Sirva Soundbites

3-1 From Global to Local: Mastering Language & Intercultural Competence for a Successful Relocation

Sirva Season 3 Episode 1

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Intercultural and language training might not come across as an essential component of an employee's relocation plan and is often overlooked or removed from mobility policies.

Unbeknownst to many, intercultural and language training has proven to benefit relocating employees beyond their assignment abroad. Not only do the skills picked up allow the employees and family members to navigate and thrive in a new cultural environment, it also help them understand cultural norms, communication styles, and business practices in the host country, reducing the risk of misunderstandings and enhancing their ability to build strong, effective relationships with local colleagues and clients.

Join Brenda Bellon, Global Director for Intercultural at Sirva and Dione Rocha-Kolodziej from Global LT as they share their experiences and insights around the topic. 

Key takeaway from this episode: Intercultural training needs to be woven into the talent mobility fabric for a successful relocation experience and improved ROI of assignments.

Brenda Bellon is the Global Director of Intercultural at Sirva. She is responsible for the development and delivery of Intercultural Services for all Sirva clients on a global basis. 

Dione Rocha-Kolodziej  has over 20 years of experience in corporate language and cultural training in Brazil and the U.S., supporting the talent mobility industry for the past 10 years at Global LT, where she is a Key Account Manager. Dione lives the expat experience and she believes her insights bring compassion as she supports the language learning needs of Sirva corporate assignees on behalf of Global LT.

Emma Dodwell-Groves is a Consultant on the Sirva Global Advisory Services team and has over 15 years of experience supporting clients in talent development, global mobility, and cultural training, with a more recent specialization in consulting on diversity, equity & inclusion (DEI) and environmental sustainability. 

Sirva Soundbites provides the insights, tools and best practices to help talent mobility and human resources professionals navigate through the evolving global talent mobility landscape more confidently and effectively. 

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