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Managing International Assignments

International assignment management is one of the hardest areas for HR professionals to master—and one of the most costly. The expense of a three-year international assignment can cost millions, yet many organizations fail to get it right. Despite their significant investments in international assignments, companies still report a 42 percent failure rate in these assignments. 1

With so much at risk, global organizations must invest in upfront and ongoing programs that will make international assignments successful. Selecting the right person, preparing the expatriate (expat) and the family, measuring the employee's performance from afar, and repatriating the individual at the end of an assignment require a well-planned, well-managed program. Knowing what to expect from start to finish as well as having some tools to work with can help minimize the risk.

Business Case

As more companies expand globally, they are also increasing international assignments and relying on expatriates to manage their global operations. According to KPMG's 2021 Global Assignment Policies and Practices Survey, all responding multinational organizations offered long-term assignments (typically one to five years), 88 percent offered short-term assignments (typically defined as less than 12 months), and 69 percent offered permanent transfer/indefinite length.

Managing tax and tax compliance, cost containment and managing exceptions remain the three principal challenges in long-term assignment management according to a 2020 Mercer report. 2

Identifying the Need for International Assignment

Typical reasons for an international assignment include the following:

• Filling a need in an existing operation.
• Transferring technology or knowledge to a worksite (or to a client's worksite).
• Developing an individual's career through challenging tasks in an international setting.
• Analyzing the market to see whether the company's products or services will attract clients and users.
• Launching a new product or service.

The goal of the international assignment will determine the assignment's length and help identify potential candidates. See Structuring Expatriate Assignments and the Value of Secondment and Develop Future Leaders with Rotational Programs .

Selection Process

Determining the purpose and goals for an international assignment will help guide the selection process. A technical person may be best suited for transferring technology, whereas a sales executive may be most effective launching a new product or service.

Traditionally, organizations have relied on technical, job-related skills as the main criteria for selecting candidates for overseas assignments, but assessing global mindset is equally, if not more, important for successful assignments. This is especially true given that international assignments are increasingly key components of leadership and employee development.

To a great extent, the success of every expatriate in achieving the company's goals in the host country hinges on that person's ability to influence individuals, groups and organizations that have a different cultural perspective.

Interviews with senior executives from various industries, sponsored by the Worldwide ERC Foundation, reveal that in the compressed time frame of an international assignment, expatriates have little opportunity to learn as they go, so they must be prepared before they arrive. Therefore, employers must ensure that the screening process for potential expatriates includes an assessment of their global mindset.

The research points to three major attributes of successful expatriates:

• Intellectual capital. Knowledge, skills, understanding and cognitive complexity.
• Psychological capital. The ability to function successfully in the host country through internal acceptance of different cultures and a strong desire to learn from new experiences.
• Social capital. The ability to build trusting relationships with local stakeholders, whether they are employees, supply chain partners or customers.

According to Global HR Consultant Caroline Kersten, it is generally understood that global leadership differs significantly from domestic leadership and that, as a result, expatriates need to be equipped with competencies that will help them succeed in an international environment. Commonly accepted global leadership competencies, for both male and female global leaders, include cultural awareness, open-mindedness and flexibility.

In particular, expatriates need to possess a number of vital characteristics to perform successfully on assignment. Among the necessary traits are the following:

• Confidence and self-reliance: independence; perseverance; work ethic.
• Flexibility and problem-solving skills: resilience; adaptability; ability to deal with ambiguity.
• Tolerance and interpersonal skills: social sensitivity; observational capability; listening skills; communication skills.
• Skill at handling and initiating change: personal drivers and anchors; willingness to take risks.

Trends in international assignment show an increase in the younger generation's interest and placement in global assignments. Experts also call for a need to increase female expatriates due to the expected leadership shortage and the value employers find in mixed gender leadership teams. See Viewpoint: How to Break Through the 'Mobility Ceiling' .

Employers can elicit relevant information on assignment successes and challenges by means of targeted interview questions with career expatriates, such as the following:

• How many expatriate assignments have you completed?
• What are the main reasons why you chose to accept your previous expatriate assignments?
• What difficulties did you experience adjusting to previous international assignments? How did you overcome them?
• On your last assignment, what factors made your adjustment to the new environment easier?
• What experiences made interacting with the locals easier?
• Please describe what success or failure means to you when referring to an expatriate assignment.
• Was the success or failure of your assignments measured by your employers? If so, how did they measure it?
• During your last international assignment, do you recall when you realized your situation was a success or a failure? How did you come to that determination?
• Why do you wish to be assigned an international position?

Securing Visas

Once an individual is chosen for an assignment, the organization needs to move quickly to secure the necessary visas. Requirements and processing times vary by country. Employers should start by contacting the host country's consulate or embassy for information on visa requirements. See Websites of U.S. Embassies, Consulates, and Diplomatic Missions .

Following is a list of generic visa types that may be required depending on the nature of business to be conducted in a particular country:

• A work permit authorizes paid employment in a country.
• A work visa authorizes entry into a country to take up paid employment.
• A dependent visa permits family members to accompany or join employees in the country of assignment.
• A multiple-entry visa permits multiple entries into a country.

Preparing for the Assignment

An international assignment agreement that outlines the specifics of the assignment and documents agreement by the employer and the expatriate is necessary. Topics typically covered include:

• Location of the assignment.
• Length of the assignment, including renewal and trial periods, if offered.
• Costs paid by the company (e.g., assignment preparation costs, moving costs for household goods, airfare, housing, school costs, transportation costs while in country, home country visits and security).
• Base salary and any incentives or allowances offered.
• Employee's responsibilities and goals.
• Employment taxes.
• Steps to take in the event the assignment is not working for either the employee or the employer.
• Repatriation.
• Safety and security measures (e.g., emergency evacuation procedures, hazards).

Expatriates may find the reality of foreign housing very different from expectations, particularly in host locations considered to be hardship assignments. Expats will find—depending on the degree of difficulty, hardship or danger—that housing options can range from spacious accommodations in a luxury apartment building to company compounds with dogs and armed guards. See Workers Deal with Affordable Housing Shortages in Dubai and Cairo .

Expats may also have to contend with more mundane housing challenges, such as shortages of suitable housing, faulty structures and unreliable utility services. Analyses of local conditions are available from a variety of sources. For example, Mercer produces Location Evaluation Reports, available for a fee, that evaluate levels of hardship for 14 factors, including housing, in more than 135 locations.

Although many employers acknowledge the necessity for thorough preparation, they often associate this element solely with the assignee, forgetting the other key parties involved in an assignment such as the employee's family, work team and manager.

The expatriate

Consider these points in relation to the assignee:

• Does the employee have a solid grasp of the job to be done and the goals established for that position?
• Does the employee understand the compensation and benefits package?
• Has the employee had access to cultural training and language instruction, no matter how similar the host culture may be?
• Is the employee receiving relocation assistance in connection with the physical move?
• Is there a contact person to whom the employee can go not only in an emergency but also to avoid becoming "out of sight, out of mind"?
• If necessary to accomplish the assigned job duties, has the employee undergone training to get up to speed?
• Has the assignee undergone an assessment of readiness?

To help the expatriate succeed, organizations are advised to invest in cross-cultural training before the relocation. The benefits of receiving such training are that it: 3

• Prepares the individual/family mentally for the move.
• Removes some of the unknown.
• Increases self-awareness and cross-cultural understanding.
• Provides the opportunity to address questions and anxieties in a supportive environment.
• Motivates and excites.
• Reduces stress and provides coping strategies.
• Eases the settling-in process.
• Reduces the chances of relocation failure.

See Helping Expatriate Employees Deal with Culture Shock .

As society has shifted from single- to dual-income households, the priorities of potential expatriates have evolved, as have the policies organizations use to entice employees to assignment locations. In the past, from the candidate's point of view, compensation was the most significant component of the expatriate package. Today more emphasis is on enabling an expatriate's spouse to work. Partner dissatisfaction is a significant contributor to assignment failure. See UAE: Expat Husbands Get New Work Opportunities .

When it comes to international relocation, most organizations deal with children as an afterthought. Factoring employees' children into the relocation equation is key to a successful assignment. Studies show that transferee children who have a difficult time adjusting to the assignment contribute to early returns and unsuccessful completion of international assignments, just as maladjusted spouses do. From school selection to training to repatriation, HR can do a number of things to smooth the transition for children.

Both partners and children must be prepared for relocation abroad. Employers should consider the following:

• Have they been included in discussions about the host location and what they can expect? Foreign context and culture may be more difficult for accompanying family because they will not be participating in the "more secure" environment of the worksite. Does the family have suitable personal characteristics to successfully address the rigors of an international life?
• In addition to dual-career issues, other common concerns include aging parents left behind in the home country and special needs for a child's education. Has the company allowed a forum for the family to discuss these concerns?

The work team

Whether the new expatriate will supervise the existing work team, be a peer, replace a local national or fill a newly created position, has the existing work team been briefed? Plans for a formal introduction of the new expatriate should reflect local culture and may require more research and planning as well as input from the local work team.

The manager/team leader

Questions organization need to consider include the following: Does the manager have the employee's file on hand (e.g., regarding increases, performance evaluations, promotions and problems)? Have the manager and employee engaged in in-depth conversations about the job, the manager's expectations and the employee's expectations?

Mentors play an important role in enhancing a high-performing employee's productivity and in guiding his or her career. In a traditional mentoring relationship, a junior executive has ongoing face-to-face meetings with a senior executive at the corporation to learn the ropes, set goals and gain advice on how to better perform his or her job.

Before technological advances, mentoring programs were limited to those leaders who had the time and experience within the organization's walls to impart advice to a few select people worth that investment. Technology has eliminated those constraints. Today, maintaining a long-distance mentoring relationship through e-mail, telephone and videoconferencing is much easier. And that technology means an employer is not confined to its corporate halls when considering mentor-mentee matches.

The organization

If the company is starting to send more employees abroad, it has to reassess its administrative capabilities. Can existing systems handle complicated tasks, such as currency exchanges and split payrolls, not to mention the additional financial burden of paying allowances, incentives and so on? Often, international assignment leads to outsourcing for global expertise. Payroll, tax, employment law, contractual obligations, among others, warrant an investment in sound professional advice.

Employment Laws

Four major U.S. employment laws have some application abroad for U.S. citizens working in U.S.-based multinationals:

• Title VII of the Civil Rights Act.
• The Age Discrimination in Employment Act (ADEA).
• The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA).
• The Uniformed Services Employment and Reemployment Rights Act (USERRA).

Title VII, the ADEA and the ADA are the more far-reaching among these, covering all U.S. citizens who are either:

• Employed outside the United States by a U.S. firm.
• Employed outside the United States by a company under the control of a U.S. firm.

USERRA's extraterritoriality applies to veterans and reservists working overseas for the federal government or a firm under U.S. control. See Do laws like the Fair Labor Standards Act and the Family and Medical Leave Act apply to U.S. citizens working in several other countries?

Employers must also be certain to comply with both local employment law in the countries in which they manage assignments and requirements for corporate presence in those countries. See Where can I find international employment law and culture information?

Compensation

Companies take one of the following approaches to establish base salaries for expatriates:

• The home-country-based approach. The objective of a home-based compensation program is to equalize the employee to a standard of living enjoyed in his or her home country. Under this commonly used approach, the employee's base salary is broken down into four general categories: taxes, housing, goods and services, and discretionary income.
• The host-country-based approach. With this approach, the expatriate employee's compensation is based on local national rates. Many companies continue to cover the employee in its defined contribution or defined benefit pension schemes and provide housing allowances.
• The headquarters-based approach. This approach assumes that all assignees, regardless of location, are in one country (i.e., a U.S. company pays all assignees a U.S.-based salary, regardless of geography).
• Balance sheet approach. In this scenario, the compensation is calculated using the home-country-based approach with all allowances, deductions and reimbursements. After the net salary has been determined, it is then converted to the host country's currency. Since one of the primary goals of an international compensation management program is to maintain the expatriate's current standard of living, developing an equitable and functional compensation plan that combines balance and flexibility is extremely challenging for multinational companies. To this end, many companies adopt a balance sheet approach. This approach guarantees that employees in international assignments maintain the same standard of living they enjoyed in their home country. A worksheet lists the costs of major expenses in the home and host countries, and any differences are used to increase or decrease the compensation to keep it in balance.

Some companies also allow expatriates to split payment of their salaries between the host country's and the home country's currencies. The expatriate receives money in the host country's currency for expenses but keeps a percentage of it in the home country currency to safeguard against wild currency fluctuations in either country.

As for handling expatriates taxes, organizations usually take one of four approaches:

• The employee is responsible for his or her own taxes.
• The employer determines tax reimbursement on a case-by-case basis.
• The employer pays the difference between taxes paid in the United States and the host country.
• The employer withholds U.S. taxes and pays foreign taxes.

To prevent an expatriate employee from suffering excess taxation of income by both the U.S. and host countries, many multinational companies implement either a tax equalization or a tax reduction policy for employees on international assignments. Additionally, the United States has entered into  bilateral international social security agreements  with numerous countries, referred to as "totalization agreements," which allow for an exemption of the social security tax in either the home or host country for defined periods of time.

A more thorough discussion of compensation and tax practices for employees on international assignment can be found in SHRM's Designing Global Compensation Systems toolkit.

How do we handle taxes for expatriates?

Can employers pay employees in other countries on the corporate home-country payroll?

Measuring Expatriates' Performance

Failed international assignments can be extremely costly to an organization. There is no universal approach to measuring an expatriate's performance given that specifics related to the job, country, culture and other variables will need to be considered. Employers must identify and communicate clear job expectations and performance indicators very early on in the assignment. A consistent and detailed assessment of an expatriate employee's performance, as well as appraisal of the operation as a whole, is critical to the success of an international assignment. Issues such as the criteria for and timing of performance reviews, raises and bonuses should be discussed and agreed on before the employees are selected and placed on international assignments.

Employees on foreign assignments face a number of issues that domestic employees do not. According to a 2020 Mercer report 4 , difficulty adjusting to the host country, poor candidate selection and spouse or partner's unhappiness are the top three reasons international assignments fail. Obviously, retention of international assignees poses a significant challenge to employers.

Upon completion of an international assignment, retaining the employee in the home country workplace is also challenging. Unfortunately, many employers fail to track retention data of repatriated employees and could benefit from collecting this information and making adjustments to reduce the turnover of employees returning to their home country.

Safety and Security

When faced with accident, injury, sudden illness, a disease outbreak or politically unstable conditions in which personal safety is at risk, expatriate employees and their dependents may require evacuation to the home country or to a third location. To be prepared, HR should have an evacuation plan in place that the expatriate can share with friends, extended family and colleagues both at home and abroad. See Viewpoint: Optimizing Global Mobility's Emergency Response Plans .

