanwhile, in this paper a discussion has been made on the topic of repatriation process of an employee. Providing effective strategies, a discussion has been done on how a human resources manager can conduct a proper repatriation process for an employee who is returning from Saudi Arabia after five years completing a foreign assignment for the organization.
As repatriation process is one of the critical sets of issues for an HRM, a significant repatriation planning checklist must be developed to facilitate the repatriation process more effectively. As the employee is returning from Saudi Arabia after five years, the HRM must prepare a strategic approach to certifying that the company has appreciated the services of the expatriate (Arman & Aycan, 2013). Therefore, two precise and systematic steps must be developed for efficient repatriation process such as prior to departure from the foreign country and after landing in the home country.
According to the guidelines offered by Bennett & Associates and Price Waterhouse Cooper LLP, a descriptive model of repatriation process of employees has been presented to be followed in order to make the process more efficient (Solomon, 2001).
Prior to leaving the foreign country: After completing an international assignment in the overseas country, it would be quite difficult for a person to cope up with the culture. As in this particular case, the employee is returning to the home after five years; there would be significant changes to the culture and practices. As more often than not a successful expatriate has developed different skills, new culture oriented lens and work attitude, it would be better advised to get some homework before returning to the home soil. Therefore, proper training facilities at the overseas platform must be arranged properly to leaving the foreign country (Solomon, 2001).
Apart from that, an explicit description of the current social culture of the home country must be briefed to the employee before leaving Saudi Arabia. On the other flip, experience in the foreign country has broadened the overall business perspective of a person. Hence, it can become problematic to some extent to any organization.
Therefore, relative business practices of the organization situated in the base country must be stated to the employee to make him for favorable to the local practices. Furthermore, in the repatriation process, the employee must identify the potential job responsibility to be filled on returning to the country. Such advance explanation can avoid many misunderstanding to the person returning home country.
Outlining of a clear description for repatriate’s position in the home country can certainly encourage the person to get more time adopting local understanding (Fiske, 2007). Furthermore, all necessary support must be promised to the human resource on returning and rehabilitation process in the home country. Such inspirational compensation packages to the repatriate can motivate him for further benefits of the organization.
After landing in the home country: After returning to the home soil, it is the responsibility of the organization to appraise the services of the employee. Such employee appraisal system can encourage the employees in the repatriation process. Identifying the potential capability of the employee, proper mentors must be supplied to him in order to make life easy in the current social atmosphere. Moreover, the employee must be encouraged to accept home leave at the time of re-entry. Such leave can deliver additional time to the employee as well as the organization to decide further development of repatriation process. Meanwhile, after returning to the country completing a successful foreign assignment, the employee must be formally felicitated in front of the organizational people to appreciate the individual’s success (Oltra, Bonache & Brewster, 2012).
In addition to that, before resuming the work in the base country, the employee coming from outside must be given effective repatriation counseling as well as work counseling to identify current process at the work, organizational culture and further insights. Furthermore, the spouse and the children of that particular employee must be provided enough support to get back to the social life of the country.
At the business perspective, the company must arrange relocation payment and return incentive imbursement, tax exit interviews and other payroll regarding payments to make it easy for the employee at the early stage (Wentland, 2003).
Recognizing the importance of assistance to the returning employee and his family, the organization must acknowledge the responsibility in readjusting the human resource to the native culture. The repatriation process intended to the repatriate must ensure valuable cultural training to elevate cultural responsiveness and current workplace environment within the human resource to make it simple for adjusting to the existing situation. Professional services to the employee in repatriation process can work in favor of the individual to integrate the ‘new-old’ in an effective way.
References
Arman, G., & Aycan, Z. (2013). Host country nationals' attitudes toward expatriates: development of a measure †. The International Journal Of Human Resource Management, 24(15), 2927-2947. http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/09585192.2013.763839
Fiske, S. (2007). Work in Repatriation. Anthropology News, 48(4), 41-42. http://dx.doi.org/10.1525/an.2007.48.4.41
Oltra, V., Bonache, J., & Brewster, C. (2012). A New Framework for Understanding Inequalities Between Expatriates and Host Country Nationals. J Bus Ethics, 115(2), 291-310. http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/s10551-012-1397-0
Reinhardt, K. (2012). Coming Home Again: Repatriation and Peace Durability. The Eagle Feather. http://dx.doi.org/10.12794/tef.2012.17
Solomon, C. (2001). Global HR: Repatriation Planning. Workforce, 22.
Wentland, D. (2003). A New Practical Guide for Determining Expatriate Compensation: The Comprehensive Model. Compensation & Benefits Review, 35(3), 45-50. http://dx.doi.org/10.1177/0886368703035003006
