Human Resource Management
Introduction
Hello and welcome, Francis Jones! My name is John Smith and I am the Human Resources Manager at Blessed Beauty Incorporated. In order to assist with your relocation, the company has prepared the following information, which I hope you will find useful.
Blessed Beauty Incorporated
Blessed Beauty Inc. is a company which specializes in the manufacture and sale of cosmetics and personal beauty products as well as household products. The company, which was established fifteen years ago, has a network of ten individual sites in the United States and is looking to expand internationally, particularly to Latin America.
The current organizational structure of the company is the head office, located in New York, and ten regional offices, all of which maintain their own Sales Department, Marketing and PR Department and Financial and Accounting Department. The supply chain is managed by the New York Office and all ten branches report monthly to head office. The company has recently established a branch in Brazil, in the city of Florianópolis This office employs fifteen personnel and you have been appointed to manage this office, and in particular to control supply and delivery of the product. With your recent experience as manager of the supply department in New York, the company is confident that you are the right person for the position.
Expatriate Packet
Employee Name: Francis Jones
Dependents: Mary Jones (spouse), John Jones (8 years), Jennifer Jones (5 years)
Contract period: 24 months from 1 September 2016 – negotiable for a further 24 months
• 20% loading for foreign service
• Company subsidized housing to the value of 50% of the current rental cost.
• Paid return airfares for yourself and your dependents once every eight months, and paid airfares to repatriate at the expiration of the contract.
• Annual performance bonus scaled against departmental results and employee performance
• Assistance to comply with local taxation and employment regulations during the contract period. Although you will be employed in Brazil, as a foreign citizen, you will be subject to US law as per the USA/Brazil agreement, a copy of which will be supplied to you on request.
• Provision of a late-model company automobile, personal/work laptop computer and cell phone to be used for work purposes.
• While English is the preferred language at Blessed Beauty, you and your family will be provided free language courses for the whole family at the US Embassy in Brazil, so that you can learn Portuguese, Brazil’s official language.
• To assist with a smooth transition to your new place of residence, the company will also provide the following social and cultural support service to the entire family:
cultural training for all members of the family in order to introduce the main features of living in Brazil, to tell about popular entertainments, ethnic dishes, public transport, education system and other aspects of usual life;
• assistance in searching suitable schools for children (it can be a Portuguese school with initial language courses or some special school for foreign children in the Florianópolis);
• tax offsets on education, additional language courses are offered during the first year;
• the special assistance can be provided to the family during the first month in order to resolve some special issues or problems;
• It should be noted that each member of the family has an opportunity to participate in the program of psychological assistance. This program is offered by the US embassy in Brazil. In addition, a set of detailed information about Brazil, the city of Florianópolis, and its main cultural features can be provided to the family before the relocation.
Once you have decided on a suitable time for you and your family to travel, please contact me so the I can arrange the necessary documentation (airline tickets, work, and dependent’s visas) and can assist you with the other arrangements necessary. It is expected that the company will absorb the costs of transportation of your household furniture and effects, immunizations and medical checks required prior to entering the country.
As you are no doubt aware, the Summer Olympic Games is to be held in Rio de Janiero during August 2016, and I wholeheartedly recommend that you refrain from traveling to Brazil until late in August, to ensure a smooth trip and to avoid delays.
Again, Francis, Welcome to Blessed Beauty Brazil. I trust that you and your family will enjoy your time in South America.
Regards
John Smith
Human Resources Manager
Orientation Booklet
General Information
The Federal Republic of Brazil is the largest country in Latin America and the fifth largest country in the world. Lying close to the equator, Brazil’s climate is hotter and more humid than that of the United States. Brazil has a population of more than 200 million people, about 40 percent of whom are white. The official language of Brazil is Portuguese (Brazil. Characteristic of the Country, 2016). The capital city, Brasilia has a population of 2.8 million people, and the population of Florianópolis, where you and your family will be based is approximately 400,000 people. More than 40 % of the country’s population is white people and the country’s religion is predominantly Roman Catholic (Brazil. Characteristic of the Country., 2016).
The currency in the country is the Brazilian Real (BRL). One real is subdivided into 100 centavos. Approximate currency exchange rates are as follows:
1 BRL =0.2854 USD or
1 USD = 3.5040 BRL (Exchange Rates, 2016).
The current acting president of Brazil is Michel Temer. The state system of Brazil is a democratic presidential republic. Like the US, the territory of Brazil is divided into twenty-six states. (Brazil. Characteristic of the Country, 2016).
The city of Florianópolis is located on the island of island-state of Santa-Catarina, on the southeastern coast of Brazil. The city is noted for its high-quality lifestyle and the livable climate. Florianópolis has a warm and humid subtropical climate and experiences four distinct seasons each year. Because it is located in the Southern Hemisphere, Brazil’s summer occurs between December and February, when the temperature ranges between from 25°C and 37°C. Winter occurs between June and August and the temperature during this period ranges from 6°C to 11°C. Florianópolis is located on the Atlantic Seaboard, and as a result experiences a relative humidity level of 80 percent and averages more than one hundred and seventy days of the sunshine per year.
The city features many attractions including beautiful landscapes, lagoons, beaches, waterfalls and great infrastructure. The New York Times has identified Florianópolis as a party destination in 2009 (Brazil. Characteristic of the Country, 2016) Around 400 000 people live in Florianópolis. Around 90% of the population is white people. The majority of them work in such fields as information technology and tourism and various service industriesIn recent years, Florianópolis becomes the second home for many North Americans and Europeans (Brazil's Economy, 2016).
The business center is located on the island part of the city which is connected to the mainland by three bridges. There are several English primary and secondary schools, which are located in different regions of Florianópolis.
The city features an international airport and several bus terminals and has an efficient local transport infrastructure. Local officials are aiming to create a Brazilian “Silicon Valley” in this city. (Brazil. Characteristic of the Country, 2016).
The cost of living in Florianópolis is much less than living in New York. The average cost of living for a family of four persons is approximately equivalent to 1800 USD per month. Generally speaking, Food, products, and basic consumer goods are about 60 percent cheaper than in New York (Cost of Living in Florianopolis, Brazil, 2016).
References
Brazil. Characteristic of the Country. (2016). The World Fact book. Cia.gov. Retrieved 16 June 2016, from https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/resources/the-world-factbook/geos/br.html
Brazil's Economy, (2016). Nowhere to go but up. The interim government proposes some reforms. The Economist. Retrieved 16 June 2016, from http://www.economist.com/news/americas/21699948-interim-government-proposes-some-reforms-nowhere-go-up?zid=305&ah=417bd5664dc76da5d98af4f7a640fd8a
Cost Living in Florianopolis, Brazil, (2016). Cost of Living in Florianopolis, Brazil. Jun 2016 prices in Florianopolis Expatiating, cost of living comparisons. Retrieved 9 June 2016, from https://www.expatistan.com/cost-of-living/florianopolis
Exchange Rates,. (2016). US Dollar and Brazilian Real. Google.com. Retrieved 16 June 2016, from https://www.google.com/finance?q=USDBRL
