Preparing Host Country Support Staff for their Roles in International Schools

International schools generally do an excellent job in preparing new foreign teachers professionally and culturally during the onboarding process. Unfortunately host country employees, especially the non-teaching support staff, are often less culturally prepared for their roles. While foreign colleagues face the culture shock of living outside their country, the local employees encounter “international school micro-culture shock.” Not only do the host country support staff lack international exposure, but they have also never worked in a cultural setting that is radically different from their own culture. The micro-culture of international schools is totally alien to them, hence fitting in can be extremely difficult.The significance and impact of this workforce are huge for the smooth operation of the international school, especially because they are likely to stay longer than the highly mobile foreign teachers. If the non-teaching support runs without disruption, only then will the teachers, students, and parents be satisfied with the service.This booklet explains the reason for and the extent of the shock. Then, the author suggests a 3-pronged approach in minimizing the problem.Although this booklet is designed specifically for non-teaching support staff, it is important for heads of school and business managers to read this booklet to fully understand the issue at hand. Administrators also play a vital role in helping the host country support staff overcome the “micro-culture shock.”