In this unrelated photo, the tails of a Japan Airlines plane, rear, and an All Nippon Airways aircraft are seen at Narita Airport in Narita, Chiba Prefecture, on March 17, 2024. (Mainichi/Tadakazu Nakamura)
TOKYO — Overseas assignments are often seen as prestigious and a fast track to promotion, but a recent survey found that more than 90% of companies have experienced cases where expatriates returned to Japan before completing their term abroad.
The most common reason for early returns was “failures in adapting to local culture,” according to a September survey by Bizmates Inc., a Tokyo-based provider of programs including business-focused online English conversation services. The survey targeted 400 human resource development managers at companies with 500 or more employees that offer overseas postings. While pre-assignment training typically focuses on safety and language skills, the survey noted a “potential mismatch between training content and actual needs.”
Lack of language skills ranks 6th place
The survey found that the top reasons for expats cutting their assignments short over the past three years were “unable to adapt to local culture and values” at 35%, “failed communication with local staff” at 33.8% and “sticking to Japanese work styles and failing to adapt to local practices” at 26%. “Insufficient language skills hindering work performances” accounted for only 18.8%, ranking sixth. Bizmates stated, “This reveals that a lack of cross-cultural adaptability and interpersonal skills is the primary cause of early departure.”
Pre-assignment training mandatory at below 30% of firms
On training for potential expats, the most common approach was for the company to “offer multiple training programs, and individual employees choose which to take” at 36.4%, followed by “the company provides mandatory training that all employees must take” at 28%. Some 24.3% said “the company recommends training but essentially leaves it to individual self-study,” and 7.5% said “the company does not provide training,” showing significant variation in approaches.
The survey also asked 258 companies that conduct training, either mandatory or optional, about the primary content of their programs. The most common response was “safety measures training, such as on public security and crisis management” at 59.3%, followed by “language training” at 55% and “cross-cultural understanding training” at 49.6%. Bizmates pointed out that this suggests a potential mismatch between training content and “actual needs,” such as adapting to local culture and customs and building relationships.
Overseas assignments actually unpopular?
In the free answer section of the survey, 198 responses were received about challenges in cultivating and selecting personnel for overseas assignments and training them. The most frequently cited challenge was “securing personnel and motivation,” with trends such as a decline in applicants for overseas postings and waning interest among younger employees. Some respondents also noted the aging and stagnation of expats.
Based on the findings, Bizmates concluded that “conventional language training alone is insufficient, and cross-cultural understanding training is the core element for local adaptation and preventing early returns.” The company emphasized the need for a comprehensive training system that includes collaboration skills with local staff and support for accompanying families. It concluded, “Creating an environment where employees aspire to ‘take on the challenge’ and are reassured they can ‘grow’ through overseas assignments will be key to preventing workers from coming home early and achieving sustainable development of global talent.”
(Japanese original by Kohei Chiwaki, Digital News Group)
AloJapan.com