M.P.J. Sinninghe Damsté

328982

Table of contents1. Introduction

2. Job-related difficulties in repatriations

3. The concept of Flow

4. Re-achieving Flow

5. Conclusion

6. Questions

1. Introduction

Selection

Training

Assignment

Repatriation

Many companies close their eyes to repatriation: ‘they are coming home.’

1. Introduction

30%

40%

30%

Repatriates

No discomfort

Discomfort

Leaves the company

1. Introduction

Possible solutions

Job-related difficulties at repatriation

The concept of Flow

2. Job-related difficulties

0

2

4

6

8

10

12

W-shaped curve

Sojourn

Based on: Szkudlarek 2008

2. Job-related difficultiesD

ISC

OM

FO

RT

Career anxiety/insufficient planning

Devaluating international experience

Coping with new role demand / reverse culture

shock

Loss of status

Loss of material benefits

Influenced by:• Gender• Age• Personality• Religion• Marital status• Prior

experiences• Length of

sojourn• Cultural

distance• Time• Contact with

home• Housing

conditions

3. The concept of Flow Flow is mental state in which a person performing an

activity is fully immersed in feeling of energized focus, full involvement and enjoyment

Concept proposed by Mihály Csíkszentmihályi

3. The concept of Flow

FLOW

Concentration

Merging of action and awareness

Loss of reflective self-consciousness

Sense of control over

actions

Distortion of temporal

experience

Experience activity as

intrinsically rewarding

3. The concept of Flow

FLOW

Concentration

Merging of action and awareness

Loss of reflective self-consciousness

Sense of control over

actions

Distortion of temporal

experience

Experience activity as

intrinsically rewarding

Fitting challenges

Clear approximate goals

Immediate feedback

No disturbances(Shaffer)

3. The concept of Flow

3. The concept of Flow

Adapted from the Oxford Handbook of Positive Psychology (2009)

3. The concept of Flow

-0.5

-0.4

-0.3

-0.2

-0.1

0

0.1

0.2

0.3

0.4

0.5

0.6

High CH, low SK High CH, high SK Low CH, high SK Low CH, low SK

Concentration

Importance for future goals

Self-esteem

Enjoyment

Wish to be doing the activity

Adapted from the Oxford Handbook of Positive Psychology (2009)

3. The concept of FlowChallenge Feedback Goal Distraction

Career anxiety No Yes Yes Yes

Devaluation of international experience

Yes No No Yes

Coping with new role demand / reverse cultureshock

No Yes No Yes

Status loss Yes Yes No Yes

Material benefits loss

No No No Yes

4. Re-achieving FlowInitiatives from the company:

Repatriation training (but training alone is not enough!)

Strategic purpose for relocation

Clarity in advance

Attention to spouse and children to prevent private discomfort to ‘overflow’ into the work and cause distraction

Communicate, communicate, communicate….

4. Re-achieving FlowInitiatives from the employee

Keep professional knowledge up to date

Communicate, communicate, communicate…

5. Conclusion Link exists between discomfort factors and

disturbances of flow

Each factor disrupts one or more of the conditions for flow

If the conditions are breached, no flow can be reached

The most interested aspect in work is taken away

Result: demotivation, disappointment, exodus of experienced skilled staff

5. Conclusion

FLOW

Concentration

Merging of action and awareness

Loss of reflective self-consciousness

Sense of control over

actions

Distortion of temporal

experience

Experience activity as

intrinsically rewarding

Fitting challenges

Clear approximate goals

Immediate feedback

No disturbances(Shaffer)

5. ConclusionChallenge Feedback Goal Distraction Solutions

Career anxiety No Yes Yes Yes ContactTrainingStrategic purposePlanning

Devaluation of international experience

Yes No No Yes ContactTrainingStrategic purposePlanning

Coping with new role demand / reverse cultureshock

No Yes No Yes ContactTraining

Status loss Yes Yes No Yes ContactTrainingStrategic purposePlanning

Material benefits loss

No No No Yes N/A

5. Conclusion

5. Conclusion

FLOW

Concentration

Merging of action and awareness

Loss of reflective self-consciousness

Sense of control over

actions

Distortion of temporal

experience

Experience activity as

intrinsically rewarding

Fitting challenges

Clear approximate goals

Immediate feedback

No disturbances(Shaffer)

6. Questions?