When they accept foreign assignments, how can expatriates prepare for such an assignment risk?
There could be much risk when expatriates accept foreign assignments. One of the major risks are health and well-being; in foreign nations, it would not be easy to tell how the working conditions actually might be without being there first and foremost. It’s important to do research on labor laws as well as unions prior to accepting such an assignment.
Labor unions play a critical role in encouraging safety as well as promoting public health all-together (Hagedorn et al., 2016). Promoting safety could spread to range of different areas. One of them is mental health of workers; without the personnel being in a proper state to work, mentally, it would be a drawback for the organization as a whole. Labor unions could tie into managing the overall workload of workers as well. If staff are overworked, they may not be in their best at all times. Outside of safety and health, some other key areas labor unions play a role in are worker protections, working hours, family assistance, and flexibility of workers to name a few.
Another major risk of accepting a foreign assignment is adapting to another culture. An individual from the states, for instance, will not be accustomed to a foreign nation as soon as they set foot; it may potentially be a culture shock. It could be important to look into the background of said nation prior to being there; perhaps this could help the transition be a little smoother. Even better if the individual already has personal connection with the host nation–for example, parents and family originating from said country.
Reference
Hagedorn, J., Paras, C. A., Greenwich, H., & Hagopian, A. (2016). The role of labor unions in creating working conditions that promote public health. American Journal of Public Health, 106(6), 989–995. https://doi.org/10.2105/ajph.2016.303138
