For employees about to take up foreign assignments, and their families. Children can also participate in certain parts of the training.

Objective

The general objective of the training program is to help those about to go on foreign assignments, and their families, to adapt both to the new culture, and later to their repatriation. The training aims to enlarge their understanding of cultural differencies and the effect of these differencies on their own behaviour, while giving them useful information about the cultural working practices of the countries of destination. Depending on the destination country the program is planned either from the point of view of the area (e.g. Asia) or the country (e.g. China) or designed as a general course consisting of the following areas:

* Introduction to cultural differencies
- Effect of a culture on behaviour
- International communications
- Living abroad as a Finn

* Subjects..

-General information on the countries of destination, their culture(s) and people
-Working culture in the country of destination
- Employee-employer relations
- Methods and styles of negotiation and communication

* Adaptation to a strange culture
- Culture shock - what it is and how different family members experience it?

- The different stages of adaptation
- Mechanisms for stress control

* Requirements for a successful foreign assignment and the causes of failure
* Cultural shock of repatriation, and how to prevent it
* What can be done to minimise the problems related to repatriation?
* Living conditions in the country of destination

- Schools
- Health care
- Chances of finding work for the spouse
- Safety

* Practical advice related to relocation
- Advice to future expatriates from returned repatriates

Duration 1-2 days