Many companies ban travel outside the country in the following circumstances:

• When a travel advisory is issued by the World Health Organization, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, International SOS or a government agency.
• When a widespread outbreak of a specific disease occurs or if the risk is deemed too high for employees and their well-being is in jeopardy.
• If the country is undergoing civil unrest or war or if an act of terrorism has occurred.
• If local management makes the decision.
• If the employee makes the decision.

Once employees are in place, the decision to evacuate assignees and dependents from a host location is contingent on local conditions and input from either internal sources (local managers, headquarters staff, HR and the assignee) or external sources (an external security or medical firm) or both. In some cases, each host country has its own set of evacuation procedures.

Decision-makers should consider all available and credible advice and initially transport dependents and nonessential personnel out of the host country by the most expeditious form of travel.

Navigating International Crises

How can an organization ensure the safety and security of expatriates and other employees in high-risk areas?

The Disaster Assistance Improvement Program (DAIP)

Repatriation

Ideally, the repatriation process begins before the expatriate leaves his or her home country and continues throughout the international assignment by addressing the following issues.

Career planning. Many managers are responsible for resolving difficult problems abroad and expect that a well-done job will result in promotion on return, regardless of whether the employer had made such a promise. This possibly unfounded assumption can be avoided by straightforward career planning that should occur in advance of the employee's accepting the international assignment. Employees need to know what impact the expatriate assignment will have on their overall advancement in the home office and that the international assignment fits in their career path.

Mentoring. The expatriate should be assigned a home-office mentor. Mentors are responsible for keeping expatriates informed on developments within the company, for keeping the expatriates' names in circulation in the office (to help avoid the out-of-sight, out-of-mind phenomenon) and for seeing to it that expatriates are included in important meetings. Mentors can also assist the expatriate in identifying how the overseas experience can best be used on return. Optimum results are achieved when the mentor role is part of the mentor's formal job duties.

Communication. An effective global communication plan will help expatriates feel connected to the home office and will alert them to changes that occur while they are away. The Internet, e-mail and intranets are inexpensive and easy ways to bring expatriates into the loop and virtual meeting software is readily available for all employers to engage with global employees. In addition, organizations should encourage home-office employees to keep in touch with peers on overseas assignments. Employee newsletters that feature global news and expatriate assignments are also encouraged.

Home visits. Most companies provide expatriates with trips home. Although such trips are intended primarily for personal visits, scheduling time for the expatriate to visit the home office is an effective method of increasing the expatriate's visibility. Having expatriates attend a few important meetings or make a presentation on their international assignment is also a good way to keep them informed and connected.

Preparation to return home. The expatriate should receive plenty of advance notice (some experts recommend up to one year) of when the international assignment will end. This notice will allow the employee time to prepare the family and to prepare for a new position in the home office. Once the employee is notified of the assignment's end, the HR department should begin working with the expatriate to identify suitable positions in the home office. The expatriate should provide the HR department with an updated resume that reflects the duties of the overseas assignment. The employee's overall career plan should be included in discussions with the HR professional.

Interviews. In addition to home leave, organizations may need to provide trips for the employee to interview with prospective managers. The face-to-face interview will allow the expatriate to elaborate on skills and responsibilities obtained while overseas and will help the prospective manager determine if the employee is a good fit. Finding the right position for the expatriate is crucial to retaining the employee. Repatriates who feel that their new skills and knowledge are underutilized may grow frustrated and leave the employer.

Ongoing recognition of contributions. An employer can recognize and appreciate the repatriates' efforts in several ways, including the following:

• Hosting a reception for repatriates to help them reconnect and meet new personnel.
• Soliciting repatriates' help in preparing other employees for expatriation.
• Asking repatriates to deliver a presentation or prepare a report on their overseas assignment.
• Including repatriates on a global task force and asking them for a global perspective on business issues.

Measuring ROI on expatriate assignments can be cumbersome and imprecise. The investment costs of international assignments can vary dramatically and can be difficult to determine. The largest expatriate costs include overall remuneration, housing, cost-of-living allowances (which sometimes include private schooling costs for children) and physical relocation (the movement to the host country of the employee, the employee's possessions and, often, the employee's family).

But wide variations exist in housing expenses. For example, housing costs are sky-high in Tokyo and London, whereas Australia's housing costs are moderate. Another significant cost of expatriate assignments involves smoothing out differences in pay and benefits between one country and another. Such cost differences can be steep and can vary based on factors such as exchange rates (which can be quite volatile) and international tax concerns (which can be extremely complex).

Once an organization has determined the costs of a particular assignment, the second part of the ROI challenge is calculating the return. Although it is relatively straightforward to quantify the value of fixing a production line in Puerto Rico or of implementing an enterprise software application in Asia, the challenge of quantifying the value of providing future executives with cross-cultural perspectives and international leadership experience can be intimidating.

Once an organization determines the key drivers of its expatriate program, HR can begin to define objectives and assess return that can be useful in guiding employees and in making decisions about the costs they incur as expatriates. Different objectives require different levels and lengths of tracking. Leadership development involves a much longer-term value proposition and should include a thorough repatriation plan. By contrast, the ROI of an international assignment that plugs a skills gap is not negatively affected if the expatriate bolts after successfully completing the engagement.

Additional Resources

International Assignment Management: Expatriate Policy and Procedure

Introduction to the Global Human Resources Discipline

1Mulkeen, D. (2017, February 20). How to reduce the risk of international assignment failure. Communicaid. Retrieved from https://www.communicaid.com/cross-cultural-training/blog/reducing-risk-international-assignment-failure/

2Mercer. (2020). Worldwide Survey of International Assignment Policies and Practices. Retrieved from https://mobilityexchange.mercer.com/international-assignments-survey .

3Dickmann, M., & Baruch, Y. (2011). Global careers. New York: Routledge.

4Mercer. (2020). Worldwide Survey of International Assignment Policies and Practices. Retrieved from https://mobilityexchange.mercer.com/international-assignments-survey

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8 Tips for Preparing Expatriates for Foreign Assignments

Preparing expatriates for foreign assignments is a crucial undertaking for either expansion processes or short-term business travel. The challenge here is to ensure that the employees chosen to go work abroad do so successfully. Much of that effort will be produced by them, but even more important is for the wider company to provide support.

When moving and managing assets - in this case, your talented employees - you want to make sure that all that time and effort isn’t for nothing. You want to make sure the move is compliant and that workflows shared by your team and the expatriate employee are streamlined. 

So what do you need to focus on? Here are eight tips for preparing expatriates for foreign assignments in a successful mobility project. 

• Pre-Move Training
• Sourcing Immigration Support
• Ensure Continued Communication
• Provide Support On The Ground
• Undertake Project Alignment Meetings
• Invest in Knowledge Management
• Provide Home and Host Sponsorship
• Take Into Account Domestic Duties

1. Pre-Move Training

Preparation for expatriation is of utmost importance. This training needs to be well-researched, taking into consideration the potential challenges that employees and mobility teams might face. For example, identify:

Your potential challenges : For example, a specific country could require a specific tax set up for expatriates or business travelers. You’ll have to research the requirements that apply to your expatriation.

Strategies that help you deal with these issues: Some global organizations work with Professional Employer Organizations (PEO) in order to maintain compliance and work in line with cultural requirements. This is one potential solution that you might find appealing.

Areas for cultural training : Cultural expectations can be radically different in one country compared to another - while this may seem like the last thing to focus on, it’s worth spending time looking into cultural differences, just so no accidental faux pas are made.

The overarching goals of the assignment : An expatriation depends on all stakeholders having visibility and an understanding of the reasons for it. 

Local language training : Even if the host country has a good rate of use for your language, it’s worth helping your employee get to grips with the basics.

2. Sourcing Immigration Support

Immigration and the requirements therein are obviously crucial. Border controls, regulatory environments and immigration law are therefore all things to contend with. Now, these can be daunting and confusing, but it’s imperative to fully prepare for them, as they’re some of the first barriers to overcoming when expatriating an employee for foreign assignments. 

You need to make sure that you’re expatriation is in line with national and international immigration policy for both your home and host country. Similarly, visas and short-term or permanent residency applications need to be sent off for. Without these, alongside a considered approach towards global immigration , your overseas assignment won’t be able to continue. 

3. Ensure Continued Communication

Without communication, there’s no expansion. Home and host teams need to be on top of carrying out frequent communications, so that data is acted upon and problems can be solved collaboratively.

Assignees need to be proactive in this and so too do home teams. Communication allows organizations to leverage what’s being learned and respond actively to specific events. On top of that, communication needs to be structured so the learnings and updates shared are easily tracked. Monthly meetings and weekly check-ins are good places to start. 

4. Provide Support On The Ground

Alongside frequent communication, on-ground support also needs to be offered. This is a job for HR teams, who can help expats and their families (if applicable) adapt to their new surroundings. This kind of support covers:

• Finding accommodation.
• Creating bank accounts and setting up payroll in line with host-country regulations ( This is another obligation that a PEO can support you with ).
• Providing health insurance.
• Enrolling children in school (if applicable).
• Preparing accurate taxation processes.

Taxation is one thing to be aware of, as getting the process wrong can result in legal ramifications. Again, this is something a PEO can help support , as they can act as local Employers of Record, managing and deducting taxation at source - making sure your expatriate assignment is compliant in terms of taxation. 

5. Undertake Project Alignment Meetings

Once the critical information regarding the expatriate employee’s assignment, residency, taxation and other requirements has been exchanged with the relevant stakeholders and/or authorities, it’s time for a project alignment meeting.

This meeting should be held between the employee, a host manager or host team and home team. In it, you should identify the potential causes of friction for the assignment and work to strategize mitigation techniques. Similarly, go over mutual expectations held by the home and host team so that visibility and transparency are also captured. 

Overall, you’ll want to firmly pin down issues that may affect:

• Data collection.
• Reporting strategies.

6. Invest in Knowledge Management

Any assignment knowledge generated needs to be properly disseminated to the relevant parties, quickly and efficiently. These lessons are not only worthwhile for future expatriates, but for the wider company itself and how it approaches global marketplaces. 

When we ensure that learning is absorbed and spread across the whole enterprise, we help to reduce mistakes and delays in the future.

7. Provide Home and Host Sponsorship

As we’ve briefly discussed, having home and host teams managing the expatriate are important, but let’s cover that more in-depth. 

Communication via email isn’t the best way to manage a remote employee. To make sure the expat doesn’t feel cut off from home office processes, create teams or ‘sponsors’ that oversee the experience and work of the employee. 

Whether they be points of contact or mentors, these individuals (or wider teams) help to anchor an expat employee to the work in the home country, keeping them updated on any new developments. Both sides help to co-manage and resolve problems when they arise.

Sponsor individuals within the home country are best suited if they too have had experiences with expatriation, because a lot of this management is about empathy - not just looking for hitting the next performance goal. Expatriation is a difficult process, especially if the host country is a radically different place.

8. Take Into Account Domestic Duties

Another tip for preparing expatriates for overseas assignments is to make sure their family is supported.

Some expatriate employees have children and spouses, which sometimes do make an overseas assignment a lot more complex. These difficulties are usually hard to spot, as many employees will be reluctant to share them with employees, due to the size of the project and the personal nature of these difficulties.

It can be the case that the people most likely to be able to help are the last to know, so this is another thing that good communication can help with. From the home country team’s point-of-view, they need to inquire regularly about how the domestic side of the project is going. 

It needs to be made clear that any issues in regards to this need to be made known, but also that no judgment will arise from those issues being aired. Expatriation is a tough process for a family and businesses need to be supportive. This kind of transparency will dramatically help the overseas assignment. 

To discover more about overseas assignments and expansion, we’ve created a fantastic foundational guide that will help you when strategizing your next moves, be they domestic or international. 

The Guide to Global Expansion

There’s a lot of different info out there on the web about taking your business abroad - or even just sending an employee overseas. To help cut through the noise, our detailed guide will help your business’ journey to expansion.

Inside, you’ll discover more on expansion methods, the crucial considerations and further information on PEO. Just click the link below to get your copy.

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10 Tips for Managing Successful International Assignments

20 Apr / 2021 | By TMA World

International assignments can be one of the most rewarding and life-changing experiences in an individual’s career. Yet international assignments are expensive for the employer – and a surprisingly high number of them fail. There are various reasons for this, but culture shock, failure of the employee to perform in their new post and dissatisfaction with the assignment itself are cited as common causes. How can you best prepare employees for international assignments – and help them make the assignment a success? Here are some tips.

1. Make a business case for international assignments

Sending an employee to live and work overseas is expensive. Is there a case for doing this? Would a local hire be better, or is there absolutely nobody else for the job? If there is nobody locally, does the individual have the right skills and mindset? Are they open to living and working in different cultures? What benefit will their overseas experience bring to the company when they return?

2. Consider the individual’s position

Employers need to be sensitive to personal situations when considering sending someone overseas. Posting an LGBTQ individual to, say, a conservative Muslim country is not impossible, but requires serious consideration and extra support. The same applies to an employee’s partner and family; is there anything that might put them at risk in the new destination?

3. Manage expectations

Employees need to be prepared for the fact that life during international assignments will be different, and not necessarily glamorous and exotic. There will be cultural barriers to overcome, as well as homesickness and culture shock to deal with. Families and spouses need to be prepared for the changes. New relationships will need to be built in the workplace and a new structure fitted into. Going with realistic expectations is better than plunging into international assignments unprepared, and having it turn out to be a disappointment.

4. Prepare for cultural immersion

Embarking on a programme of cross-cultural training is invaluable before taking up international assignments; individuals learn to understand their own mindset and prejudices as well as what to expect in the new culture. There are less formal ways to prepare, too. Would-be assignees for international posts could should be encouraged to build up a picture of the new culture by reading literature, newspapers and blogs. They should listen to podcasts and even watch movies to put together the jigsaw of everyday life in the new place.

5. Arrange mentoring schemes

A cross-cultural mentor might be a colleague in the new office, or a co-worker who is in the destination, or has experience of it. Ideally, new expat workers should have a mentor in the new destination and one at home; it is very easy for expatriates to feel cut adrift from the familiarity of their old office and colleagues. Typical discussion points with a mentor might include management style, hierarchy, gender issues, meeting etiquette, negotiating and decision making. Essentially, though, a mentor should be a sounding board on whom the expat can rely when problems crop up.

6. Encourage a positive attitude

Even having a few simple memos and pointers can help newly landed expats through difficult times. Learning not to compare their old culture with the new one; remembering that the new culture is different but not necessarily wrong; understanding different approaches to time management; and starting out with the basic assumption that people in the new culture are friendly and welcoming, even if there are hiccups in communicating with them. This is all part of cross-cultural communication training.

