The European Option

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But they're only going to Europe

Whilst most international companies and organisations anticipate problems when assigning employees to Asia, the Middle East or the former Soviet Bloc, fewer perceive the potential issues that have to be faced by expatriates and frequent business travellers involved with countries 'nearer home'.

However, the cultural differences contained in the increasing land mass of 'Europe' are as diverse as those to be expected between geographically distant continents!

The concept of the 'Common Market' probably has much to contribute to this perception. Whilst there are numerous undoubted benefits of the development of a European Union, the resistance among many to becoming homogenised Europeans is indisputable evidence of the strength and presence of the individual cultural differences and this never more so than when conducting business.

All too often, a difficulty in effective communication, the creation of misunderstanding and the inability to adapt to a new environment is attributed to the lack of linguistic skills. Whilst the ability to speak the language of your business colleague provides a clear advantage, even with the commonality of spoken English, the real challenge is very much more a cultural one.

Some recent estimates show that large numbers of Europeans sent to work overseas fail to adapt to the new culture and have to come home early. Even for those who stay the course there is no guarantee of a successful assignment. Often a less than satisfactory performance goes undetected leaving a trail of havoc and potential damage.

Failure can not be measured in terms of finance alone. A damaged reputation, unrest amongst employees, low morale and the slow and painful process involved in mending bridges add immeasurably to the burden. Frequently the incident is a disruptive experience for the individual and their family, often resulting in personal tragedy.

To become internationally effective requires specialised training in both cultural understanding and linguistic skills.

In addition to numerous scheduled briefings for specific countries throughout the world, including Britain, Farnham Castle can provide customised briefing programmes to meet the specific requirements of individuals with partners or groups - at a time which is convenient to them.

It is also able to arrange customised briefings for repatriation. Often the return home at the end of an assignment creates bigger issues and potential problems for individuals and families than the original expatriation. Programmes are designed to address individual areas of concern as well as providing practical and psychological help, if needed, to assist with the resettlement process.

The cost of undertaking a briefing at Farnham is insignificant when compared to the cost of an expatriation let alone the potential cost of a failed assignment or project. International trading is a challenging assault course whichever market you operate in; time spent on a briefing and language tuition will provide that vital competitive advantage.