“You’re never going to belong here”: Stigma and acculturation among foreign workers

Abstract

Foreign (i.e., non-citizen) workers face significant challenges concerning socialization and belonging in the workplace. This research investigates (1) the identity-related challenges of self-initiated expatriate workers and (2) how self-initiated expatriate workers navigate identity-related challenges in their cultural adaptation process. Data were collected through a series of 24 semi-structured interviews with self-initiated expatriates (SIEs) living and working abroad in Japan. Findings revealed that SIEs were challenged with job taint, perceived prejudice, and acculturative stress in their organizations. SIEs navigated these challenges through an avoiding stigma management communication strategy, an integrative acculturative strategy, and the prioritization of their career satisfaction and development. Participants who used these strategies had more adaptive sociocultural outcomes and life satisfaction. This study contributes to occupational identity and job taint literature the novel concept of transient job taint , a form of job taint that specifically applies to foreign worker populations. Theoretical and practical implications conclude the paper.