7. Offer language training

Even if English is the international language of business, and even if English is the language of the workplace in the new country, a basic conversational command of the destination language will go a long way towards integrating into society and overcoming culture shock. This is important for trailing spouses, too; culture shock can be even worse for a spouse who has less structure to their day and lacks the confidence to build a life of their own.

8. Keep communication focused

Mentoring aside, a company should have a formal reporting scheme while the employee is abroad on assignment. Checking in regularly is the best way to stay appraised of how the assignment is progressing, what new ideas and useful information have been picked up, and dealing with any problems before they escalate. Companies should make the most of the assignee’s time abroad by encouraging them to share their experiences – by blogging, for example, or participating in video conferences.

9. Provide support for sufferers of culture shock

Culture shock is a serious condition; it can lead to depression, a sense of isolation and even illness. Almost everybody suffers from culture shock in some way. Most people get through it but some fail to adapt, feeling lonely, resenting the new culture, maintaining an illusion that everything back home is superior. Acknowledging culture shock and finding small ways to deal with it should all be part of preparation for life abroad, for example, working to establish a network of friends, both expats and people from the new culture; keeping busy; and making an effort as a family to explore the new culture; visiting markets, trying out restaurants and arranging enjoyable activities for weekends, like a trip to the beach. Craving the comforts of home is not wrong; it’s normal.

10. Remember that reintegrating is just as important

Many of these issues apply to the end of international assignments. A posting abroad can be a life-changing experience and it’s not uncommon for individuals to return home with new skills and ambitions to find that they are different – and that their old friends, colleagues and workplace have changed, too. Some of the positives of an overseas posting are increased confidence, a broader world view, better empathy and more creativity when it comes to problem solving. Employers need to harness these new qualities, not just expect the individual to slot back in. Preparation should be made several months before an assignee returns. What new skills do they have? How do they see themselves fitting in? What opportunities might be available for them? Fail to prepare and the chances are, they’ll take their new skills elsewhere.

Our blended learning solutions ensures your global travelers, international assignees and their families will be successful. Our learning process can be fully adapted to suit the needs of your organization. Our training is delivered across coaching sessions, instructor led training and online learning pathways.  Click here to read our brochure for more information . 

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10 tips for managing successful international assignments (2023 update)

Embarking on international assignments brings both excitement and challenges. As businesses have been extending their global presence for years, the effective management of international assignments has always been extremely important. These assignments require collaboration and coordination among team members from different countries and cultures, demanding a unique set of skills and strategies. In this article, we will explore ten invaluable tips to help you navigate the complexities of international assignments and achieve success. 

The world has become a global village, with teams spanning continents and cultures. In this interconnected landscape, effective management of international assignments is essential for organizations to thrive. Whether you are a team leader or a team member, understanding the intricacies of international collaboration is key to overcoming obstacles and achieving exceptional results. 

Our ten tips for managing successful international assignments cover a range of factors that influence the outcome of these endeavors. From communication and cultural sensitivity to logistical considerations and fostering team cohesion, each tip provides actionable insights to enhance your approach. By implementing these strategies, you can strengthen your team’s collaboration, optimize productivity, and cultivate a harmonious work environment that transcends borders. 

Here are 10 tips for managing successful international assignments:

1. Effective communication 

Effective communication serves as a cornerstone for success in international assignments. Understanding the diverse communication styles of team members is essential, as it allows for clearer and more meaningful interactions. Different cultures have their own ways of expressing ideas and collaborating, so being attentive to these styles fosters better rapport and mutual understanding. 

Bridging language and cultural barriers is another vital aspect of effective communication in international assignments. Cultivating cultural sensitivity and embracing inclusivity create an environment where everyone feels respected and valued. Being mindful of cultural norms, customs, and social etiquette enhances cross-cultural interactions. Additionally, utilizing interpreters, translation tools, and language training programs can facilitate communication across language barriers. 

2. Cultural sensitivity and adaptability 

Embracing cultural diversity as a strength is essential. Each team member brings a unique perspective shaped by their cultural background, which can lead to a wealth of ideas and innovation. By recognizing and appreciating these differences, teams can create a collaborative environment that celebrates diverse viewpoints and enhances problem-solving capabilities. 

Developing cultural intelligence and awareness is key to navigating cultural differences.  

This involves cultivating the right attitude, developing awareness, acquiring knowledge, and honing the necessary skills to understand diverse cultures, including their customs, traditions, and values. 

By doing so, team members can navigate potential misunderstandings, promote effective communication, and build strong relationships based on mutual respect and understanding. 

Effective leadership in international assignments requires flexibility and an understanding of diverse work styles and cultural preferences. That is why adapting leadership and work styles to accommodate cultural differences is crucial. Leaders who adapt their approach can foster trust, engagement, and collaboration within the team. By demonstrating respect for the values and practices of team members, leaders create a harmonious and inclusive work environment. 

3. Logistical planning and coordination 

Dealing with time zone differences and scheduling challenges is a primary concern in the realm of international assignments. With team members located across different regions, finding mutually convenient meeting times and synchronizing schedules becomes crucial. By considering time zones and accommodating various working hours, teams can establish effective communication and seamless collaboration. 

Leveraging technology plays a vital role in facilitating efficient coordination. Collaboration tools, project management software, and communication platforms enable real-time updates, document sharing, and instant communication irrespective of geographical distances. Harnessing these technological solutions enhances productivity and streamlines workflows for international teams. 

To ensure smoother operations, streamlining processes is imperative. By establishing clear protocols and workflows, teams can minimize delays, miscommunications, and redundancies. Standardizing documentation, establishing effective communication channels, and defining roles and responsibilities maintain clarity and efficiency throughout the project. Regular evaluation and improvement of processes further enhance productivity and mitigate challenges. 

4. Building trust and collaboration  

Trust forms the foundation of effective teamwork. In international assignments, team members may come from diverse backgrounds, cultures, and work environments. Establishing trust is essential to foster collaboration, promote open communication, and ensure the success of the project. 

Building trust begins with setting clear expectations and goals. Team members should have a shared understanding of the project’s objectives, milestones, and deliverables. Clearly defining roles and responsibilities helps to avoid confusion and promotes accountability. Regularly communicating progress, addressing challenges, and providing feedback fosters transparency and trust among team members. 

Promoting collaboration is also crucial in international assignments. Encouraging open dialogue and creating platforms for sharing ideas and insights allows team members to contribute their expertise and perspectives. Virtual team-building activities, such as icebreaker sessions, virtual coffee chats, or online forums, can help strengthen relationships and enhance collaboration. Additionally, facilitating cross-cultural training and workshops enables teams to develop a shared understanding and appreciation of each other’s cultures, further fostering collaboration. 

5. Flexibility and adaptation 

Flexibility and adaptability are key attributes for success in international assignments. As the business landscape continues to evolve, teams must be prepared to adapt to changing circumstances, new technologies, and unforeseen challenges. 

Being open to new ideas and approaches is crucial. International assignments provide an opportunity to learn from diverse perspectives and innovative practices. Embracing new methodologies, tools, and processes can lead to improved efficiency and effectiveness. By encouraging a culture of continuous learning and adaptation, teams can remain agile and responsive to the demands of the project. 

Flexibility also extends to accommodating personal and cultural differences. Recognizing that team members may have different working styles, preferences, and needs helps create an inclusive and supportive work environment. Providing flexible work arrangements, considering cultural holidays and celebrations, and accommodating individual time zones and schedules demonstrates a commitment to valuing diversity and promoting work-life balance. 

6. Conflict resolution and mediation 

In international assignments, conflicts and disagreements are bound to arise due to differences in perspectives, cultural norms, or communication styles. Effectively addressing and resolving conflicts is crucial to maintaining team cohesion and productivity. 

First and foremost, creating an open and safe environment for addressing conflicts is essential. Encouraging team members to express their concerns, opinions, and ideas fosters open communication and prevents conflicts from escalating. Active listening and empathy play a significant role in understanding different viewpoints and finding common ground. 

When conflicts arise, mediation and conflict resolution techniques can be employed. Facilitating constructive discussions, encouraging compromise, and seeking win-win solutions can help resolve conflicts amicably. In situations where cultural differences contribute to conflicts, cultural mediators or intercultural experts can provide valuable insights and guidance. 

7. Knowledge sharing and learning 

International assignments provide an excellent opportunity for knowledge sharing and learning. Each team member brings unique skills, expertise, and experiences to the table, which can enrich the project and promote professional growth. 

Encouraging knowledge sharing ensures that valuable insights and best practices are disseminated throughout the team. Regular meetings, virtual workshops, and collaborative platforms can be utilized to share knowledge, discuss challenges, and learn from each other’s expertise. Implementing mentoring programs or buddy systems can further facilitate knowledge transfer and create a supportive learning environment. 

Additionally, fostering a culture of continuous learning enhances the team’s adaptability and innovation. Encouraging team members to pursue professional development opportunities, attend relevant training programs or webinars, and stay updated on industry trends strengthens their skills and knowledge base. Providing resources and support for learning initiatives demonstrates the organization’s commitment to personal and professional growth. 

8. Respect for diversity and inclusion  

International assignments bring together individuals from various cultural backgrounds, ethnicities, genders, and perspectives. Promoting diversity and inclusion is not only ethically important but also contributes to the success of the project by harnessing the power of different ideas and experiences. 

Respecting diversity means creating an inclusive environment where all team members feel valued, respected, and empowered to contribute. This includes embracing different cultural practices, beliefs, and perspectives. Avoiding stereotypes, biases, and discriminatory behavior is crucial in fostering an inclusive work environment. 

Leadership plays a vital role in promoting diversity and inclusion. Leaders should lead by example and demonstrate a commitment to diversity and inclusion through their actions and decisions. By actively seeking diverse perspectives, creating opportunities for underrepresented individuals, and ensuring equitable access to resources and opportunities, leaders can foster a culture of inclusivity. 

9. Cross-cultural training and education 

To navigate the complexities of international assignments successfully, investing in cross-cultural training and education is invaluable. Understanding cultural differences and acquiring intercultural competence enhances communication, collaboration, and overall project outcomes. 

Cross-cultural training programs provide team members with insights into different cultural norms, values, communication styles, and business practices. These programs help build cultural intelligence, enabling team members to adapt their behavior, communication, and work styles to effectively interact with colleagues from different cultures. 

Beyond basic cultural awareness, cross-cultural training should also include education on specific cultural nuances relevant to the project. This may involve learning about local customs, etiquette, and business protocols of the countries involved. By equipping team members with this knowledge, they can navigate cultural differences with sensitivity and respect. 

10. Recognize and celebrate achievements 

Recognizing and celebrating achievements is essential for boosting morale, fostering team spirit, and reinforcing a positive work environment. In international assignments, it is important to acknowledge the accomplishments of team members from different cultures and countries. 

Take the time to acknowledge individual and team achievements, both big and small. This can be done through public recognition, appreciation emails, virtual celebrations, or awards. Celebrating cultural diversity by incorporating elements of different cultures into the recognition process further enhances inclusivity. 

Regularly highlighting and celebrating achievements not only motivates team members but also reinforces a sense of belonging and pride in the project. It creates a positive work culture where everyone feels valued and appreciated for their contributions, regardless of their cultural background. 

In conclusion, managing successful international assignments requires a combination of effective communication, cultural sensitivity, adaptability, and collaboration. By embracing diversity, investing in cross-cultural training, and fostering an inclusive work environment, teams can overcome challenges, maximize productivity, and achieve outstanding results. With the right strategies and a commitment to cultural understanding, international assignments can become transformative opportunities for growth, learning, and global success. 

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How to Prepare Employees for International Assignments

In today’s globalized world, international assignments are increasingly prevalent. These opportunities allow employees to develop skills, gain experience, and contribute to their company’s global expansion. However, these assignments can also pose challenges, requiring employees to adapt to new cultures, languages, and ways of life.

Ensuring the success of an international assignment involves proper preparation, including providing the necessary skills, knowledge, and support.

Key Steps in Preparing Employees for International Assignments

Here are key steps in preparing employees for international assignments:

1. Assess Employee Suitability

Consider factors such as language skills, cultural adaptability, and willingness to relocate to determine if an employee is suited for an international assignment.

2. Offer Cultural Training

Provide insights into the host country’s culture, customs, and business practices to foster understanding.

3. Provide Language Training

For interactions with non-native speakers, offering language training can be beneficial.

4. Assist in Relocation

Facilitate housing, transportation, and help with visa and immigration paperwork.

5. Ensure Ongoing Support

Regular check-ins and resources for handling challenges are crucial to ongoing success.

Benefits of preparing employees for international assignments include:

• Enhanced Performance: Prepared employees are better equipped to handle challenges in new cultural environments, boosting their overall success.
• Increased Confidence: Cultural training and support bolster employees’ confidence in succeeding abroad.
• Improved Cross-Cultural Collaboration: Cultural understanding leads to smoother collaboration with international colleagues.
• Quick Adaptation: Preparation speeds up employees’ acclimatization, reducing stress.
• Higher Job Satisfaction: Well-prepared employees enjoy assignments more, leading to increased job satisfaction.
• Higher ROI: Companies investing in preparation tend to yield higher assignment success rates.

By following these steps, companies can ensure employees are well-equipped for international assignments, benefiting both employees and the company.

Additional Tips for Preparing Employees for Overseas Assignments

Additional tips for preparing employees for overseas assignments:

• Realistic Expectations: Help employees understand potential challenges, aiding in expectation management.
• Stay Connected to Home Culture: Encourage maintaining ties to their home culture for a sense of identity.
• Share Experiences: Provide avenues for sharing experiences with fellow colleagues for mutual support.

These strategies empower companies to facilitate positive and successful international assignments for their employees.

Pre-Move Training

Pre-move training is a crucial component of preparing employees for international assignments. It should cover practical aspects such as visa requirements, legal obligations, and documentation. Additionally, it’s an opportunity to address employees’ questions and concerns, setting expectations for the assignment.

Your Potential Challenges

Understanding the potential challenges that employees may face during international assignments is essential. These challenges can include language barriers, cultural differences, and adapting to a new work environment. Identifying these challenges in advance allows for proactive preparation and support.

Areas for Cultural Training

Cultural training plays a pivotal role in helping employees navigate the nuances of a foreign culture. This training should encompass areas such as communication styles, social norms, and business etiquette. Cultural sensitivity training ensures that employees can integrate seamlessly into their new environment and foster positive relationships with local colleagues and clients.

Provide Support On The Ground

Supporting employees on the ground is essential for their well-being and success during international assignments. Employers can offer assistance with housing, transportation, and settling-in services. At Leo Packers and Movers, we specialize in facilitating smooth transitions by managing logistics and ensuring that employees have the support they need.

