Who Should Attend ?

Employees preparing for an assignment in New-Zealand and their partners

Benefits of Attendance

This seminar aims at significantly improving the ability of the participants to meet the challenges of living and working abroad. The objective is to enable them to identify the stumbling blocks that lie ahead and to be able to adapt and integrate in New Zealand.

At the end of this training, participants will have acquired insights and techniques to:

• Be aware of their own cultural baggage
• Understand New Zealand's context and culture
• Analyse situations in which misunderstandings may arise and identify ways of communicating more effectively
• Reduce and manage the symptoms of culture shock
• Understand another mindset, work practices, decision-making processes and negotiating styles
• Strike the right balance between personal et professional lives

Training Approach

• A cross-cultural approach of International Mobility
• Country specific trainers
• Personalized and familiy focused action plan
• Access to the Nomad’ Network, an exclusive online tool for Akteos’ clients and experts:  find resources, exchange experiences, knowledge and insights

Programme Outline

Module 1 : Successful personnal integration in New Zealand

1. Cross-cultural awareness : the key to a successful expatriation

• Taking stock of one's own cultural baggage
• Culture shock and the integration process
• Identifying and going beyond cultural stereotypes

2. Key aspects of New Zealand's culture

• An isolated island nation, Tangata Whenua: the "people of the land"
• Pakehan, Maoris,  migrants and Kiwis: a multi-ethnic population
• New Zealand's native and colonial heritage
• A nation at peace following the Treaty of Waitangi
• The social and political situation.  The economic environment
• The educational system

3. Values and behaviour patterns in New Zealand

• Hospitality, politeness and courtesy
• The rejection of discrimination, a relatively fair parity between the sexes
• The impact of native culture
• Pride in one's identity. Loyalty
• A unique sense of humour, composure and self-control
• Sport: both a key value and an outlet
• Responsiveness and resilience

4. Practical day-to-day information

• Focus on the host town or city
• Transport, administration, housing, security, hygiene and healthcare
• Social life, schools, extracurricular activities, sport
• A unique natural environment waiting to be discovered

Module 2 : Successful professionnal integration in New Zealand

1. The corporate world in New Zealand

• Reliability, discipline and punctuality: an outstanding workforce
• The prevalence of standards-based operating procedures
• Efficient and relatively informal working relationships
• The role of the state and the authorities

2. Effective communication with the  New Zealanders

• The importance attached to greetings
• Body language and possible misunderstandings which may arise
• The importance of networking
• The specific characteristics of New Zealand English

3. Working with New Zealand's teams

• Effective management: trust, frankness and competence
• Boosting performance: setting an example and giving praise when due
• Establishing your personal credibility: leadership and responsiveness
• Consulting before deciding, conflict resolution: humility and mediation

4. Successful meetings and negotiations with the New Zealanders

• Building trust through contact and activities outside work time
• Honesty and precision
• Time and deadline management
• Written contracts, their interpretation and implications

5. Final handy tips

• Caution, patience and humility
• Social standards, gifts, business cards, dress code
• Sensitive subjects: politics, history, religion