Communication with overseas employees

Since the outbreak of COVID-19, international travel has become much more difficult.
Companies with overseas bases must have faced constant challenges, such as the return of expatriate employees and managing operations abroad.
Our company, which has a subsidiary in the Philippines, was also affected by the coronavirus.

Impact of COVID-19

When the company was launched in 2016, two Japanese managers were stationed there, and when one returned to Japan temporarily, the other would remain in the Philippines to manage the business.
Currently, we have one Japanese manager stationed here, but it remains difficult for him to travel from Japan to take over or to return from the Philippines.
Restrictions have finally eased recently, but in reality, the number of direct flights has drastically decreased compared to before the pandemic.
My travel plans from Japan were forced to be canceled three times. (Even though I had already purchased tickets and booked hotels...)

Our Japanese manager, who's been fighting a lone battle in the Philippines, hasn't come back anytime soon, either because he's too lazy to return to Japan or because he finds it more comfortable there (sweat).
In reality, travel conditions and other factors changed depending on the infection situation in both Japan and the Philippines, making it very difficult to keep track of the latest and most accurate information.
Returning to Japan required PCR testing and a quarantine period, and even before that, it wasn't uncommon for flights to Japan to be suddenly canceled just a few days in advance.
Some people who traveled to the Philippines were unable to secure a return flight and were forced to extend their stay.
Seeing that situation, I can understand the manager's feelings that it would be better for her to stay in the familiar Philippines until things settle down, rather than returning to Japan.

However, these days, with convenient tools like video chat, communication between Japan and the Philippines is possible without any problems.
Since I was already communicating with members of our Philippine subsidiary on a business basis, the pandemic didn't change that communication.
As for the Japanese manager, we saw each other almost every day through online meetings, so it didn't feel like we hadn't seen each other in over two years.
However, I was surprised to hear that some of the members who joined our Japanese subsidiary during the COVID-19 pandemic had never met the Japanese manager in person, saying things like, "Actually, I've never met him." Of course, that's to be expected...
So, we were both people on the other side of a screen.
This can also be considered one of the effects of the coronavirus.

What are the joys of returning to Japan for expatriates?

By the way, what do you think it's like for Japanese expatriates working overseas to return to Japan for a short visit?
It's something that makes you feel like you're on a short trip, and it's really exciting.
Of course, once I return to Japan, a mountain of work awaits me, and I'll be busy accompanying (or being made to accompany) various clients to their offices...
So why is it exciting?
One reason for this is that when I return to Japan, I can buy things that I can't get overseas.
First of all, when you live abroad, you realize how cost-effective everything is in Japan. (The quality of items in 100-yen shops is simply amazing!)
Now, among them, Japanese food (including seasonings) is particularly popular with expatriates.
While there are Japanese restaurants in the country where I'm stationed, the quality of the places I frequent isn't particularly high.
There are Japanese grocery stores, but the selection isn't very good. However, since our Japanese manager hasn't set foot in his home country for over two years, we launched an internal "relief supplies" project to buy and send him something for him.

"Relief supplies" are a catalyst for communication.

The project name, "Relief Supplies," sounds grand, but in reality, I also saw it as part of an internal branding effort to get to know the other party (in this case, the Japanese manager)! (…I know that sounds like an afterthought.)
Actually, I've sent packages before, and back then, each person packed their own chosen items into a large cardboard box and sent it off.
They were pleased with it, and canned oden and retort pouches of Japanese prepared foods were well-received.
Apparently, they start to miss the gentle taste of dashi broth. This is a feeling that only people who have lived abroad for a long time can understand.

So, this time, we decided to divide the team into departments and incorporate some game elements.
The rules of the game are simple: "The team that chooses the option that best captures the heart of the Japanese manager wins."
However, this is not only true for Japanese managers, but also because if you don't know about living abroad or the situation in the Philippines, choosing what to do becomes quite a challenge.
Moreover, some of the members have never even met a Japanese manager.
Teams naturally began communicating, discussing what to send within the set budget, and some even paying attention to details like the wrapping.
On the other hand, in teams with engineers, individual play was prominent, and it was very interesting to see the "characteristics" of each job.
In this way, even something as simple as "sending something to an expatriate working abroad" can, with a little ingenuity, become an opportunity to initiate communication and deepen mutual understanding.
Furthermore, the packages that arrive from Japan can serve as a conversation starter, expanding communication opportunities in the Philippines.
In fact, they apparently shared snacks and things like that.
Many of the things they'll encounter will be unusual for them, so it will be a great company event.
Furthermore, having a common topic of conversation between Filipino and Japanese members, such as "I ate some Japanese sweets the other day♪," makes communication easier.

How do you like it?
Don't you think that with a little ingenuity, you can involve your employees and naturally generate communication?
For example, if you have branches all over Japan, it would be interesting to communicate by sending each other local specialties.
"Getting to know each other" is extremely important in inner branding, but perhaps opportunities to do so can be created surprisingly easily.