Page 43 - DIVA_No.24_2006

Helping Expatriates get
CROWN

off on the right foot
R E L 0 C A T I 0 N S

Relocating is about nesses throughout the country.
more than moving
Offering relocation services is
boxes and changing • -- . ortant to the expatriate's
time zones. It's about mployer, as well as for the
starting over. It's expatriate and his or her family.
about finding a new When relocating, the expatriate
needs to find a new home, obtain
home, new school, the necessary paperwork and
new friends and ship personal effects to name
learning to live in an just a few challenges. Finding
the right way of going about this
unfamiliar environ- is not always an easy thing to do
Crown
ment.
when you don't know much
Relocations under- about the local community rules
stands this and its and regulations for example.
entire service range is Crown's experts are made up of
people local to the community as
aimed at one thing:
well as expatriates, which
making the expatri- ensures that the expatriate will
ates transfer as receive the appropriate assis-
tance from departure until
smooth as possible.
arrival, and even beyond that
through ongoing support servic-
"By offering our clients' a range es.
of relocation services in addition
to our household goods & mov- Offering the tools to
ing services, we make sure that build success in the
the transferees will hit the long run
ground running when they arrive
at their destination. commented The importance of the assistance
Carol-Ane Pugh, Account
Crown offers becomes even
Manager at Crown Switzerland. greater when you take into into
"The assistance we provide goes
account issues that extend
far beyond the assistance a tra- beyond these initial vital aspects,
ditional moving company would like the cultural challenges a For example, taking into account archies; and at developing con-
offer The range of relocation the growing number of female sensus in groups. In navigating
newcomer faces upon his or her any new culture, these skills are
services complements the tradi- arrival in their new host country. expatriate managers worldwide,
tional moving services, and By offering intercultural training tailoring this service to the spe- critical to success. Bringing
helps transferees with all Crown gives the expatriate the cific needs of every transferee them to the surface prepares
arrangements that need to be necessary tools to be successful becomes even more important. women to use them to their
made when they are relocating in their new environment on the All transferees need a full course advantage.
abroad. Whether it concerns of country-specific information,
long term.
immigration issues, intercultural training in culture and communi- * Research also shows that
training, or the search for a new cation skills and preparation for women are likely to be the rela-
Rather than focusing on general
home and a new school, Crown adjustment issues, regardless of tionship tenders in their respec-
knowledge of the new culture,
Relocations will be able to assist Crown's customized intercultur- gender. But cross-cultural train- tive families and workplaces.
the transferee and the accompa- al services help transferees and ers need to take into account the Highlighting common family
nying family. This is Crown's their families identify local way a woman's overseas experi- reactions, role changes and rela-
way of ensuring that the transi- behaviors, understand communi- ence differs from a man's in tionship tensions before they
tion is made as easy as possible, order to contribute fully to the happen can prepare women to
cation styles, explore coping
and that the transferee is a pro- mechanisms and learn adapta- success of the woman's assign- foresee and deal with them
ductive employee as soon as ment. Research strongly sup- effectively.
tion skills.
possible after his or her ports the necessity of under-
arrival.", Ms Pugh continued. standing gender issues in inter- * Finally, research on female
All transferees need these tools
national moves. expatriate managers shows that
to become a successful member
Crown is capable of offering of their new professional envi- they tend to be successful,
these services throughout the ronment. This does not mean What Women Want despite dire predictions that gen-
world, thanks to its network of der discrimination will interfere
however, that they are the same
over 100 wholly-owned offices * Psychological research shows with their ability to work effec-
for every expatriate. Crown rec-
spread over more than 40 coun- that, compared to men, women tively in a new country. An
ognizes this, and makes sure that
tries, including 3 offices in tend to be especially good at explanation for this is that in
the intercultural training it offers
Switzerland. Crown serves non-verbal communication; at some cultures, nationality and
is tailor-made to the individual.
Swiss and international busi- understanding subtle power hier- job status trump gender.
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