Studies have shown that, without proper preparation before departure and assistance following arrival, adjusting to a new culture is more difficult and can lead to a premature return home. The purpose of intercultural training is to prepare the employees and their families for the international assignment.

The expatriate services provided by The Cross-Cultural Coach Intercultural Services are designed to ease the transition to the new culture. After the participants have completed a thorough pre-program needs assessment, the program is customized to best address the specific needs of the participants.

Pre-Departure Training    Moving to a New Culture

The pre-departure training will provide the participants with a realistic understanding of what to expect on the assignment. In addition to creating an understanding of the new culture, it provides practical living information, specific business-related information and an understanding of the cultural adjustment process. Ideally, the pre-departure training should take place 2-4 weeks before departure.

Post-Arrival Training        Moving to the USA

The post-arrival training is designed to assist the international assignee and family make a smooth transitions to life in the United States. It is similar to the pre-departure program and can be freestanding when a pre-departure program was not offered before departure. Ideally it will be offered in conjunction with a pre-departure training and should then take place 2-6 weeks after arrival.

Individual Coaching          The Cross-Cultural Coach Programs

Individual coaching is entirely customized according the specific needs of the participants. It can help executives accelerate the adaptation to a new business culture, as well as help the accompanying spouse create a personal plan for his or her life in the new environment. It can be freestanding or used as extra support after other training.

Repatriation Training       Moving Home

Returning home from an international assignment may seem like an easy thing to do. However, studies show that this is not the case. In fact, moving home can be more difficult than moving to another country, and the adjustment can be as demanding. When an employee and family are sent on an international assignment they know that they will encounter a different culture, language and lifestyle but when they return home they don’t expect things to be different In order to help the international employees assimilate back into their own culture, specific repatriation training has been shown to help make this process easier.