Establishing clear timelines for each phase of the international assignment is critical. This includes planning the move, pre-move training, arrival in the host country, and ongoing support. Having a well-structured timeline ensures that all aspects of the assignment are coordinated and that employees are prepared at every stage.

Preparing employees for international assignments requires careful planning and attention to detail. At Leo Packers and Movers, we understand the importance of a seamless relocation process. By providing pre-move training, addressing potential challenges, offering cultural training, and ensuring on-ground support, employers can ensure that their employees are well-prepared and equipped to thrive in their international assignments. Clear timelines help streamline the process and ensure a successful transition for everyone involved.

Embarking on an international assignment is a significant undertaking for both employees and their employers. Preparing employees adequately for the challenges of living and working in a foreign country is essential to ensure their success and well-being. At Leo Packers and Movers, we understand the intricacies of international relocation services . In this guide, we will explore the various aspects of preparing employees for international assignments, including pre-move training, potential challenges, areas for cultural training, on-ground support, and timelines.

The information provided on this website is for general informational purposes only. Service availability may vary, and we recommend consulting with us to confirm the suitability and availability of any Leo Packers and Movers services before making any requests or decisions based on the information presented here.

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• Internships
• Career Advice

7 Strategies for a Successful International Work Assignment

Published: Oct 08, 2018

International assignments are exciting for a host of reasons, but having the opportunity to live in another country while finding success in your career at the same time is particularly compelling. Working abroad allows you to gain real-world experience, advance the skills you have, and learn how to thrive in a global environment.

But living and working in a new country with a different culture is a major life change. It’s important to immerse yourself in the experience and remain positive through the ups and downs. Below are 7 tips to make the most of your journey abroad.

1. Keep an Open Mind

Social media and the internet allows us to connect with people from all over the world. Take time to learn about the history of your new home, including any local customs or laws, so you can set more realistic expectations ahead of time.

When you finally touch down in your new destination, keep an open mind. What you think you know about an area or country may end up being turned on its head once you spend more than a few days there.

For Allison Alexander, a participant in Abbott’s Finance Professional Development Program , an international assignment was the ultimate lesson in flexibility. “Going to an international role means you’re stepping into a culture and a set of expectations that are foreign to you,” she explains. “It forces you to be open to the unexpected.”

Unlike traveling for leisure, international assignments allow you to spend months or even years in a location. You can, and should, tap into the global mindset you’ve already developed while leaving room for all the surprises that will come from long-term exposure to a different culture.

2. Set Goals

Maximize the benefits of an international assignment by setting goals for yourself at the beginning. What do you hope to accomplish in the first two weeks? How can you challenge yourself once you’ve settled in? And when you leave, what are the skills you want to take with you? Having clearly defined milestones will help you stay focused on what’s important and define the steps needed to grow your career.

3. Develop Language Skills

You may not become fluent, but practicing the local language can help you build deeper connections within the community and potentially open up new work opportunities in the future. Don’t fret if you stumble through mispronunciations and tenses at first, the more you practice, the more confident you'll become, and the better you'll get.

4. Be Adventurous

When you're abroad, it's great to take advantage of travel. You have a new world at your doorstep! It's also a chance to try activities you've never tried before.

"I've been doing things I thought of all my life but could never muster enough courage to actually do," says Timir Gupta, another member of Abbott's Finance Professional Development Program, who has traveled solo, tried skydiving, and chased the northern lights. "And it's a great conversation starter during an interview," he adds.

5. Apply New Perspectives

Gaining insight into different business practices can help you learn to look at old problems in new ways when you return home. This type of creative problem solving will be an asset no matter what your next assignment is.

"When you finally make your way back to a domestic role, you've now become an expert in two completely different professional structures," says Alexander. "You've seen what works and what doesn't in a global setting, and you can lead the group on new ways of thinking that may lead to more success."

6. Expand Your Network

Get out and build connections, both at your assignment and beyond. "Because of traveling, I have friends all over the world," says Gupta. He now has connections across five continents that he can tap into when looking for a reference or career advice.

Luckily, maintaining the professional network you build abroad is now easier than ever before. Social media, LinkedIn, and apps like WhatsApp can help you stay in contact with your colleagues and mentors.

7. Market Yourself and Build Your Career

When you return home, don't forget to incorporate your experience into your personal branding. You want to make sure prospective employers know how your new skills, perspectives, and connections set you apart. Think: How can I rework my resume and reframe interview answers to showcase what I've learned?

Depending on your experience, you may even refocus your career or choose employers who will use your global mindset. If you want more opportunities to go abroad, many multinational organizations offer international assignments. With offices in more than 150 countries, Abbott has numerous internships and development programs for students in finance, information technology, engineering, manufacturing, environmental health, and quality assurance.

Look for companies expanding in emerging markets, too. This can give you the unique opportunity to get in at the ground level and learn how to evolve a product or service to match the local market.

No matter what you choose or where you go, an international assignment can provide you with the unique opportunity to grow personally and professionally—and hopefully have a little fun along the way too.

This post was sponsored by Abbott .

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Resources for International Citizens and Expatriates

Celebrating 20 Years of Helping International Citizens Thrive Abroad

• Expatriate Selection: Lessons From the U.S. Peace Corps

“Ask not what your country can do for you, ask what you can do for your country.” – President John F. Kennedy, 1961 Inaugural Address

On March 1, 1961, John F. Kennedy created the US Peace Corps. In August of that year, the first 52 Peace Corps volunteers arrived on the shores of Ghana. Today’s 4,000 or so annual volunteers are a devoted and skilled bunch of mostly early career professionals. Yet those first volunteers were among the nation’s best and brightest, all graduates of Harvard, Yale, or Princeton at the behest of Ghanian President Kwame Nkrumah.

Despite their credentials and commitment, it wasn’t long before issues arose. Perhaps most infamously, an early volunteer to Nigeria wrote a letter home describing the state of living conditions as squalid, horrifying and primitive. Intercepted by the local postal service, it was soon on the front page of major Nigerian newspapers, sparking outrage among the populace.

In my Peace Corps assignment to Central Asia’s Kyrgyz Republic, roughly one-third of the assignees departed prior to the end of their 27-month assignments (including yours truly, who resigned early in favor of a local faculty position in order to research governmental corruption without tainting US-Kyrgyz relations). To help improve the fit between volunteers and host countries, the Peace Corps is among the earliest known organizations to perform psychological assessments on applicants interested in volunteering abroad. The results of this early experiment were reportedly mixed. However, psychological assessments have improved with time and are now a recognized best practice to use in expatriate selection for organizations staffing international offices.

The expatriate selection process can be complicated. At its best, it involves many stakeholders, including managers, HR staff, and host country professionals, each of whom has input on what is relevant to the determination. What are the key questions they should ask, and what steps can organizations take to prepare the employees they choose for international assignments?

Expatriate Selection: Who Chooses?

At its best, expatriate selection is a collaborative effort. Participants include management, HR professionals, and host-country recipients, each of whom has a particular (if at times overlapping) role to play. Host country staff are primarily responsible for assessing technical skills. They answer the question: can this candidate complete the required tasks?

While this is a crucial question, it is not the only question. Unfortunately, scholars have for decades documented that technical competence regularly overshadows other issues of concern. What other factors should companies consider in selecting expatriates?

Other key elements include whether the expat candidate has the cultural and social skills to succeed in the new assignment. Family questions may also be relevant. HR and host country managers should have an expansive role to better assess these variables.

A significant barrier to expatriate success is cultural distance. This measures how different the host country’s culture is from the home country. A forthcoming article will discuss this in more detail, but for now, know that cultural differences may present themselves in many ways. And for the home country staff, these differences may not be obvious.

Host country staff, however, may shed light on which cultural practices most challenge foreign national workers. These may be language or communication differences, social norms, or business practices. The deeper the differences, the more important it is that the chosen expatriate brings prior international experience to the job. In addition, host country staff may coordinate with HR and home country staff to assist in the expatriate selection and identify which foreign nationals most flourish amidst these cultural differences.

Furthermore, HR staff may spearhead those pre-departure psychological assessments that the US Peace Corps popularized so many years ago. These practices are among the most important – but least understood – of all selection practices.

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Also Read: Resources & Articles for Expats

“Grit: The Power of Passion and Perseverance”

Grit. It’s a topic popularized by Wharton Professor Angela Duckworth in her book Grit: The Power of Passion and Perseverance . Grit is the ability to remain committed to long-term goals despite challenges, sometimes for years at a time. As Duckworth revealed in a series of groundbreaking studies, grit may be the single most important variable for employee success. More so than skills. More so than intelligence.

And for the expat, grit may be even more important than among domestic employees. An individual accepting an international assignment is taking a leap of faith. No matter how much support is received – and later articles review exactly what kind of support expatriates tend to need and want – the expatriate will inevitably face challenges.

These challenges may be from work styles or relationships with co-workers or supervisors, challenges for the family in adjusting, or social setbacks. Consider the ongoing Covid pandemic and the upheaval this caused for expatriates. New concerns sprouted about healthcare, travel restrictions and closing borders, and social isolation in countries where restaurants and other public venues closed en masse .

Selecting for grit – and yes, there are surveys that do just this – is, therefore, one of the key psychological variables that organizations should look at when assessing expatriate candidates. What else?

What Factors Should Companies Consider for Expatriate Selection?

The so-called Big Five Personality traits are openness to experience, conscientiousness, extraversion/introversion, agreeableness, and neuroticism. They are among the most important and best understood of the many personality traits which make up an individual’s character. (An easy trick to remember the Big Five? Take the first letter of each trait. It spells “OCEAN”). Put simply, if you understand where someone falls on each of these traits, you can predict a lot about their attitudes and behaviors in life and work.

Extraversion

Extraversion measures sociability and leads to expat success. Studies show that extroverts are less likely to quit their jobs, while supervisors rate them higher in performance. Extraversion also correlates with ambition, which also leads to higher job performance.

However, don’t take these studies to mean that organizations should exclude introverts from international assignments. After all, they represent around 50% of the population. And as Susan Cain documents in her well-researched book, Quiet , introverts also offer employers valuable skills.

Consequently, this is more about understanding in which positions each can flourish. For instance, extroverts are well-positioned to handle international assignments that require regular contact with the local population. By contrast, introverts do well when given space for their creative and thoughtful juices to flow and when they have quiet workspaces far away from daily chaos. In addition, introverts may require more organizational support in terms of socialization and integration with host country nationals.

Openness to Experience

Another trait predicting expatriate success is openness to experience. These individuals seek out novelty and adventure. They’re more likely to try different foods, listen to new music, and support cultural activities. They are, in turn, primed for positive attitudes when it comes to embracing the changes and opportunities of a new national culture.

Indeed, studies show that expatriates high in openness to experience tend to perform at higher levels. In one study, higher-performing expatriates were more likely to report that they took the international position for the love of travel and the opportunity for new experiences. Furthermore, these individuals tend to gain more value from their interactions with host country nationals – enthusiastically soaking up information and using it to improve their day-to-day performance. Finally, spouses high in openness to experience adjust better, as well.

Neuroticism and Conscientiousness

Organizations may also seek expatriates that are low in neuroticism and high in conscientiousness. Neurotic types tend to struggle with ambiguous and stressful environments, with which, as we know, foreign assignments are rife. Finally, conscientiousness measures dependability and diligence and is related to grit. It predicts higher job performance for both domestic and international workers.

Click here for a survey that measures each of these so-called “Big Five” personality traits. In addition, companies can customize open-ended interview-style questions to assess where expat candidates fall on each of these traits.

Expatriate Preparation: How To Prepare Employees for International Assignment

Your expatriate selection process is complete, now what?

Expatriate research reports that the most important pre-departure expatriate preparation involves a series of in-depth training sessions. There are many types of training for expatriates. The primary categories are area studies, cultural practices, language training, sensitivity training, and field experience.

At the most basic level, expats must understand practical living conditions. Can they drink the water? Where do they go for medical treatment or for groceries? And what are the best neighborhoods to live in?

Expatriate Training

In addition, training for accompanying family members is key. This means including spouses and even children in some training sessions and providing families with information about schooling for children and spousal employment.

Finally, expatriate training should include business-relevant matters, such as local business laws and relationships with local partners. Expatriates should, furthermore, be clear about their job expectations, their performance management systems, and their compensation policies.

In addition to training, the company often undertakes other concrete activities on behalf of the international assignee. This includes visas and other bureaucratic support, which can be a byzantine nightmare for the uninitiated employee.

Studies also show that expatriates are grateful for long lead times before departure. Rushed assignments such as those with two months’ notice or less prove troublesome in terms of selling a house, buying or renting a new one, changing schools, and organizing a move (and to another country, at that).

The US Peace Corps learned some lessons the hard way but responded by putting more effort into their selection policies. In so doing, they – and all organizations following suit – give those selected the best chance of succeeding in even the most challenging environments. When paired with pre-departure and training preparations, your expatriates will arrive in their host countries with every possible advantage.

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Sources and Further Reading

Anderson, B. A. (2001). Expatriate management: An Australian tri‐sector comparative study.  Thunderbird International Business Review ,  43 (1), 33-52.

Harris, H., & Brewster, C. (2002). An integrative framework for pre-departure preparation.  International Human Resource Management: A European Perspective ,  224 .

Hung-Wen, L. (2007). Factors that influence expatriate failure: An interview study.  International Journal of Management ,  24 (3), 403.

Lin, C. Y. Y., Lu, T. C., & Lin, H. W. (2012). A different perspective of expatriate management. Human Resource Management Review, 22(3), 189-207.

Mesmer-Magnus, J. R., & Viswesvaran, C. (2007). Expatriate management: A review and directions for research in expatriate selection, training, and repatriation.  Handbook of research in international human resource management , 197-220.

Our Most Famous and Infamous RPCV . Peace Corps Worldwide.

Suutari, V., & Brewster, C. (2001). Expatriate management practices and perceived relevance: Evidence from Finnish expatriates.  Personnel Review .

Wang, C. H., & Varma, A. (2019). Cultural distance and expatriate failure rates: the moderating role of expatriate management practices.  The International Journal of Human Resource Management ,  30 (15), 2211-2230. – see page 2213 for an overview of the selection process.

Zeitlin, Arnold (1986). First Group of Peace Corps Volunteers Marking 25th Anniversary. AP News.

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Three Keys to Getting an Overseas Assignment Right

by Mark Alan Clouse and Michael D. Watkins

Summary .   

Reprint: R0910N

The mergers that thrive postrecession will be those that focus not just on the numbers but on integrating and motivating employees. To extract lessons on how to manage the human side of M&A, Harvard Business School’s Kanter studied a dozen deals that overcame the usual barriers to success: employee shock, protests, and anxiety, all of which can fuel supplier unrest, government disapproval, and customer defections.

