Intra-EU labour mobility, identity and

interculturality – Narrative biographies of

staff members of EU Agencies

Mr Mika Launikari, PhD Candidate

University of Helsinki

FINLAND

Quoting Mark Twain, Author (1835-1910)

“Broad, wholesome, charitable views of

people and things cannot be acquired by

vegetating (=growing) in one little corner

of the earth all one’s lifetime”

Multiple choice quiz on EU Labour Mobility 1

BASIC FACTS

• We are some 500 million citizens in the EU28

• EU28 labour force is around 250 million people

How many EU citizens were working/were economically active in

another EU country than their country of citizenship in 2015?

a) 10 million = 4 % of the EU labour force

b) 20 million = 8 % of the EU labour force

c) 50 million = 20 % of the EU labour force

Why is labour mobility on a low level in the European Union?

According to the Eurobarometer-survey (337/2010) the key limitation

is the lack of language skills as regards the destination country:

Barriers to intra-EU Labour Mobility

The main obstacles are

the differences between the national labour markets

problems with mutual recognition and portability of skills

and qualifications

social situations and circumstances of the individual EU

Member States

insufficient language skills, and

citizens’ lack of information on career-related mobility

opportunities

(Sources: European Commission, 2010b; Barslund & Busse, 2014;

Eurofound, 2014; OECD, 2016).

Multiple choice quiz on EU Labour Mobility 2

BASIC FACTS: The European Union services consist of the

European Commission, European Parliament, Council of the

European Union and around 40 EU agencies located in the

different EU Member States plus some additional services.

How many staff members altogether work for the above

European Union services?

a) Around 55 000

b) Around 110 000

c) Around 175 000

d) Around 225 000

Multiple choice quiz on EU Labour Mobility 3

BASIC FACTS: In the European Union, the term 3rd country

national is often used to refer to individuals who are neither

from the EU country in which they are currently living or staying,

nor from other member states of the European Union.

How many 3rd country nationals were living in the European

Union in 2015 (Source: Eurostat)?

a) Around 20 million (= 4 % of the EU 28 population)

b) Around 30 million (= 6 % of the EU 28 population)

c) Around 40 million (= 8 % of the EU 28 population)

d) Around 50 million (= 10 % of the EU 28 population)

Background information about the 20 interviewees

Data collected in February-March 2015: thematic interviews & focus groups

3 EU agencies (Cedefop, ETF, Eurofound) each with 100+ staff members

12 men, 8 women (N.B. 17 recruited from abroad, 3 locally recruited)

respondents born 1951-1985 (i.e. 29 – 64 years of age)

12 nationalities (geographical coverage across Europe: north, south, central)

educational attainment: ISCED 3 – ISCED 8

2 first timers abroad, mostly people with multiple mobility experiences (up

to 10 countries and several employers)

grade levels: assistants, administrators (project managers, team leaders),

two managerial level experts (head of service/area)

years spent abroad: from 2-3 to more than 20 years

varied marital status: single, married (couple or with family), divorced, …

Research themes explored

The following four broad themes that were divided into subthemes were

covered by the interviews:

Part A: Motivation for working at an international level/for a

European Union agency;

Part B: Managing one’s life, learning and career in an

international setting;

Part C: Developing and using one’s skills, knowledge,

competences and networks in an international working

context;

Part D: Who I am today and how working in an international/

multicultural environment has contributed to what I am.

Motives for going and working abroad

For this PhD research, the EU officials’ motives and views on having an

international career can be grouped into three main themes.

Working at a European level

1) offers continuous professional development;

2) fulfils personal curiosity and interests and

3) gives an opportunity to be part of a genuinely multicultural

environment.

What other researchers (e.g. Pinto et al. 2012, Crowley-Henry 2007) have found out is

much in line with the above. Namely: 1) to obtain an international experience; 2) to

gain personal development in an international setting and 3) to have an opportunity for

professional challenges and career advancement through the experience abroad.

Motivation to work abroadThe respondents can roughly be divided into two main categories:

- 1) This group of informants was emphasizing that working at an international level had always been a goal for them and finding an interesting career opportunity abroad had been their highest, grandest dream from an early age.

- 2) The rest of the informants, to a large degree, were saying that working abroad had become a natural step in their career progression after several years of professional life within the national context, where many of them had already been involved in internationally oriented duties.

- There were some interviewees, who said that they somewhat unexpectedly had come across with a job opportunity in their own professional field in another country, had decided to apply for the job and finally got selected for it.

Quotes of interviewees’ motives 1

“ … I was never too much interested to leave my country, but I was

always curious how I would manage living abroad alone starting

something totally new from scratch …” (1)

“It was again discontent … leaving that national job where I had even

this international centre, EU centre, and that brought me forward (…) I

did not like certain things there. And I started to dislike this and then I

was looking myself already for other opportunities. Strangely this

opportunity, I did not know about (name of agency) at that time, though

I was quite informed about the European agenda.” (11)

Quotes of interviewees’ motives 2

“I appreciate this multicultural society that we have here. These people

with different backgrounds, different views that are respectful to each

other. This is very important, because I also have experiences of

intolerant people, and here you don’t see that, I don’t see that.” (8)

“I guess that I am a very determined person. I set my mind when I was

14 for what I wanted to do in life and I am not far from it. Yes, I decided

I wanted to work for the World Bank. I guess I did not really know what

it meant. Today I am not so eager to work for the WB, but the idea of

working in development somehow was clear to me, but I just did not

know how to get there.” (12)

Professional development

- working in an int’l environment means stepping out of one’s own comfort zone and facing numerous (unexpected) new challenges in professional life.

