Global Grit

Adjustment at work in a foreign country is essential for both expatriates who are sent abroad by the organizations (organizational expatriates (OEs)) and for the people who relocate on their own (self-initiated expatriates (SIEs)). This study attempts an exploration of the motives of Indian SIEs to move to USA, Australia, and Singapore and their adjustment at their workplace. The sample size of 40 Indian SIEs was taken from three different countries. The correlation method was adopted to find the relationship between the Uncertainty Avoidance Index (UAI) and adjustment of SIEs. Though existing research indicates that SIEs face more work adjustment hiccups than the OEs, this study exhibits results toward a better picture and more positive work adjustment of SIE’s in foreign lands. Besides understanding the work adjustment challenges and hindrances, it correlates better work adjustment and smoother acculturation and attunement of the Indian SIEs to their lower Hofstede’s UAI index and also corroborates that a person’s own skill sets, relevant work experience, and an understanding and acceptance of the host culture as the mantra or stratagem for survival in alien cultures.