Hit the Ground Running – Preparing Expats (and Spouses) to Move to a New Country

2000 – Ongoing training for Expats and spouse in industries such as Digital, Healthcare, Engineering, Finance, Trade, Technological, Resources, Manufacturing, Agri-food, Defence, Infrastructure, Tourism, and the Circular Economy.

Challenge

Expats and their managers do not always recognise gaps in personal traits or intercultural skills. Expatriates are often selected for their technical expertise, yet neither they nor their organisations consistently assess intercultural readiness before departure. Our approach and development tools help identify and address these gaps to support more effective intercultural interactions.

Expats also often have limited time for training that is not seen as directly related to their role. By understanding their background, experience, job responsibilities, and workplace culture, we tailor intercultural knowledge and skills to support the individual, their position, and their organisation’s success. Because these skills are needed immediately, we support expats and their spouses both before departure and after arrival.

Interventions during intercultural coaching:

1. Living in Australia – Country-Specific Briefing
   (usually 2 x 2-hour virtual sessions)
   – Introduction and detailed discussion of the request
   – Cultural awareness frameworks, multiple-perspective thinking, and preparation for culture shock
   – Similarities and differences in social relationships between the relevant countries
   – Living in the new country, including country-specific knowledge such as history, politics, religion, geography, economics, language, food, dress, and social customs
2. Working in Australia – Cultural Competence Development
   (usually 2 x 2-hour virtual sessions)
   – Pre-work self-assessment of preferred work behaviours, including leadership, decision-making, task completion, and communication
   – Discussion of behavioural workplace differences and practices between the relevant countries
   – Identification of possible dilemmas and practical ways to bridge cultural gaps and manage complexity
3. Cultural self-awareness (throughout the session(s)):
   – Assessment of cultural orientation, preferred work practices, communication type, and intercultural readiness
4. Follow-up email contact after two months in-country to discuss whether further support is required.

Contact us for:

Country briefings and continued support for professionals in Australia or overseas who need additional coaching and ongoing mentoring. We prepare professionals for assignments across Oceania, Asia, Europe, South America, and the USA.

We work with corporate and government clients to prepare expats and their spouses by strengthening cultural knowledge and competence, helping them make the most of their expatriate assignment.