- curiosity and eagerness to broaden their professional and personal horizons, and had they not taken the chance to work for the European Union, they would have missed out a tremendous opportunity for career advancement, continuous learning and self-exploration.

- the multinational working environment teaches cultural sensitivity, respect for different perspectives and worldviews, as well as contributes to the develop-ment of language skills & ability to interact and network smoothly with people from diverse backgrounds.

- In most cases, but not for everybody, the work itself has been professionally rewarding and challenging, and without comparison to jobs at the national level. Some mentioned that after so many years abroad there is no way of going back to the national level anymore or at least returning would be difficult for them.

Life outside of work

Close relationships NOT established with the locals in the country of destination:

-> prioritizing family-related obligations (incl. schooling of children);

-> regular travelling for work did not support keeping contacts alive with (new)

people;

-> without knowing the language of the country difficult to get to know local

people outside of work (specifically applicable to Greece and Italy);

-> other constraints such as after work having little energy left for socializing,

pursuing a team sport (e.g. football) does not automatically materialize in

becoming friends with the locals.

- The above often resulted in more superficial contacts with the locals considered

as acquaintances (e.g. one’s neighbour) instead of a circle of close friends.

- few respondents had systematically worked towards breaking into the circles of

the locals and had luckily succeeded in getting to know at least some locals better.

- maintaining close relationships with family & friends back home takes

effort and time.

Multicultural dimension in life

Not always a pure joy to work with people from different countries, yet

multicultural dimension in life highly appreciated. Some not able to survive

in a “monocultural” & “monolinguistic” reality anymore.

Cultural/national stereotypes do exist, but they do not have a negative impact

on the professional performance. Acting as a professional in a diverse working

environment, where colleagues are seen as experts regardless of origin, mother

tongue, ethnic background, skin colour ... Some interviewees said that sometimes

jokes are made about “the (nationality) are like this”, but that it does not affect

the way people work together or the way another colleague is being perceived.

“feeling European” means values such as democracy and democratic develop-

ments, freedom of speech, and free mobility across the country borders. Some

reflected on the historical developments of Europe or referred to the common

currency (€). For some Europe was a geographical region to which they felt

belonging, more Europeans (or global citizens) than representatives of their

own country. EU = Peace project!

Living abroad changes you 1

Experience of living in a foreign country can alter one’s sense of self and one’s identification … instead of asking how are you today, you ask “Who are you today?” ;-)

Many who live abroad often describe the experience as life-changing, and that they will never see themselves the same way again.

While living abroad, individuals may have self-validating & self-differentiating experiences.

Self-validating experiences strengthen self-clarity.

-> For example, comparing the values and norms of one’s home country with the different values and norms encountered abroad may make individuals aware of their true underlying values and help them confirm or construct what they truly believe and who they really are.

Living abroad changes you 2

Parallel to self-validating experiences, individuals may also have self-

differentiating experiences that strengthen their sense of self-complexity.

-> For instance, engaging in new and different behaviors while abroad may

make individuals aware of the contextual nature of their actions and give

them opportunities to discover new and distinct aspects of their sense of self.

Research in psychology shows that self-clarity and self-complexity are

associated with psychological well-being

-> a clear sense of self makes us feel secure

-> a complex sense of self means when something goes wrong in one aspect of

our lives, we can focus on other aspects to compensate.

N.B. The more complex the self is, the more difficult it is to have a clear sense

of self. Yet, self-clarity and self-complexity can be simultaneously enhanced

when people live abroad.

Cultural sensitivity and awareness antennae

Different types of sensitivities & awarenesses get developed among the

interviewees: not only a matter of being sensitive and responsive to cultural

differences and knowing how to deal with them, but it goes much beyond that.

It is more about letting oneself grow personally and professionally through

continuous intercultural interaction: thanks to this process reaching such a

high degree of psychological adaptability that adjusting to any situation any

time anywhere happens easily and naturally.

The willingness and readiness to finely tune one’s cultural sensitivity and

awareness antennae are key to make sure that the internal cooperative

processes within a multicultural working environment driven by individuals

with diverse cultural or ethnic backgrounds will work out productively and

efficiently.

Both attitudinal qualities – willingness and readiness – are required from all staff

members. Without them it will not be possible to respond to the most diverse

needs, interests and expectations emerging in an international professional

environment.

INTELLECTUAL CAPITAL

Human

Capital

Social Capital

Organisational or Structural

Capital

INTELLECTUAL CAPITAL

Skills, behaviour,

knowledge (i.e.

having capital)

Relationships and

networks (i.e.

using capital)

Structures, processes,

culture (i.e.

transforming capital)

@MikaLaunikari