Procter & Gamble, for instance, faced the prospect of “blood on the floor” in its ranks when it bought Gillette, because headhunters went after Gillette managers. Yet P&G managed to retain a large percentage of them, and it enlisted employees in keeping suppliers, distributors, and customers happy. The company met cost and revenue targets within the first year, incorporated Gillette’s superior go-to-market processes, and continued to position itself for growth even as the current recession loomed.

Kanter highlights the key strategies behind effective integration by describing practices at P&G and two other companies: CEMEX, which needed to transfer know-how to acquired employees so they could absorb its processes quickly and meet global standards, and Publicis Groupe, which treated its mergers like reverse takeovers, allowing acquired talent to take the lead in building new capabilities.

Assuming a new leadership role is hard even in the best of circumstances: relationships are undefined, routines are unfamiliar, and expectations are often unclear. Now imagine yourself heading up a new unit or project in a corporate and national culture radically different from your own. To strengthen their CVs, many ambitious executives willingly learn new languages, uproot their families, and puzzle over local laws and customs.

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Managing International Assignments: A Guide for HR Managers and Employees

Expanding globally brings tremendous opportunities for growth. But sending employees abroad also comes with challenges. As an HR manager, you want to ensure a smooth transition so your employees can hit the ground running in their new location. 

And as an employee, you want the relocation to go as seamlessly as possible so you can focus on your new role.

This guide covers key considerations for HR managers and employees to successfully manage international assignments.

For HR Managers

As an HR manager, you play a critical role in ensuring international assignments are a success. Here are some best practices when relocating employees globally:

Identify the Business Need

Before extending an international assignment offer, clearly identify the business need. Typical reasons include:

• Filling a skill gap
• Transferring knowledge
• Expanding to a new market
• Developing high-potential employees

Understanding the rationale will help determine the assignment length, position level, and candidate selection.

Choose the Right Candidate

Selecting the right person is crucial. Assess both technical qualifications and soft skills like adaptability, cultural sensitivity, and communication.

Look for signals of open-mindedness and flexibility during interviews. Ask questions like:

• How have you adapted to multicultural environments in the past?
• What challenges or frustrations have you faced abroad? How did you respond?
• How do you go about building relationships with colleagues from different backgrounds?

Check references thoroughly to confirm the candidate has the right experience and temperament to succeed.

Offer Cross-Cultural Training

Investing in cross-cultural training helps employees adapt faster once abroad. Training typically covers:

• Background on the host country culture
• Tips for communicating across cultures
• Guidance navigating daily life and etiquette
• Best practices for mingling with locals
• Stress management techniques

Employees walk away better prepared and more excited about the assignment. Partner with a relocation specialist like ARC Relocation to provide training.

Help with Visas and Immigration

Securing the proper work permits and visas is one of the most complex aspects of an international assignment. Requirements, paperwork, and processing times vary greatly by country.

To set your employees up for success, provide hands-on support with:

• Researching visa categories and documents needed. Categories may include work permits, work visas, and dependent visas for family members.
• Completing lengthy applications accurately to avoid delays. Mistakes can significantly slow down processing.
• Translating and authenticating necessary documents like bank records, medical history, police certificates, etc.
• Scheduling appointments and representing the employee in embassy meetings. Navigating bureaucracy is tricky.
• Covering visa fees and associated costs like document translations and health checks. These add up quickly.
• Tracking application status and troubleshooting issues if delays arise. Proactively communicating with authorities speeds things up.
• Coordinating timing with shipment of household goods and temporary accommodations. Visas need to be secured before departure.

Keep in mind that time frames range from two weeks for some work permits to six months or more for residency visas in places like Singapore. Research requirements early and account for the employee’s notice period.

Offer Relocation Services

Relocating is stressful enough without logistical headaches. Offer services like:

• Home finding trips
• Household goods shipping
• Temporary housing
• School search assistance for families
• Settling-in services

Work with ARC Relocation to coordinate end-to-end relocation services for a smooth employee move.

Provide Cultural Training for Family

An employee’s success often hinges on their family’s transition. Offer cultural training for spouses and kids covering topics like:

• Etiquette and customs
• Making friends abroad
• Maintaining mental wellness
• Finding a job for the spouse

This facilitates better adjustment and improves success rates.

Assign a Mentor

Connecting assignees with a home office mentor prevents “out of sight, out of mind” syndrome. The mentor can:

• Give visibility into promotions and department changes
• Offer advice for applying overseas experience
• Provide a sounding board on challenges

Schedule check-ins during home leaves too. This retains institutional knowledge.

Track Performance Consistently

Set clear expectations before departure and evaluate performance regularly. Account for cultural nuances when setting goals and metrics.

Schedule video check-ins to discuss successes, challenges, and additional support required. This prevents surprises come review time.

Plan a Smooth Repatriation

Start planning the return home well in advance. If not managed carefully, repatriation can spur turnover. Proactively take steps like:

• Solicit assignees’ job preferences
• Provide interview opportunities upon home leaves
• Offer career planning services and resume reviews
• Host a “welcome home” event for sharing insights

With preparation, you can retain and leverage talent that’s gained international expertise.

ARC Relocation can advise on repatriation best practices to keep global assignees engaged.

By investing upfront in selecting, preparing, and supporting employees, you significantly increase the odds of a successful international assignment. 

Don’t hesitate to enlist help from a relocation specialist like ARC Relocation to handle the heavy lifting. Their expertise will pay dividends through engaged, productive global teams.

For Employees

Receiving an offer to relocate internationally is incredibly exciting, but also challenging. Here are some tips to smooth your transition:

Understand the Assignment Terms

Review the details in your assignment letter thoroughly. Key points to look for:

• Location and duration
• Your role and responsibilities
• Salary, benefits, and incentives
• Relocation support provided
• Repatriation expectations

Don’t hesitate to ask questions to clarify anything that’s unclear. Getting aligned early prevents surprises later.

Discuss the Move with Family

Relocating affects your whole family. Have open conversations to understand everyone’s hopes and concerns. Topics to cover:

• Expected lifestyle abroad
• Schooling options if you have kids
• Career impacts for a working spouse
• Ways to stay connected to existing friends and family

Addressing concerns proactively eases the transition.

Embrace Cross-Cultural Training

Don’t underestimate the value of cultural training. It provides insights on:

• Etiquette and communication norms
• Building relationships with locals
• Daily life in your new home
• Managing stress and adjustment struggles

Arriving better prepared helps you adapt faster.

Learn the Local Language

Even basic language skills go a long way toward blending into the culture. Use resources like:

• Online lessons and mobile apps
• In-person or virtual tutoring
• Language meetups in your new hometown
• Labeling common items at home in the local language

Immerse yourself as much as possible before departure and after you arrive.

Network with Alumni

Connect with people in your company who have lived in your destination city before. They can share insider tips on things like:

• Housing and neighborhoods
• Schools and childcare
• Navigating transportation
• Where to shop for familiar foods and products from home
• Recruiting bilingual domestic help

Learning from others’ on-the-ground experience accelerates your adjustment.

Seek Out a Mentor

Ask your manager about pairing you with a home office mentor before you depart. Maintaining ties helps avoid feeling “out of sight, out of mind.” A mentor can advise you on things like:

• Promotion opportunities and organizational changes
• How to apply your overseas learnings
• Repatriation preparations

This ensures you stay connected to advance your career.

With preparation and a positive mindset, an international assignment can be a life-changing experience both professionally and personally. Immerse yourself in the culture and local community. 

Maintaining an open and flexible attitude goes a long way toward adaptation and happiness in your new home country.

Don’t hesitate to use relocation specialists like ARC Relocation to help with transition details big and small. Their expertise will help you and your family settle in smoothly.

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Heather Darby

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• November 8, 2017

Overseas Assignments: How To Prepare Employees

• By Heather Darby

• Tags: HR , Management , Skills

Every year, vast sums of money are spent on international work assignments. Companies across the globe invest hundreds of thousands in everything from shipping to accommodation, in the hopes of seeing international candidates flourish.

The allure is understandable.

Instead of hiring a new domestic employee, you internally move an already tried-and-tested worker. Somebody who can jump right in and support progress from day one; somebody who you know has the skills to do the job and do it well. However, while it might sound good on paper, these international work projects aren’t always successful.

As many as 40% of overseas work assignments are dubbed failures — an extraordinarily high figure. This means businesses are sinking huge amounts of cash into doomed projects, but what is causing these major issues in the corporate relocation world?

A lack of preparation is almost always the deciding factor. When an employee moves without being fully prepared for their new role, they are immediately left on the back foot, struggling to achieve success while adapting to their new world. It’s a worryingly common occurrence, but also a completely avoidable one.

Once you identify the core issues that could create barriers to success, you can work to train employees to operate within their new, foreign working conditions. Do this and you’re far more likely to fall on the side of that 60% success rate than the 40% that are failing.

So, what steps can you take to prepare assignees?

Deconstruction of Language Barriers

87% of HR managers agree that being able to speak a second language makes you a more viable international candidate — and it’s not difficult to understand why.

Communication is the foundation on which strong management and career success are built. Without the ability to communicate with individuals both internally and externally, an assignee has very little chance of performing at their best.

Certain things you can pick up on the job. Other messages can be conveyed by a translator. But for the best working experience, you need to be sending somebody overseas that can have a informative conversation with anyone, at any point.

Preparation for overseas work should start with the dismantling of language barriers and opening of all available channels of communication for prospective assignees. Fluency is not necessarily a requirement for early days on the job; simply enough to allow them to support themselves and not waste time having to communicate via third parties or by being unable to convey information altogether.

Preparation Through Cultural Integration

Workplace culture around the world differs a huge amount.

Depending on where you are in the world, hand gestures and body language can mean totally different things, small talk can be seen as vital or a waste of time, and absent-minded actions that would normally go unnoticed can have disastrous consequences.

Being ignorant to the culture and customs of the workplace can result in difficulties ranging from breaking relationships to a complete communication breakdown. 48% of HRs involved in the recruiting and managing of overseas candidates said that cultural barriers were a major problem for overseas assignees. The ability to successfully integrate with a working culture directly impacts the success of the employee. Therefore, it should be a primary target of any preparation process.

The answer to this problem is education. Assignees should be provided with training in how to work in their new overseas environment before they ever even enter it. This can be done through written and video resources, classes and conferences, and meeting members of their new team face-to-face to discuss culture, etiquette and how to get work done.

If an assignee knows how to operate in their new place of work before they start, then they are far less likely to fall behind or fail.

Guidance For Personal Wellbeing and Settling In

Up to 70% of failed relocation projects can be put down to one thing: families failing to settle in .

Despite their dedication to work, for most employees, family comes first . Without a stable home life, an overseas assignment can crumble very quickly. Preparations for moving should not just focus on the aspects of work that your candidate will be involved with. Time and resources should also be invested in ensuring they and their families are ready for the lifestyle changes they are about to face.

This can be done in two ways:

Educational: Ensure everyone involved in the move is educated on what life will be like prior to their relocation. Provide materials that explain cultural practices, offer language education to members of the family and give them the opportunity to talk to locals. To maximise potential success, you can even send them on a pre-move trip to get them better acquainted with the area — without the looming stress of an international move.

Structural: Providing a foundation on which an employee and their family can begin their new life is important. This includes help to integrate them with the local community and assisting them in sorting items and aspects crucial in day-to-day life, such as banking, transport, bills and utilities, schools, healthcare, etc.

Failure to prepare for the personal trials of working abroad can lead to disastrous results. Always make sure it’s a part of your employee’s international assignment preparation process.

One Response

Preparing employees for Preparing employees for overseas assignments is crucial for success. Addressing cultural differences, providing language training, and offering intercultural workshops are vital steps. The 5HR03 Overseas Assignment serves as an invaluable guide, offering insights into cross-cultural communication, adapting to new environments, and fostering a global mindset. By incorporating the principles outlined in 5HR03 organizations can ensure their employees are well-equipped to navigate the challenges and embrace the opportunities presented by international assignments.

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Managing International Assignments: Employer Guidance

Anne morris.

• 28 August 2024

IN THIS SECTION

Organisations deploy personnel on international assignment for many reasons. Whether you are addressing an internal skills gaps, supporting leadership development or looking to improve working relations across borders, for any international assignment to be successful, there will be a multitude of legal, immigration, tax and pensions risks to manage when sending employees overseas.

Global mobility programmes have traditionally been developed with a uniform approach, driven largely by cost management and operational efficiencies. However, organisations are increasingly taking a more flexible and bespoke approach to overseas assignments in order to attain advantage in areas such as compliance and talent development and retention.

While a one-size-fits-all approach to the fundamentals of mobility management may be a commercial reality, overlaying this should be areas of specific consideration and capability that can be adapted to the specific needs and risks of each international assignment. This allows for greater focus on the assignment’s commercial objectives and the agility to respond to the organisation’s changing global mobility needs .

International assignment objectives

From the outset of any successful assignment project, there should be clarity of objectives. Why as an organisation is the decision being made to invest in sending an employee to perform services in a different country?

International assignments can offer value in many areas, many of which typically present in the longer-term.

Internal knowledge transfer is a common assignment objective to address talent or skills shortages within overseas regions. Deploying key talent with specialist knowledge and skills to train and upskill local team members can help to resolve local labour or skill supply issues. The cost/benefit analysis can explore potential missed opportunities or delays resulting from shortages in the local talent market.

International assignments are also highly effective in building relationships and improving intercultural working. This could be relationships within an organisation, with local clients and intermediaries or local authorities. Face to face interaction remains highly effective and valuable in building influence on the ground and can offer significant potential for advantage over competitors.

Beyond relationships, value is also created in the knowledge gained by assignees working overseas, from insight into local customs and culture, improved language capability and a general understanding of how business is ‘done’ within the region and helping to adapt organisational protocol to suit the local environment. Combined with the assignee’s existing market and organisational knowledge, they can offer a global perspective with local details, bringing considerable potential to build competitive differentiation.

With clarity of objective, you can then consider whether an international assignment is the most appropriate solution . Is it possible to hire or promote locally? Would multiple, shorter trips be as effective in performance terms but with lower cost implications? International assignments demand significant investment and it will be important to assess cost projections against expected return and value to the organisation.

International assignment structures

As well as clarity of objectives, a successful international assignment also requires clarity of contractual terms, both to manage the expectations and understanding of the assignee, and also for the mobility team to identify support needs and potential risks.

Now more than ever, organisations are developing portfolios of mobility programmes to enable an agile approach to global mobility that responds to the organisation’s changing needs for international personnel mobility. Assignments come in increasingly different shapes and sizes, from permanent relocations or temporary exchanges, secondments or transfers to a different region or to a different organisation.

While organisations demand greater flexibility and agility from their global mobility programmes, underpinning the activity should be an appropriate assignment structure with a supporting contractual agreement that enables compliance with regulatory and legal duties.

