Organisations increasingly send employees abroad on international assignments all over the world. While this has several advantages such as an increased global reach for the organisation and access to a broader talent pool, it also creates a large array of new challenges for international assignees who have to adapt to new working practices and communication styles. Helping international assignees to develop their intercultural skills through cross cultural training is crucial for global organisations that require successful communication and collaboration across cultures.
 © istockphoto.com/ Mike Bentley |
Understanding the impact of culture on business and working practices is vital. Our behaviours and values are widely influenced by our cultural background but this can sometimes be difficult for foreigners to decipher without the right cultural tools and understanding. A comprehensive analysis of cultural values in specific countries can significantly help employees to decipher key cross cultural attitudes towards aspects such as time, hierarchy or risk. Culture also influences how we communicate verbally, non-verbally and virtually. All these cultural elements can hinder effective communication within international teams and cause cross cultural misunderstandings and frustrations if not understood or managed.
Being aware of cross cultural business practices is sometimes not enough. When organisations decide to send employees to work on short or long international assignments, it’s important that they consider the support options to ensure that expatriates understand the impact of culture on their daily life. How to socialise, hints of the country’s environment and useful information for the other members of the family are just a few examples of what a cross cultural training course can provide international assignees. These elements must be taken into consideration as they can greatly reduce the culture shock upon arrival.
A lack of cultural awareness can harm business opportunities and cause organisations to lose large amounts of money and time spent on human resources. Communicaid’s cross cultural training courses are specifically designed to provide key information and insight needed by the international assignees and their family, enabling an easier adaptation process which is essential for a successful personal and professional experience on the global market.
© Communicaid Group Ltd. 2010
© admin for Communicaid Blog | Cross Cultural Training and International Communication Skills, 2010. |
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Post tags: challenge of international assignments, Courses - Cultural Training, Cross Cultural Training, Cultural training for Relocation, intercultural training, international assignees, living and working abroad
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