Chapter 5 Discussion of Results
5.4 Research Question Three: What are the perceptions of the on-assignment support
The discussion pertains to research question three. The aim of the question was to understand expatriates’ perceptions on the level of support provided by Transnet Port Terminals during the international assignment. The results of the study are now discussed.
5.4.1 On-assignment support
The researcher discovered that little or no support had been provided to the expatriates once they had been assigned to Benin. The expatriates’ shared common dissatisfaction towards the HR department related to the delayed payment of their subsistence allowance in Benin. The perception from expatriates’ revealed in the study was a lack of support from Head Office
84 Human Resource department and lack of available remuneration whilst abroad caused deep seated frustration. According to participant three TPT had inconvenienced them, the response was: “Stayed for ten days without money, eventually got paid with international passport card, used for three months…South African bank cards can be used by chance (FNB etc)…issues with payment, money promised was not being paid, very frustrating.” Participant six was extremely disappointed with the process and said, I fought many battles, I got to a stage where I said I am tired of this….we need to fulfill our promises, and conditions were unbearable.” According to participant four, Transnet Port Terminals handled the issue of remuneration very unprofessionally.
The researcher also discovered that the expatriates experienced great difficulties and challenges with regards to medical treatment in Benin. None of the expatriates had proper medical aid cover and had to pay out of their out pockets when treatment was needed. Transnet Port Terminals issued expatriates with Aon cards, the internal cards were allocated for medical emergencies and treatment, but the study revealed the cards were not accepted in Benin.
Expatriates’ were unable to receive proper medical treatment and said that they were left out of pocket and had to pay cash for treatment and medication. Participant two said, “Aon cards were not recognized….I had to pay cash in Benin if I fell ill.” Participant four said, “Also very important, we were given a card, valueless having that card…I fell ill and had to pay from my own pocket.”
The majority of expatriates were satisfied with accommodation and transportation but felt that food should have been at TPT’s cost and not out of their own pockets. The biggest challenge for the expatriates was the issue of internet connection to communicate with family members back home. The expatriates said their apartment had poor internet connection and the communication network was unreliable. Contact with family members was at their own cost and also proved to be very expensive. Participant two did not experience any issues contacting family. Participant one said, “Contact through wats aap, skyp, cell phones…it was at own cost, obtained a sim card, data and wifi at apartment was unstable…no assistance from company about being in contact with family members.” Participant 4 said, “Catch 22, if you phone it was expensive at own cost…only via wats app, facetime and email…signal was bad.” Participant five said,
“Dependent on wifi, or buy own airtime…I had a bill of R1000 which was not reimbursed…had to pay out of my own pocket.” According to participant six, connecting with family members was extremely challenging and expensive, he tried to be obtain reimbursements for the cell phone expense incurred but was unsuccessful.
85 The study revealed that the communication from TPT Head Office with expatriates in Benin was poor. Although the expatriates had access to a laptop, they received the general internal alerts shared with all TPT employees. Data analysis in Chapter four confirmed that TPT did not contact the expatriates regularly to check in and offer support during the assignment. According to participant three, Transnet Port Terminals did not provide support or check on how they were doing, if expatriates were coping abroad or if they were experiencing any challenges. Participant six said that no special attention was provided by TPT with regards to the project. The expatriates did not experience any challenges with the local staff with regards to work tasks.
Literature confirmed that foreign assignments are extremely challenging, compounded by culture shock. Continued support and open communication with expatriates are vital key success factors in international assignments (Dowling, 2013). If expatriates do not perceive support from the organisation, they may not feel that it is necessary to extend efforts to adjust themselves (Howe-Walsh & Schyns, 2010).
The perception of managing expatriate’s revealed that huge improvement was required. The participants’ felt that there was no planning or a blue print process on managing the assignment from start to finish. Participant one was not impressed with the accommodation or internet connection and said “Very bad, e.g. ventilation report, issue of black mould in apartment,…
health risk, I notified the landlord…help was requested from the company but nothing was done, same with the internet and wifi….no help….There were problems regarding the project such a governance, specification, shortage of equipment…Company unable to assist tools necessary to do the job…laptop….were just left on your own.”
Participant three shared the following, “You guys just put us on a plane, we were responsible on our own…no one was there to offer support… Participant four said “I was not impressed, it was a new project …no plan on how it was going to be done…from recruitment to pre departure training to change management…medical facilities was not clearly defined.” Research also suggests the use of a mentor to improve the experience of the expatriates in the foreign country offering continued support and communication (Mngengisa, 2017 & Woo, 2017). The organisation should be in contact with the expatriate on a frequent basis. The expatriate should be contacted by the home country telephonically on a weekly basis for the first two months and on a monthly basis thereafter for the first year. (Fitzgerald & Turner, 1997); (Chowanec &
Newstrom, 1991) cited in (Vogel, 2006).
86 5.4.2 Conclusion
The study confirmed mixed feelings about communication and management of expatriates. The perceptions received by participants’ reveal that Transnet Port Terminals did not offer support specifically related to the expatriates’ wellbeing unless it was a work related problem and did not make adequate contact with expatriates’ or respond to their concerns timeously. It is evident that the not must research was conducted by TPT about the host country with reference to housing, medical aid, language barriers, contact with family members, cell phone usage, and timeous payment of subsistence allowance. One of the biggest frustrations expressed was the lack of support from Head Office. The lack of planning and inefficient administration process confirms that TPT needs to go back to the drawing board with regards to their current expatriate practices and processes and align to best practice suggested by previous researchers.
5.5 Research Question Four: What are the perceptions of Transnet Port Terminals