Welcome to Germany – “Intercultural Inpat Support Program” at Munich RE

Munich RE is one of the leading insurance companies in the world. The company employs more than 11,400 people around the globe. In accordance with their motto “Diversity is our strength,” Munich RE makes it a point to integrate employees of the most varied of cultural backgrounds into the company. This strategy is also reflected in the rising number of inpats who work in the head office in Munich, bringing specific experience from their home markets and lending an international approach to daily business. In 2009, Munich RE started a training program for inpats after the company had recognized the challenges facing employees and their families who are sent to Germany on foreign assignment. The very next year, the firm teamed up with ti communication to develop a comprehensive intercultural support program, tailored to the work-related as well as private needs of foreigners living in Munich.  

The Intercultural Support Program

In order to offer inpats not only a one-time measure, but moreover a comprehensive and long-term training cycle with lasting effect, the Intercultural Support Program rests on four pillars:

1. The inpat and his or her partner/family are offered an initial intercultural training course. In it, crucial questions pertaining to life in Germany are addressed, intercultural blunders explained and practical tips on Munich conveyed.
2. In a subsequent intercultural training session, the inpat and his or her partner learn about business and management topics. Here, initial experiences on the job are examined, typical misunderstandings explained, and individual success strategies hammered out.
3. Routinely, a follow-up meeting takes place three months later, and individual support is available on an ad hoc basis throughout the entire period. The program is conducted by ti communication and Andreas Hauser, Management Consultant and intercultural trainer.

Implementation and results

Munich RE is one of the first German enterprises to develop and implement such an intercultural support program for inpats. The company thus assumes a leading role in the comprehensive expertise development of foreign managers.  

Furthermore, the inclusion of partners and family in the training process proves that Munich RE feels the need to take on responsibility for the working and living conditions of its employees.

Up to now, inpats from the USA, Great Britain, Australia, Japan, China, Korea and Canada have gone through the program. Feedback from the participants of the training cycle has been consistently positive right from the start. The foreign employees greatly valued the efforts of Munich RE.

The individual needs of the participants differ greatly. Managers place great value on acquiring or expanding intercultural competence in relation to their work environment and developing a feeling for the corporate culture at the Munich RE parent company. For their partners, the aspects of daily life are in the foreground, such as setting up a household, establishing social networks or comprehending the rules of life in Germany. 

Both perspectives together form the basis for the inpats to feel at home more quickly in their German life. Misunderstandings can be predicted in advance and avoided, and integration into daily life is generally easier—at work as well as privately.  

Now that the program has been running for two years, all four pillars have proven to be sensible in reaching the program’s objectives. 

• The initial communication in the respective home countries is assessed as being very helpful, since a contact person is available there to respond to intercultural concerns and questions.
• The inpats and their partners consider the general introduction to culture and life in Germany to be highly relevant. Especially the excursion through Munich was praised by participants. It involved solving small challenges of daily life which, at first glance, look familiar yet are handled differently: purchasing the correct subway ticket, ordering in a restaurant and paying the right amount of tip, getting English books and school materials for the children or making a doctor’s appointment.
• The more specific training sessions on work-related topics generally take place a few weeks after the first training. They help participants reflect on their own experiences in Germany, approach certain problems and develop intercultural success strategies. In one case, this even led to a successful completion of additional training measures on intercultural leadership development.
• The feedback process, three months after the final training session, helps inpats to reinforce their individual experiences and competences. In addition, participants exhibit an acute awareness of intercultural topics in daily life and at work. In a few instances, participants maintained contact with their trainers, in order to continue receiving individual support.

The intercultural support program called “Welcome to Germany,” a mutual initiative of Munich RE and ti communication, can be considered a success story. Munich RE shows dedication and commitment for the further personal and professional development of its employees. In ti communication, the company has found a valuable partner to turn its plans into action.