When considering which structure to adopt, organisations will need to consider a range of factors including the type of assignment and the relevant environmental context such as regulatory, immigration, employment law, tax, pension implications.

For international assignments, where the employee is moving from the home country employer to a host country employer, the employer could consider a number of assignment structures, including:

• The employee continues to be employed solely by the home employer.
• The employment contract with the home employer is suspended for the duration of the assignment while the employee enters into a new employment contract with the host employer.
• The employment contract with the home employer is terminated with a promise of re-employment at the end of the assignment while the employee enters into a new employment contract with the host employer.
• The employment contract with the home employer is suspended and the employee enters into a contract with an international assignment company (IAC) within the employer group
• The employment contract with the home employer is suspended and the employee enters into a contract with both an IAC and the host country employer.
• The employee remains resident in the home country and works in a host country under a commuter assignment.

Each type of assignment structure offers advantages and disadvantages which should be considered in light of the individual assignment. For example:

• Do employment laws in the host country require the assignee to be employed by a local entity?
• Would the assignee be agreeable to ending their home country contract and starting a new agreement with a new entity in the host country?
• Are there terms in the home country contract that would need protecting in any new agreement, such as restrictive covenants?
• Which jurisdiction would prevail, the host or home country?
• How would local laws interpret a situation where there is no contract of employment with the employer in the host country?
• Issues such as income and corporate tax, pension and employment rights and responsibilities will need to be identified and assessed against the specific assignment objectives and budget and the assignee profile and circumstances.

Employment law

Employment law implications come hand-in-hand with selecting an appropriate assignment structure.

Home-country employment contracts for employees on assignment from the UK to an overseas jurisdiction should generally be interpreted under the laws of England and Wales. If a host country contract is used, there should be specific provision in the agreement to determine which jurisdiction would prevail. However, neither position is guaranteed, for example where issues of domicile arise which may supersede any contractual provisions. Again the need is to assess on an individual assignment basis.

As well as explicit contractual considerations, employers should also be aware of any statutory rights or implied terms under UK law that may continue to apply even in the host country.

Specific provisions may also need to be made to ensure confidentiality and appropriate handling of commercial and sensitive information. While this may be standard or expected for senior employees, those on assignment should also be considered for such terms relevant to the type of assignment and the commercial objectives of the project.

Immigration options

Successful international assignments will invariably require careful consideration of the immigration requirements. Governments across the globe are adopting increasingly protectionist stances towards economic migrants, as policies seek to favour domestic workers. This means business travellers and visa holders are now facing greater scrutiny when applying for work visas and when trying to gain entry at the border.

Visa options and criteria vary between countries and are subject to frequent change. Where permission is required for the assignee to work in the host country, it will be important to ensure the assignee applies for the most appropriate route to meet the assignment need, whether that is a work permit or a business visitor visa. The immigration requirements and options will be determined in most part by the rules of the home and host countries, the nationality of the assignee (and any of their dependants who will be joining them overseas) and the nature of the activities the assignee intends to perform during their time in the host country.

For example, a British citizen may be eligible to travel to the US to attend sales meetings and work conferences for up to 90 days  without having to apply for a visa but to conduct ‘gainful employment’ they would need to look at a specific work visa, such as the L-1 visa for intracompany  transfers.

A further factor will be the specific requirements of the visa or permit. Work visas, for example, may require sponsorship of the employee by a local entity with valid sponsor status. The application process for work visas are typically resource-intensive and in many cases will require the employer to provide compelling evidence as to why the role or work cannot be performed by a worker resident in the host country.

Preparation will, therefore, be critical, ensuring there is sufficient time to consider the relevant immigration options in light of local rules, and to then make the required application. Complications may also arise where the employee does not meet certain requirements under the local rules, for example if they have a past criminal conviction or negative immigration record. This will require careful handling and, depending on the host country’s rules, may require submission of a visa waiver to explain the issue and provide assurances of the employee’s eligibility by requesting a discretionary decision on the application.

Assignee remuneration

Relocation packages are typically the biggest expense associated with an international assignment. While cost control will remain a concern, it is important for employers to ensure they are offering packages that are competitive within the market and that the package will support both the commercial objective of the assignment and compliance with associated legal and tax risks.

Home-based packages remain common, including those which may be markedly above local market compensation levels, particularly in circumstanecs where the assignment need is business-critical.

It may be possible however to look at offering a lower package than the home-based option, by either localising the package to harmonise with host nation levels or to develop a ‘local-plus’ offering that maintains a degree of competition, but this can be challenging to apply consistently across all assignment types and locations.

Again, consideration should be given to the individual assignment and the assignee. Millennial workers for example are generally understood to value international experience and the remuneration package may not be their primary concern where the opportunity for overseas exposure is available.

For organisations with a substantial cohort of international assignees and travellers, it may be more appropriate to build a compensation scheme specifically for globally-mobile personnel.

Importantly, assignees who will remain under an employment contract in their home country may continue to be subject to home country payroll while on assignment. This will also enable pension and benefits to be offered in the same way through the home country. Taxation, however, raises more complex issues, for example where withholding rules apply in the host country. This will require specialist guidance to ensure tax liabilities in the home and host country are correctly managed and met withiin the appropriate timeframes.

Need assistance?

International assignments are demanding on the employer and the employee, but have become critical given the business imperatives to meet talent and development needs and achieve competitive advantage .

Employers should not lose sight of the need to understand the specific risks of each individual assignment, which increasingly demand bespoke solutions. While compliance , efficiencies and cost control should be underpinned by a solid global mobility infrastructure of policies, systems and procedures, the current shift is away from a uniform approach to assignment management, instead moving towards more agile management of each assignment, shaped by the specific assignment objectives, budget and risks in relation to immigration, tax, remuneration and employment law.

DavidsonMorris’ specialist global mobility consultants provide expert guidance to employers on all aspects of international assignments, from programme management and implementation to strategic consultancy to ensure value and return on the mobility investment. We understand the commercial drivers behind mobilising workers and the need to ensure compliance without impacting return on mobility investment.

We work with senior management teams, HR and mobility professionals to develop strategies that ensure effective compliance risk management while supporting delivery of the organisation’s global mobility objectives. For advice on making the most of international assignments, speak to us .

International Assignment FAQs

What is an international assignment?

An international assignment is when an employee is temporarily relocated to work in another country on behalf of their employer. These assignments can vary in length and purpose, ranging from short-term projects to long-term placements or even permanent moves.

How long do international assignments typically last?

The duration of an international assignment can vary greatly. They can be as short as a few months or extend to several years. It depends on the needs of the business and the specific goals of the assignment.

Do I need to provide cultural training for employees going on international assignments?

Cultural training is highly recommended. It helps employees adapt to the cultural nuances of the host country, improving their effectiveness and reducing the risk of culture shock. This training can also support better communication and integration within the local team.

What legal considerations should I be aware of for international assignments?

There are several legal considerations, including obtaining the correct work visas and permits, understanding employment laws in the host country, and ensuring compliance with both UK and local regulations. It’s crucial to consult legal experts to avoid any pitfalls.

How can I support employees and their families during an international assignment?

Supporting employees and their families involves providing relocation assistance, helping with accommodation and schooling, offering language courses, and ensuring access to healthcare. Regular check-ins and a clear repatriation plan also help maintain their well-being.

What is the process for repatriating employees after an international assignment?

Repatriation involves planning for the employee’s return to the UK, both in terms of logistics and reintegration into the workplace. It includes arranging their move back, addressing any reverse culture shock, and ensuring they have a clear role and support upon their return.

How can I measure the success of an international assignment?

Success can be measured through various key performance indicators (KPIs) such as the achievement of business objectives, employee satisfaction, skill development, and the impact on the company’s global operations. Regular reviews and feedback from the employee and host team are also essential.

What risks are associated with international assignments?

Risks include geopolitical instability, health issues, and the potential for the assignment to fail if the employee cannot adapt. Mitigating these risks involves thorough planning, offering support systems, and having contingency plans in place.

Is it necessary to have a contingency plan for international assignments?

Contingency planning is vital to address any unexpected issues that may arise during an international assignment. This includes plans for emergency evacuation, alternative work arrangements, and ensuring continuous support for the employee and their family in case of unforeseen events.

Founder and Managing Director Anne Morris is a fully qualified solicitor and trusted adviser to large corporates through to SMEs, providing strategic immigration and global mobility advice to support employers with UK operations to meet their workforce needs through corporate immigration.

She is a recognised by Legal 500 and Chambers as a legal expert and delivers Board-level advice on business migration and compliance risk management as well as overseeing the firm’s development of new client propositions and delivery of cost and time efficient processing of applications.

Anne is an active public speaker, immigration commentator , and immigration policy contributor and regularly hosts training sessions for employers and HR professionals

• Anne Morris https://www.davidsonmorris.com/author/anne/ Government Authorised Exchange Visa Guide UK
• Anne Morris https://www.davidsonmorris.com/author/anne/ Sponsor Licence Application 2024: Step-by-Step Guide
• Anne Morris https://www.davidsonmorris.com/author/anne/ UK International Sportsperson Visa Guide 2024
• Anne Morris https://www.davidsonmorris.com/author/anne/ Temporary Work Visa UK: Types, Guide & Application

About DavidsonMorris

As employer solutions lawyers, DavidsonMorris offers a complete and cost-effective capability to meet employers’ needs across UK immigration and employment law, HR and global mobility .

Led by Anne Morris, one of the UK’s preeminent immigration lawyers, and with rankings in The Legal 500 and Chambers & Partners , we’re a multi-disciplinary team helping organisations to meet their people objectives, while reducing legal risk and nurturing workforce relations.

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How to prepare staff for international assignments

• January 7, 2020

As a business expands into new territories, for the assignment to be a success it’s important that employees relocating are supported and well looked after, not only during their secondment abroad but before they travel.

It’s not just the business opportunities that need to be researched before sending employees overseas, it’s vital that many other areas are considered too so that the health and wellbeing of staff is appropriately As a business expands into new territories, for the assignment to be a success it’s important that employees relocating are supported and well looked after, not only during their secondment abroad but before they travel. supported.

Preparing for the culture shock Working practices differ from country to country, so it’s important that staff are briefed on where they’ll be living and working to help them prepare for any possible cultural challenges, both in and outside the office.

How does the healthcare system compare with other countries? Employees who have been previously located in the UK might not be used to the different approaches to healthcare globally, so its important that employees are briefed on what to expect and appropriate cover is in place before they travel.  

Employers who understand how different healthcare systems operate can prepare their staff for the different treatment approaches and schemes that exist around the world. For example, the focus in China and Hong Kong is on alternative healthcare and traditional Chinese medicine, whereas the USA tends to place a lot of emphasis on diagnosis, testing and health screening.

Business healthcare prices Not only do the types of healthcare approaches differ around the world, but so do the costs. Healthcare costs in the emerging markets can be particularly more expensive than other regions, so it’s important to be aware of this. Before sending staff abroad employers should remember to look at exactly what is needed to ensure cover is appropriate.

Having appropriate health cover in place before travel to some regions isn’t a nice-to-have it’s a must, or a work visa won’t be granted. Employers need to be aware of healthcare regulations and visa requirements which are heavily regulated, for example, in the Middle and Far East. Abu Dhabi stipulates that any foreign worker or resident must have a compliant IPMI scheme and in Dubai private medical care is mandatory before a visa can be granted for workers to relocate there . Workers without the correct cover may be fined or sent back.

The importance of immunisations Different countries are exposed to different diseases, and they need to be researched well in advance to allow time for arranging vaccinations. In 2018 there was an outbreak of the yellow fever virus in South America (in particular Brazil) demonstrating just how vital it is that employers ensure vaccinations are up to date for their staff.

Potential political unrest It’s prudent to check for political unrest or potentially violent areas before allowing staff to travel. Situations can escalate quickly and it’s important for employers to be prepared in how to react. The Foreign and Commonwealth Office provides country-by-country advice for visitors, including the latest information on potential health risks or local threats.

Staff health and wellbeing Assignments abroad bring their own challenges, so many companies find that offering holistic support for wellbeing can be a real help for employees, such as providing access to a global employee assistance programmes (EAP). These can be staffed by personnel who have relocated before and know what it’s like to live and work abroad, so staff can talk to people in confidence who have first-hand experience of their challenges. Support can be emotional, practical, logistical and be extended to dependents.

For companies looking to grow their international presence it has never been more important for them to avoid unnecessary risks. Failure to understand how health and wellbeing differs across the world can put both staff and the success of a business venture at risk. It’s crucial that planning is carried out beforehand and expert advice is sought where needed.

Sarah Dennis, Head of International,  Towergate Health & Protection

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Preparing Employees For International Assignments

• January 18, 2021

How Companies can Promote and Prepare Employees for International Assignments? What Can be Done to Promote the Success of International Assignments? A study released by Employment Conditions Abroad (ECA) found that the amount of failed international work assignments has increased dramatically. The American group’s report concluded that 7.2 percent of international workplace assignments were terminated early in 2016, this is a sharp increase from 2012 when the average failure rate was 4.9 percent. Companies who send employees abroad for work can benefit from leveraging the benefits of today’s global economy. The advantages are substantial, but costs can be extreme. It’s estimated that an employee on an international assignment is three times more expensive than a local employee. Failed assignments will quickly hurt the bottom line of any firm. What’s causing so many international relocation opportunities to fail? There are various factors that can cause an employee relocation assignment to end early, and many are doomed from the beginning due to poor communication and planning. The study concluded that many failed assignments have some serious gaps when it comes to the expectations and realities of the job. Another large segment of failed assignments are caused by the employee and their family not being able to settle in their new city because they feel isolated and are not able to adapt to the new culture.  It’s common for expats to feel intimidated by a new language, living in inadequate accommodations, children not being able to cope in their new school and various other reasons. It’s impossible to account for every possible negative experience, but employee relocations tend to be more successful with a solid strategy and communication. Before anything else, you’ll want to find the right person for your international work assignment. Let’s face it, living abroad and the challenges presented are not for everyone.  It’s also vital to really analyze the full scope of the position and determine whether or not it can be done locally.  An ideal candidate for an overseas work assignment will have an open mind with a willingness to learn and embrace a new culture, they will have the right professional competencies for the position and be excited to learn and grow as the position develops. A typical international assignment contract will include various key elements, this will set a clear understanding of the expectations by each party. Topics addressed in a contract will most likely include:

• Location of the assignment
• The total length of the assignment and deadlines for renewals and probation
• A breakdown of all relocation costs paid by the company
• Salary, incentives, allowances and benefits paid to the employee
• A detailed job description that breaks down the various tasks assigned to the employee
• Employee tax information
• Safety and security details
• An understanding of what happens in the event of a failed relocation
• Repatriation

The real work begins once the ideal candidate has been identified and the paperwork is signed. The company must move quickly and begin the visa application process. Requirements and processing times will vary depending on the country. Over the years we’ve found that despite a willingness to invest money, many companies simply do not have the know-how for designing a well-crafted relocation plan, resulting in an overall disappointing experience. Our team of experienced employee relocation consultants will partner with the company and employee to design a relocation package that’s cost-efficient, considers all the moving pieces and provides a high level of communication and collaboration with the assignee and their family. It’s common for overseas employees to feel disconnected from their co-workers back home. Email and instant messaging are great communication tools, but they can lack when compared to the face-to-face interactions of the office. It’s critical that management try to have consistent communication with overseas workers, this will remind them of their value and will aid in their overall happiness. Most employee relocation plans will have reintegration incorporated into them. Communication about the reintegration process should begin at least six months before the assignee’s return. During this time the company should leverage the employee’s recent experiences and gain a better understanding of the skills and qualifications needed to excel in an overseas position. Both parties will need to outline what the employee’s job will look like when arriving back home. There’s a lot of insight that can be gained by taking the time to disseminate and catalogue the employee’s experience abroad. This is an opportunity to discuss extending the employee’s assignment if it makes sense for everyone involved. Global work assignments are an exciting option for many companies. It’s important to find the right candidates and prepare them with the information needed to make the relocation successful. Partnering with an employee relocation professional is an excellent way to make international assignments successful and affordable. For more information on how Welcomehome Relocations can assist your company with international work assignee planning, please contact us.

