Many expats arrive in New Zealand filled with anticipation for the personal and professional opportunities awaiting them. However, embarking on a new role within a New Zealand business can pose challenges, particularly for those unfamiliar with the local context.
We recently asked leadership development and executive coaching specialist Sally Schmall, to shed some light on the biggest hurdles expats encounter as they strive to achieve their career goals and aspirations after moving to New Zealand.
What are the most common challenges expats face then transitioning into roles in New Zealand?
Naturally everyone is unique in their expectations, needs and hopes. I belong to an America Ladies Expat weekly walking group and what I commonly hear there – aside from career transition challenges - are three things.
1. Firstly, it is the actual distance away from the rest of the world. You cannot easily hop on a plane and jump over to the US or Europe. It takes a solid 12-24 hours of flight time – and that is assuming you get luck and don’t have missed connections or re-routing - to get back home to visit loved ones. It’s one thing to look at a map and think “wow NZ is on the other side of the world this is going to be an amazing adventure” and while it is an amazing adventure - it's another thing to be standing here and realise just how complicated it is to get back to your family.
2. The 2nd adjustment is that for many of us we are used to having things at our fingertips – whether it’s picking up a book for your book club, grabbing fresh fruit or finding a certain brand. Again, we are remote and exporting to NZ is very expensive and we do not have Amazon Prime and shipping takes a long time.
3. Because NZ is a small island most Kiwis know one another from the time they are playing in a sandbox together. Their inner circle has existed for decades and it’s really quite lovely to see how they know one another’s life stories. On the flip side, while Kiwi’s tend to be friendly and polite, some expats experience feeling on the “outside” of those inner circles – bystanders listening to the group reminisce about high school.
What strategies do you recommend to expats working in the Kiwi businesses environment?
To begin with - slow down your pace and be intentional about building relationships with your colleagues.
Don’t wait for them to take the initiative to get to know you, reach out and set up coffees and be curious about their career trajectory. Many Kiwis have gone on an OE early in their career and have fascinating global experiences that help shape their perspective. At the same time they are very clear that NZ is unique and what works in London may not work here. Even if you have been hired for your global expertise, be sensitive that you cannot necessarily “lift and shift” what worked there to what will work here.
Another tip is to understand that the Kiwi business culture is influenced by the fact that NZ is part of the Asia Pacific business culture – and tends to be conflict avoidant. By conflict I mean direct, transparent communications that are perceived as abrupt. Yes does not mean yes as it might in the US business culture. It often means “I heard you and I’ll think about it”. When creating a business case or launching a new initiative you may have been hired to lead, it is important to really engage stakeholders individually first before gathering as a group and to really explore if there are any unspoken concerns or other perspectives to consider.
How can New Zealand employers set expat talent up for success?
Personally I found it incredibly helpful that the employer who recruited me to NZ provided a month of accommodation near the business and has a partnership with Mobile Relocation – and I'm not just saying that because you are interviewing me! When I first landed in NZ I did not have a car, I didn’t have an understanding of the landscape, the neighbourhoods, the difference from one side of Auckland to the other. The time I spent with my Mobile Resettlement Advisor driving me around and showing me different communities and sharing how to navigate the rental market (because you can’t buy property on a work visa which was surprising to me) was invaluable. The ongoing expat transition services are incredibly valuable because it takes time to get your bearings and adjust to your new reality.
What I think would also be useful for employer’s is to firstly really appreciate and validate that moving across the world to NZ is a major commitment and investment for the whole family. It is not a holiday. It is actually quite an exhausting process.
Provide Dual Career Services to support partners in strategically setting about their career search because if they are not satisfied and fulfilled in their career or personal transition then ultimately the person who was recruited will have increased stress and may begin to explore leaving. When businesses invest in dual career and family transition services they increase the likelihood of a successful transition, an engaged employee who can bring their best self to the role and reduced attrition rates. An investment upfront reduces the investment in launching a new search for the role.
From a social perspective, intentionally set up a few dinners with other colleagues or leaders in the business and include the families. It’s really important for families to see and meet other people from the business and to begin extending their social circles as well. They need to feel that the sacrifices they made are worth it.
Successful expats often have highly qualified spouses or partners also seeking fulfilling work in New Zealand. What is your advice to them?
1. Ask your partner to inquire about Dual Career Services as soon as they become finalists. If the company does not have an established Dual Career programme, bake career coaching and transition services into the offer. Based on my experience leading the Dual Career Services Programme for the University of Michigan, I can honestly say it is a relatively small investment for employers and they are highly motivated when they extend the offer but may be less so inclined after an offer is accepted.
2. Do not wait until you move here to secure support for your career transition. Be proactive in engaging career coaching services, learning about the market, understanding how to brand your capabilities to NZ businesses and begin setting up zoom informational interviews. Let prospective employers know you are on your way and you bring a solid set of experiences and capabilities to offer.
3. In essence, Start crafting your network before you step off the plane.
You're an expat yourself, what surprised you most when you relocated to New Zealand?
I naively thought that because both countries had English as their first language that I wouldn’t experience a language barrier. However, the culture is so rich and diverse with Te Reo Maori and a lot of Kiwi slang that I simply didn’t understand. It was a daily learning experience that I hadn’t fully grasped - and I'm still learning.
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Sally Schmall, SPHR, MSW is a leadership development and executive coaching specialist with Catalyst Coaching, helping leaders navigate career transitions and shape their future success. If you are interested in speaking with Sally about coaching, she can be contacted at sallyschmallnz@gmail.com
Bridget is a New Zealander who has lived and worked as a diplomat in Singapore and India. After experiencing all facets of the relocation experience, she founded Mobile to work with private individuals moving to NZ and leading local and international businesses bringing in offshore talent.
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