Expatriate Employees’ Perception Of Challenges In Their Work Environment In The Ngo Sector In Nairobi Kenya

Abstract

This study examined how expatriate employees perceive the challenges in their work environment in the NGO sector in Nairobi, Kenya. The study question was “how do expatriate employees’ workings in the NGOs sector in Kenya perceive the challenges in their work environment?” The study was anchored on person-environment fit theory and the culture shock theory of adaptation to explain the strategies employed by expatriate employees to cope with challenges in their work environment. The research design used was a descriptive survey with a target population of 2394 NGOs based in Nairobi, Kenya. The study sample consisted of 120 expatriates, although only 84 participated in the final study drawn from 60 NGOs. Questionnaires were used to collect the data. Data was analyzed using SPSS. The result showed that expatriate employees working in the Kenyan NGOs respond to challenges in their work environment by finding a fit between the Kenyan culture and that of their countries. However, sometimes there is a big clash between the two cultures which makes it difficult for the expatriates to adjust well. Some have devised some strategies to interact with the locals that have improved their communication skills and ability to work on the assignments. In cases where conversing in the local languages has been a challenge, the expatriates have sought the help of locals as interpreters. Some expatriates accompanied by their families to provide psychological support. The study therefore recommends that since the expatriate employees seem to have integrated well into the Kenya society, they can be a great source of strength to those who are taking up new assignments in this country -Kenya. The future studies could focus on how the extent of expatriate employees ‘adjustment to the conditions in the host country affects their performance. In addition, they are a source of transmission of management ‘know-how’. This makes them a strong pillar as the local employees rely on their explicit knowledge and tacit knowledge to manage the NGOs even after their repatriation.