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How to succeed at your global assignments

Going global can pose risks. But with the right support, it’s one worth taking.

Going global is the ultimate aim for many small-to-medium enterprises (SMEs). But as a significant task, it can appear intimidating.  A successful overseas expansion of operations requires you to consider and action a number of factors.

You must conduct market research, to confirm there’s demand for your product or service in your preferred location. Then, there’s entity establishment, the recruitment process, payroll set-up, and more. And finally, you’ll need to comply with local business, tax, and employment laws – all of which vary from your home country.

It’s a big undertaking. Let's be frank, if not done properly, the margin for error is significant. But with the right help, companies of any size can expand internationally and avoid failing at their global assignments – which can be costly, in more ways than one.

However, if done correctly, going global is definitely a risk worth taking. From providing cross-border opportunities for your team, to diversifying your operations, internationalising your business comes with a host of benefits.

Benefits of global assignments

Hiring international talent, seconding employees abroad, or establishing an entity in a new country? Whatever the reason, the benefits of going global are manifold in the following ways:

Increased profits

Entering foreign markets introduces your business to an expanded pool of potential customers. So, as your client base grows, the potential of turning over greater profits grows.

Broader talent pool

Expanding abroad provides your enterprise with the chance to hire a skilled workforce from a broader, diverse talent pool. Such a strategic entry to markets gives rise to innovation, knowledge sharing, and high-level talent.

Diverse markets

When you run multiple branches of your business in distributed locations worldwide, you ease dependence on any particular market. In turn, you mitigate the risks of local challenges such as political upheaval or economic instability.

Elevated reputation

Global expansion elevates your business’ reputation as an industry leader. This, in turn, gives you a competitive advantage in an increasingly dynamic marketplace. By providing your staff with the opportunity to relocate abroad, your company reputation as a global force will be bolstered.

Long-term opportunities

By expanding into global markets, your business’ longevity will improve due to dispersed pressures, increased opportunities, new markets, and enhanced reputation.

What can a failed global venture cost a business?

Recently released findings from International SOS, the world's leading health and security services company, combined with a  ‘Return on Investment’ report led by Ipsos with KPMG, show that a failed international assignment can set a company back an estimated 1.25 million USD.

What can cause a global venture to fail?

Expectation versus reality for workers.

In some instances, workers who relocate overseas via work can find it difficult to integrate with the local culture and make friends. Then, there’s the added responsibility of dealing with bureaucracy and paperwork, as well as navigating tax laws. These issues for new arrivals can result in them wishing to return home.

In its ‘Where Expats Love (& Hate) Living in 2023’ report, Expat Insider noted that expats in Mexico and Spain were happiest. In fact, these Latin American (LatAm) countries were the top two that scored among the highest for ‘Ease of Settling In’.

The countries are reported to have high levels of friendliness to newcomers, be easy to make friends in, and be affordable, especially in terms of accommodation. The availability of personal career opportunities and the work-life balance were also praised.

Alternatively, Norway and Kuwait scored the lowest for ‘Ease of Settling In’. Expats to these countries struggle to adapt to the local culture; tend to be unhappy with leisure options; complain of high cost of living; have difficulty making friends; and are faced with a low quality of life. With that said, Norway’s secure employment and Kuwait’s plentiful housing market were listed as positives.

Taking these examples into account, it is important to be aware of the local conditions of the country into which you’re considering expanding.

Lack of support for team

To ensure workers are happy in their new home, it is key for business leaders to take the necessary steps to support their team members with their global relocation.

Cost of living and cost of accommodation are two factors that seriously impact the expat experience. Offering a competitive remuneration salary, in line with local costs, signals that your employees are supported and valued.

Salary forms a crucial part of why workers are motivated to move abroad. If your team members are struggling on their current salary or feeling undervalued, you may face retention issues and damage the potential success of your global assignment.

For example, 59% of respondents found it straightforward to deal with local authorities in Bahrain, as did 64% of respondents in UAE. Meanwhile, ‘incredible levels’ of bureaucracy were reported in Italy, which expats found difficult to navigate and negatively impacted their overall experience.

Inadequate preparation

Expanding abroad is a complicated process, which requires meticulous planning and careful preparation. It’s an endeavour which is very much a case of ‘fail to prepare and prepare to fail.’

From navigating complicated employment law to adhering to local tax, there are many potential areas in which businesses may fail to be compliant – and meet serious consequences, as a result.

Hefty fines, more serious legal proceedings, and reputational damage. This is the fallout that can face businesses which do not make every effort to comply with all local requirements, when expanding abroad.

How to ensure the success of your global assignment

Seek local expertise.

The ‘Return on Investment’ report noted that 72% of HR specialists observed a positive impact on employee health and wellbeing, when partnering with third-party specialist organisations. This was due to the extra level of support received by employees.

Partnering with experts in global expansion is one way to ensure the success of your global assignment. Global employment solutions providers, like Mauve Group, can help you to navigate even the trickiest parts of internationalisation.

With 28 years of experience under our belts, Mauve Group offers a pioneering Employer of Record solution, allowing you to compliantly employ overseas without having to undertake establishing a local entity.

We also offer Global Business Expansion services, Global Visa & Immigration services, Consultancy Services including Salary Benchmarking , and more.

By engaging a global employment solutions provider like Mauve, you can:

Be prepared

When you partner with Mauve Group, our team will guide you through all your options for global expansion and help you to decide which one best suits your organisation.

Once decided, they will support you every step of the way and ensure that no stone is left unturned and no corners are cut. Allowing Mauve Group to accompany you on your global journey is the best way to prepare.

Guarantee employee support and wellbeing

By partnering with Mauve Group, you’re ensuring that your team has 24/7 on-the-ground support, wherever they are.

This support is invaluable to team morale, ensuring workers feel supported and valued, no matter their time zone or what may be happening. Ensuring that they have all the necessary resources to navigate the relocation process, is key to a successful global assignment.

Ensure compliance

Our local experts know the ins and outs of complex tax and employment laws. By partnering with Mauve Group, you’re making sure that every last detail of your global expansion is done by the book, mitigating the risk of non-compliance, and supporting the success of your global expansion.

Mauve Group can help

With over 28 years’ experience and more than 70 wholly owned entities in over 150 countries worldwide, plus trusted partners in many more, we are industry trailblazers and pioneers of the Employer of Record (EoR) solution.

No matter what size your organisation, or the industry in which you operate, we can help. With SME and multinational clients spanning industries such as NGOs and educational institutions, our experts will find the best solution for you. Contact our team , today.

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• 9 Ways to Prepare Yourself for an International Assignment

If you’re human and going out to into the world for your first international assignment, you can pretty much count on being faced with all the confusion and bewilderment that comes with culture shock and the unraveling of the psychological process of learning to cope and thrive in your new temporary home. Anybody can muscle through the coping process, but it’s the benefits that come with learning to thrive that will determine the future of your career in international aid and development work.

While there’s no vaccine for dealing with the shock of having to learn a whole new understanding of normal in a place where few of the rules you’ve learned to live by apply, there are measures you can take to decrease the stress and frustration this often leads to.

Taking these steps will help you live the reality of being the kind of globally-minded and adaptable person you’ve always believed yourself to be… and the kind of person your cross-cultural counterparts actually want to connect with instead of the stereotypical annoying Westerner they simply have to put up with.

1. Adjust Your Expectations

• High expectations lead to a low level of satisfaction. Buses will arrive late. Luggage will get lost. Teammates will misinterpret your intentions. Working cross-culturally is rarely a straightforward experience, so accepting that speeds bumps are part of the journey is a wise idea. Remember, sometimes low expectations result in a higher level of satisfaction and happiness.
• Knowledge is Half the Cure. Know the stages of culture shock and expect to experience them, even if you’ve interacted with the culture before.
• It’s not bad, it’s different.  Practice this phrase, over and over and over. And along the way, try to learn the “whys” behind the differences…eventually many of them will start to make more sense.

2. Study Like You Mean It

• Read and listen to related blogs, books, and podcasts.  What cultural norms do you notice? Are people more likely to be late, early, or just on time? What are some common gender expectations? Are gifts between business partners expected?
• Watch movies produced by the culture .  Art often exaggerates life, but you might learn the local manners surrounding eye contact or a bit about the bus system or work culture.

3. Find Culture Mentors

• Find a target-culture mentor.  Ask this person what a normal business meeting looks like, and how staff relate to leaders. Encourage them to share observations about similarities and differences between your two cultures.
• Connect with a co-worker who’s been there.  Ask them to share any observations, but remember that depending on which stage of the culture shock continuum they are at they may give you and overly-rosy or unwarrantedly-negative perspective.

4. Do a Mindset Check-in

• Assume the best.  Whether it’s a baffling comment after your presentation or a merchant who laughs every time you use the local language, it can be easy to assume negative intent. There’s a good chance you’ve actually just crossed some cultural wires. Experiment for a few days by assuming these individuals are on your side and like you.
• Believe you can do this. Research suggests that those who believe they can overcome obstacles—not based on inherent talent but on a willingness to work hard—are more likely to succeed in cross-cultural and other challenging situations.
• Stop comparing.  Does comparing your ex-lover do anything to improve your relationship with your current spouse? No. Nor will negatively comparing your host culture with your home culture do anything to benefit your growth here.

5. Take Time for Exploration

• Find one new experience every day for a week.  You may be surprised at what you discover. So maybe the balut (partially developed duck in its eggshell) really did nothing for you. But that pancit (friend noodles) rocked your world. As you have more experiences you’ll find that this culture is like your own: there are things you’ll love and others you could do without.
• Google it!  Why do Saudi Arabians often set business meetings for general times of day instead of exact times? Why didn’t your Chinese business partner offer his thoughts during that meeting? Finding the answers may not only surprise you but also help you to be more accepting of the local culture, and more effectively navigate through the nuances.
• Ride the bus. Take an afternoon off, get on a bus and ride. And then another. And another. As long as you’re in a relatively safe region and you have a hotel or address card in your pocket to give to a taxi driver, exploring your new city this way can re-ignite your curiosity and sense of adventure.

6. Develop Friendships With Those in the Target Culture

• Ask for help. Ask a local co-worker or neighbor for help buying vegetables at the wet market or exploring a historical site. Early on, this can be less intimidating than a one-on-one meal because you don’t face the same pressure for conversation.
• Give help. You don’t need to be a teacher to sit and chat about pre-planned topics in English, and many a strong friendship has been built on the foundation of language exchanges.

7. Learn the Language

• Dip your toes in . If you’re encounter will be brief, even learning a few words or phrases may cue you in on some unexpected cultural tidbits. It shows respect for the culture and is generally appreciated.
• Full immersion.  If you plan to stay long term, find a way to make language learning a priority, either formally through classes or informally with a hired tutor.

8. Get Social Support

• Chill out with same-culture friends. By actively building a strong social network you lower your risk for burnout, anxiety, depression, and even illness. You don’t want to spend all of your free time with same-culture friends, but devoting some casual time each week to these relationships can be refreshing and fill your tank up for the coming cultural interactions.
• Enjoy a “culture night.”  Invite co-workers and local friends over for potluck, where everyone brings a favorite dish from their growing up years. Use the night to talk about cultural differences and similarities.
• Talk to a professional. You can decrease your likelihood of burnout and depression by processing your experiences with a counselor who themselves has cross-cultural experience. If you are experiencing significant anxiety or depression, counseling can get you back on track. Many counselors today are willing to meet via Skype or Zoom for those working overseas.

9. Don’t Deny Your Home Culture

• Don’t overcompensate.  If you just really don’t enjoy Beijing Opera or watching Japanese game shows, don’t force it. Honoring and adapting to the culture you’re working with doesn’t mean you completely lose touch with the culture you grew up in. In fact, trying too hard to become just like the people you’re working with can come across as inauthentic…and it can wear you out.
• Let your home reflect you.  If you’re living long term in this culture, don’t feel that your home needs to be decorated exactly like your neighbor’s. Incorporate aspects of the local design culture you appreciate, but feel free to hang that Van Gogh print you’ve been carting around with you since college.
• Eat some mac and cheese.  Experiment with eating the local food at home (you’ll probably save loads on your grocery budget!) but don’t deny yourself the occasional trip to the local import store for barbecue sauce or chocolate chips.

Proactively responding to culture shock has the potential to make you a better person. You’ll likely become more creative in the face of setbacks, more astute in negotiating contracts, and increasingly empathetic when working with others.

So what are you waiting for? Your adventure is out there.

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Module 16: Globalization and Business

Effective training for international assignments, learning outcomes.

• Differentiate between documentary training, cultural simulations, and field simulation training.

Living and working in an international community, such as Hong Kong, can be rewarding and challenging—if you are adaptable and prepared for what to expect.

Types of Training for Global Workers

Global companies often send managers from the home country office to work in foreign subsidiaries. Sometimes this is done for the development of the manager, so she can gain experience in the global operations of the company. It may also be so the company can exert more control over the subsidiary. When the assignment is for a long period, the manager’s family may also be sent. This represents a significant investment for the company, and it does not want to see the manager fail and return home early. The cost of a three-year assignment averages $1 million. [1] One way the company can help the manager succeed is to provide training before she leaves so she knows what to expect.

