Moving to another country is a common activity these days, so many people choose to work in another country quite easily. The self-initiated expatriate is a person “who undertakes his international work experience with little or no organizational sponsorship” (Andresen et al., 2012, p. 11). Such employees, unlike assigned expatriates, are not directed by an organization to another country. These people choose the location based on their own reasons which may include a larger salary, better living standards, desire to travel, and so on. Self-initiated expatriates tend to have a high internal motivation, while their focus on career growth may be less pronounced. These people’s commitment to organizational goals may also be lower as compared to assigned expatriates who pursue their career goals and choose to work in another country as a step up the professional ladder. The lack of commitment can be a challenge for IHM specialists who may need to seek other motivations for these people. That, the great value these employees can create is their fresh view of the organization and their zeal to work in a new environment.
I have worked with many self-initiated expatriates due to the peculiarities of the industry. It is quite common for cabin crew members to switch companies and countries. The vast majority of such employees performed well, and some of them were high-achievers. However, their major motivation to work for our company was an opportunity to gain new experiences in a new country. I also know some assigned expatriates, so I can compare them. Assigned expatriates were completely absorbed by tasks, assignments, goals, and other organizational aspects. At that, the two assigned expatriates I know are single, which may have an impact on their behavior. They concentrate on their work and do not pay much attention to learning more about our country and its peculiarities. Almost all self-initiated expatriates I know have been interested in exploring our country. They tried to travel whenever they could and meet as many people as they could. I should also admit that they contributed to our teamwork significantly. I learned a lot from them and their approaches to dealing with different situations during flight or when interacting with other crew members or employees.
It is necessary to note that my personal experiences can be seen as an illustration of the existing data related to self-initiated expatriates and their motivations. However, based on the research and discussions, I broadened my horizons on the matter. I now see the challenges and opportunities related to self-initiated expatriates’ work in terms of IHM. The challenges may be linked to the lack of commitment, but their openness to new cultures and new experiences makes them more flexible. Andresen and Bergdolt (2017) note that expatriates tend to face strategic and cultural complexity, which may have adverse effects on organizational performance. Therefore, IHM specialists should ensure that expatriates are motivated properly and engaged in all the relevant processes. Self-initiated expatriates can help their colleagues in becoming more flexible (and thus productive) while they can also learn to be more committed to the company from their peers. External motivation techniques (salary and promotion) can be utilized, but it is necessary to understand the personal motivations of a particular expatriate to decide on the most appropriate motivational strategies.
References
Andresen, M., Bergdolt, F., & Margenfeld, J. (2012). What distinguishes self-initiated expatriates from assigned expatriates and migrants? A literature-based definition and differentiation of terms. In M. Andresen, A. Al Ariss, & M. Walther (Eds.), Self-initiated expatriation: Individual, organizational, and national perspectives (pp. 11-41). Routledge.
Dowling, P. J., Festing, M., & Engle, A. D. (2017). International human resource management. Cengage Learning.