Asean
Asia Selain Asean Australia dan Oseania Timur Tengah Afrika Amerika
Society 5.0 era will bring [7]. In this case, changes are also must be faced by the organization. Although it may seem easy, the change process in its implementation has proven to be a complex phenomenon and practice, especially for many companies studied during the last decade that are implementing organizational change initiatives [2].
Expatriates, which in this study focused on Indonesian workers working for foreign companies, certainly face many changes from external factors. However, based on the results of interviews with 38 expatriates from Indonesia who work abroad. It can be concluded that three primary factors make the most significant changes for expatriates, namely:
1. Cultural changes that exist in the destination country. This cultural change will cause culture shock, resulting from anxiety and anxiety that comes from the feeling of losing all things known in the origin country.
2. Changes in organizations where expatriates work. It discusses why, when, and how organizations make changes that come from internal organizational factors, such as changes in vision and mission, policy changes, and company strategy. In addition, it also comes from external factors caused by changes in the organizational environment, such as changes in government regulations related to company operations, economic conditions, and competitor actions.
3. Changes from the development of the industrial revolution era, which is currently entering the society 5.0 era. The Industrial Revolution 4.0 has brought various kinds of technological developments to facilitate all activities within the company, which makes employees have to be able to adapt to all the changes caused. In contrast, Society 5.0 promises various kinds of convenience for humans in meeting the needs of life.
With the many factors of change that expatriates must face, the concept of individual readiness for change becomes very important. Personal readiness for change involves an individual's evaluation of the capacity of the individual and the organization to make a successful change, the need for change, and the benefits that organizational members can derive from the change program [4].
Readiness is one of the most critical factors for the success of expatriates in facing the world of work in the destination country [8].
Readiness is a belief, intention, attitude, and behavior that supports change to achieve success [1]. formulate a more comprehensive concept of readiness for change, defined as a comprehensive attitude.
The comprehensive attitude is simultaneously influenced by content (i.e., what is changed), process (i.e., how change is implemented), context (i.e., the circumstances in which the change occurs), and individual (i.e., the characteristics of those who are required to change). The success of expatriates in working abroad is undoubtedly determined by whether or not the individual is ready to face the changes that arise from the expatriation process [1].
Discussion
The concept of readiness for change is an essential factor in determining the success of an expatriate in improving their performance while working for companies abroad. Therefore, a comprehensive model is needed to increase the readiness of expatriates to face changes which are in this study focused on cultural changes, including changes that occur in the organization where expatriates work, and changes from the development of the industrial revolution era, which is currently entering the society 5.0 era.
Therefore, based on an in-depth literature review combined with empirical facts faced by an expatriate while working abroad, a model for increasing employee readiness to meet changes in the era of society 5.0 is formulated as shown in Figure 3 below:
Figure 3. Employees Readiness Improvement Model to Face Changes in The Society 5.0 Era: Study On Indonesian Expatriates
Abroad Source: Author (2021)
In the Society 5.0 era that we will soon face, expatriation is a natural thing and is mainly done by multinational companies. The existence of sending human resources at a certain managerial level (usually top-level) to be assigned to subsidiaries or branches spread throughout the world within a certain period [16]. These expatriates will undoubtedly experience many changes that come from the
internal environment, especially from the external environment [3].
In the model of increasing employee readiness in facing changes in the era of society 5.0, a study on Indonesian expatriates abroad, there are strategies for preparedness to meet changes in these expatriates, namely:
Cross Cultural Management
Cross-Cultural Management in Corporate Culture in the era of globalization is essential for the sustainability of the operational activities of global companies. The different backgrounds of each component in the group will affect the nature and workings of the group [11]. Cross-cultural management can help companies understand how the group environment consists of various backgrounds and can support the performance of elements in the group [6].
One of the programs in cultural management is cross-cultural training. Cross-cross-cultural training can help expatriates adjust to the host country's culture [10]. It can help improve performance, reduce deviant behavior in the workplace, and increase intercultural understanding [14]. In addition, reducing stigmatic and stereotyped thinking, help build cross-cultural teams [12], helps minimize social ambiguity that can cause culture shock, builds cross-cultural competence, and will ultimately help achieve targets. Individuals and companies in the long run.
Adaptation to Change
The adaptation process of expatriates in the destination country is described by Marx (1999) in 4 stages, as presented in Figure 4 below:
Figure 4 Adaptation Process Source: Marx (1999)
Figure 4 describes the adaptation process to achieve success, which is carried out through several stages while in the destination country by an expatriate, which will determine the achievement of performance during the assignment period, and also affect the careers of expatriates after the assignment period is over and returns to their home country. These stages are divided into 4 phases, namely:
1) Honeymoon phase
This phase is characterized by a positive attitude and enthusiasm that expatriates usually show towards their destination country, culture, and new things they encounter [18]. At this stage, they feel like tourists on a trip rather than an expatriate. The feeling of being privileged and a critical person makes this phase the most enjoyable phase, and this phase only lasts a few days to a few weeks from their arrival in the destination country.
2) Cultural Shock Phase
Culture shock results from the anxiety and restlessness that stems from the feeling of losing known and familiar things. Feelings of loss of orientation in daily life include confusion and the inability to make decisions in many situations. Thus, culture shock can cause confusion, anxiety, frustration, frequent emotions, deviant behavior, inability to perform tasks, self-isolation, and depression.
3) Recovery
In this phase, individuals will try to control their emotions and create positive behavior towards people and the surrounding environment. But, again, language skills are critical to helping overcome culture shock.
4) Adjustment
The final phase of the adaptation process is the adjustment phase.
At this stage, all the factors that can cause culture shock have been overcome by the expatriates to give their best performance. It is inseparable from the fact that they have begun to be able to accept and adapt to their environment [9]. In addition, they become very accustomed to the country where they work. So that when the assignment period ends and they return to their home country, they will begin to miss the days of being expatriates.
Increasing Competence to Face Society 5.0
Human Resources (HR) must be responsive to change to face global competition and enter the era of Society 5.0. As we know that the Society 5.0 era is an era that is human-centered and
technology-based, so some competencies that human resources, especially expatriates, must possess:
1) Mastery Information System Technology.
The information technology system is a technology that can help organizations to manage daily transactions, manage overall business operations, manage managerial activities, and manage strategic activities and help provide information to certain outside parties with the necessary reports to improve work effectiveness and efficiency [15].
2) Mastery International Language.
English is indeed a foreign language that must be mastered [17].
However, besides English, several other languages must be learned in the Society 5.0 era, including Arabic, Mandarin, Japanese and French.
3) Mastery Softskill.
Soft skills are intrapersonal competencies, namely understanding and controlling oneself [5]. Soft skills to face the Society 5.0 era include the ability to think critically, creativity and innovation, the ability to collaborate, and the ability to communicate effectively Conclusion
Cross-cultural management, adaptability and competence in facing the Society 5.0 era will help shape cross-cultural competencies and competencies in the Society 5.0 era, so that in the end will increase the readiness of expatriates to face various changes. The model of increasing employee readiness in facing changes in the era of society 5.0 becomes a guide for expatriates and companies to be able to help increase readiness for change which will certainly improve individual performance and company performance. There are three focus strategies that can be implemented including cross-cultural management by organizing cross-cultural training to help improve cross-cultural competence. Furthermore, increasing the ability of expatriates to adapt and increasing competence to face Society 5.0 which will form competency ownership to face the era of society 5.0.
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