What constitutes an effective training program depends a lot on its “rigor,” or how thorough and challenging the program is. If the employee is going for a relatively short time, say less than a month, then a low-rigor program may suffice. If the employee and his family are moving for a year or more with the intent of living in the host country, then high-rigor training is required. With a brief assignment, adequate training may involve watching some videos on local culture, going to lectures, and attending briefings on company operations in the host (destination) country. For longer assignments, extensive experiential learning, interactions with host country nationals, and language training may be offered not just for the employee but for the whole family. Studies have shown that international assignments are more effective when the employee’s family is included and consulted in the relocation and training processes.

Documentary Training

Documentary training is textbook and classroom learning, which focuses on looking at differences between cultures and is a key part of both low-rigor and high-rigor training approaches. Differences are examined because they are potential friction points that create misunderstandings and hurt feelings. You have probably heard many examples of cultural differences involving common human interactions, such as greetings, gender relations, and the giving of gifts. For example, Asian business people defer to authority very differently from Westerners. They will not correct their managers nor will they make suggestions in public that would cause their managers embarrassment. Food in China is served hot, and to be offered cold food may be offensive or off-putting.

The perception of sickness and disease differs greatly in different cultures even among closely related ethnicities. A British worker would probably not take kindly to what you consider to be sympathetic inquiries about his latest illness and treatment. Americans, on the other hand, tend to “over share” and be more frank about personal health issues. Americans also tend to be casual about invitations and don’t like to pressure people on the spot. An expatriate in India may invite a coworker to a party he is having on the weekend and then follow up with “Come over if you want to.” To many cultures this is heard as “We don’t really care if you come or not.” There are many excellent sources of information on specific cultural traditions and norms of various countries, but multinational businesses often arrange for professional cross-cultural trainers to provide onsite lectures, videos, or workshops on cultural differences.

Cultural Simulation Training

After learning the cultural “do’s and don’ts” of a host country, many companies will ask their employees to participate in cultural simulations in which they will role play various situations and practice responding in culturally sensitive ways. This process is most effective when the training takes place in the host country or when the trainer can include people from the actual host country to help. The goal is to duplicate as closely as possible scenarios that the employees may face, such as having to question or to reprimand a local employee, making a presentation to host country upper-level managers, or how to approach a person of the opposite gender in countries where the sexes do not mix as freely as in the United States.

Field Simulation Training

When the company believes that the employees have successfully passed the “survival training” stage, it is time for field simulation training . The employee (and family) visits a neighborhood of the same ethnic background as the destination or, if the trainees are already in-country, then they move out to the “real world.” Depending upon the conditions, an individual may be dropped into a rural area with limited resources and told to get back to the office. Or a family may be moved into temporary housing so that they can meet their neighbors, shop for food, locate transportation, and just explore the area. When the simulation is over, the trainees come back to the center to compare notes and share experiences.

Benefits of Rigorous Training Programs

For extended assignments, a rigorous training program benefits both the employee and the employer. It prepares an employee (and family) for success by the following:

• Providing practical assistance for relocation efforts. Some questions the employee might have about the new location include: How long will it take to get there? What kind of money will I be using? How far is the office from my home? Do I need a car? What medicines can I get and what must I bring with me? What should I bring in the way of technology, and will I have to pay duties on imported goods?
• Giving the employee information that will allow her to make an informed decision about the assignment.
• Providing emotional security about the change. A rigorous training program greatly reduces the chance that the employee will leave the assignment early because of a misunderstanding.
• Increasing the cultural sensitivity of the employee. By training employees on cultural matters, the company lessens the likelihood that its reputation will suffer among the host country employees.

The disadvantage to the company involves the cost of the training and the out-of-office time of the employee to undergo the training, but this is a small price to pay considering the potential benefits.

Finally, companies preparing their employees for an expatriate experience should also offer readjustment counseling when the employee is due to return. Re-entering the home country can produce a reaction called reverse culture shock that describes the bewilderment and distress experienced by individuals suddenly exposed to a new, strange, or foreign social and cultural environment—in this case, their own.

• J. Stewart Black and Hal Gregerson, “The Right Way to Manage Expats,” April 1999, accessed July 31, 2017, https://hbr.org/1999/03/the-right-way-to-manage-expats ↵
• Effective Training for International Assignments. Authored by : John/Lynn Bruton and Lumen Learning. License : CC BY: Attribution
• Image: Hong Kong. Authored by : AndyLeungHK. Located at : https://pixabay.com/en/hong-kong-hongkong-asia-city-2291752/ . License : CC0: No Rights Reserved

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People Management

How to hire international employees: a practical guide for recruitment pros.

Praburam Srinivasan

Growth Marketing Manager

September 7, 2024

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Did you know that Google has over 100,000 employees outside of the US? But why would a California-based tech company want to hire a global team of international employees?

Here’s why: the global team helps them access a bigger and richer talent pool, provides a competitive edge, introduces new perspectives and cultures, allows market entry, and helps improve productivity with teams working around the clock.

With a major difference in time zones, they take over exactly where you left off. As you can imagine, you can work double as fast and complete projects on time.

This global presence is one of the many benefits of hiring workers internationally.

Moreover, hiring foreign workers helps 86% of SMBs manage costs and fill vacancies. This strategy also addresses the lack of skilled workers available in the US, as reported by 58% of SMBs.

In this article, we will discuss—why you should hire international workers, different recruitment channels, and how you can make this process simpler using ClickUp’ s project management tool.

Disclaimer : This article is intended to provide general advice and best practices on hiring international employees. It is not intended to be a substitute for professional legal or financial advice.

Why Hire an International Employee?

Step 1: build a comprehensive job description, step 2: choose the region you want your candidates from, step 3: international recruitment channels can help, step 4: conduct video interviews and e-meet your candidates , understanding costs and legalities of hiring internationally, addressing the challenges in hiring international employees, best practices and strategies for successful international hiring, candidate tracking, project management, interview scheduling and coordination, team collaboration and feedback, templates and customization.

American author Jim Collins once said, “People are not your most important asset. The right people are.”

Here are four reasons why employers are looking to hire the “right” remote employees across borders:

1. Increased diversity, better performance

Diversity has become a buzzword across the industry, but it is much more than that. 

A 2020 McKinsey study found companies leading in ethnic and cultural diversity outperformed competitors by 36% in profitability .

The reason is simple. A wider talent pool, fresh ideas, and specialized skills. It also helps employees and new recruits look favorably toward companies more committed to diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI). 

Naturally, employees choose companies with progressive DEI. Isn’t that a win-win situation for both employees and companies?

2. Remote foreign employees have higher productivity

It’s natural that when you hire foreign workers, it increases employee productivity and retention—especially if you are a remote-first workplace.

With so much on the line, many SMBs are looking to convert independent foreign contractors into full-time foreign employees to tap into this massive opportunity. 

Did You Know : The global contingent workforce generated $171.5 trillion in 2021 and is expected to reach $465.2 trillion by 2031.2. Global hires open up the doors to new talent.

By moving beyond domestic borders to hire foreign workers, companies gain access to a wider pool of skilled foreign employees. 

3. Expand faster with foreign workers

Naturally, businesses are always on the lookout for new regions to expand their business operations.

However, relocating existing employees to these new locations can be a hassle. For them, hiring foreign employees is the perfect solution, as it allows companies to gain a local advantage in those regions.

The Process of Hiring International Employees

By now, you have perhaps already made up your mind to hire international employees.

But with so many job boards, portals, geographical regions, and possibly thousands of ideal candidates to choose from—what’s the best possible way to hire global talent?

Here are a few steps for you to follow:

The most important part of hiring international employees is knowing who you are looking for. Better job descriptions lead to positive responses from 75% of candidates .

When it comes to international job postings, a little bit of research goes a long way. Check out how other domestic or international companies in your industry are building their job descriptions (for just a little inspiration).

Be sure to explicitly define the required qualifications, skills, and experience.

Then, focus on cultural adaptability , language proficiency, and cross-cultural collaboration skills. 

After you have your ideal candidate profile down, you need to decide which international location(s) you wish to hire a foreign employee from.

A little tip: Before diving into specific foreign countries, it’s crucial to ask yourself:

• What is your company’s tolerance for time zone differences?
• What specific skills or expertise are you seeking?
• What is your budget for salaries and benefits?
• Are there particular industries or sectors you want to target?

A couple of more things to keep in mind are local labor laws, work permits, and visa regulations to ensure legal compliance. For these, you can use resources like Remote’s “Where to Hire” report .

Global job boards are often a great place to begin your international recruitment process. They help you filter international candidates based on industry and professional networks—so you can reach a global talent pool. 

However, partnering with recruitment agencies specializing in international hiring can also significantly enhance your hiring process.

If you are planning on working with an international recruitment agency, be sure to choose them based on two factors: 

• Your industry
• The country where you would like to hire your employees

For example: Recruitment agencies specializing in IT employees from India can help you hire the best local talents in the IT industry there, as compared to an agency that sources candidates globally from different industries.

How do you know you’ve got the right person? 

There’s no one easy answer—but many HR recruiters will tell you that a candidate’s body language and confidence often score them brownie points.

Now, this won’t be possible to gauge through emails or texts. But a video interview? While it may not be as good as a face-to-face interview, it’s the closest alternative.

Especially once you start the interview process, video calls can help you mimic the environment of face-to-face interactions. 

🧠 Did You Know: Statistics show that video technology is being used by at least 60% of hiring managers and recruiters. A survey of 506 companies revealed that 47% use video interviewing to shorten the hiring timeframe, and 22% would consider it for interviewing candidates that aren’t local. 

Now that we have covered the process of hiring international employees, it’s time we move on to the most important (and tricky) part of our discussion—the costs and legalities associated with international hiring.

Pay packages depend on the employee’s country

Here’s the thing: A software engineer in San Francisco might demand a higher salary than one in Bangalore, India, due to the higher living costs in the US. This makes it important for employers to offer competitive compensation packages to attract and retain local talent.

But when you’re hiring employees internationally, you need to adjust pay based on the cost of living in the employee’s country. This approach ensures fairness and maintains foreign employees’ purchasing power across different regions.

The role of work permits and visas in hiring international employees

In the European Union, the Blue Card is a common work permit for highly skilled non-EU nationals, while the H-1B visa is prominent in the United States for specialized workers. 

It’s okay if you are not already aware of the work permits and visas you’ll need—collaborating with immigration specialists or legal experts can often help you.

🧠 Remember : Requirements vary significantly by country, and as an employer, you need to always ensure compliance is followed in your hiring process. 

Global payroll solutions can simplify payroll management 

Alright, you’ve completed your interviews, shortlisted candidates, and figured out their salary structures—but now you are stuck on the next question.

How do you pay your international employees?

Managing salaries and payroll taxes for a global workforce can often be a significant challenge for companies. This is because of the differences in international employment laws and tax regulations across countries.

Often, the solution can be as simple as using a global payroll provider who can take care of your payroll management across countries. These global payroll solutions adhere to local regulations and are specialized in every country’s tax laws. 

Solutions like Deel and Papaya Payroll are both excellent at managing global payrolls.

Legal requirements: labor certification and tax law compliance

Hiring foreign workers comes with significant legal responsibilities. 

For example: Companies must carefully navigate labor certification processes, like the US Department of Labor’s PERM program, to ensure they’re not taking jobs away from qualified American workers. 

And let’s not forget tax laws, which can differ from country to country. This means your international employee’s country probably has different tax rules than your country. 

Does that mean it’s impossible? Of course not. It just means you have to work with the specialists. 

Working with an employer of record (EOR) can be a game-changer for your company, as they will handle all the tax filing and administrative tasks.

This can help you and your international employees focus on what’s important to you—getting your work done!

Understanding employment legislation

When you hire employees to build a global workforce, you want to make sure you provide them with a fair workplace.

Now what do we mean by a “fair workplace?”

Well, each country is different. So their local labor laws, rules about minimum wage, working hours, and how foreign nationals exercise employee benefits all vary.

For example, Europe has the Working Time Directive, which calls for 11 hours of continuous rest every 24 hours. Meanwhile, Japanese culture follows stricter labor laws.

To make sure that you are following the most updated versions of the regulations, you should consult with legal experts who regularly review local and foreign labor certification laws.

Also Read: 10 Best AI Recruitment Tools for Hiring Teams in 2024

Hiring international employees can be a relatively smooth process for you if you follow the steps well—but there can be some challenges. 

Most of these are contractual and legal challenges that can be solved by hiring an experienced immigration attorney or onboarding a legal consultant. Let’s explore them, and see how we can navigate the challenges. 

Misclassification risk

Misclassification risk arises when foreign employees are incorrectly classified as independent contractors. 

The effects are detrimental—misclassified employees may have to pay significant fines and penalties, and in severe cases, they can lose their license to work in the country.

This misclassification can occur due to tax evasion, cost-cutting on foreign employee benefits, or misunderstandings of different employment laws and tax laws. 

For instance, in the United States, the IRS imposes penalties on employers who misclassify workers, and the cost of non-compliance can be steep, often exceeding tens of thousands of dollars . 

How to navigate this : To avoid these risks, companies can work with an employer of record (EOR) that understands local regulations and can help ensure compliance with global payroll and local employment regulations.

Permanent establishment risk

Permanent establishment (PE) is slightly technical, so let’s understand it via an example.

Suppose you have hired international employees from Dubai. You don’t even have a physical office in Dubai, so your employees live and work from their homes. However, one day the Dubai government notices that these employees have been serving your company for a substantial time. This could potentially trigger your permanent establishment (PE) status.

How can it hurt your organization? PE risk can lead to double taxation, where the company is taxed both in its home country and the foreign country of operation.

The rise of remote work has made governments more vigilant about enforcing PE regulations. For example, in Germany, having a remote worker can sometimes create a PE, making the company subject to local corporate tax rates, which can be as high as 30%. 

How to navigate this: To mitigate this risk, consult with experts in local tax laws. Simultaneously, work with a legal entity or professional employer organization (PEO).

Intellectual property risks

Here’s why you need to be careful about intellectual property (IP)—it can potentially make you lose a lot of money.

How much? Patent litigation can cost you somewhere between $2.3 and $4 million (or more!).

Protecting intellectual property (IP) is critical when hiring international employees, as IP laws vary significantly across countries. Without proper agreements, local employees might have claims to IP rights. 

For example, in China, IP theft remains a significant concern, with a 2019 report estimating that IP theft costs the U.S. economy between $225 billion and $600 billion annually . 

How to navigate this: To safeguard IP, companies should include specific clauses in employment contracts, clearly outlining IP ownership. Industries such as technology, finance, and manufacturing must be especially diligent. 

Overcoming relocation hurdles and residency requirements

Each country has its own set of regulations when it comes to relocating. 

For example: In the UK, obtaining a Tier 2 (general) visa requires meeting specific salary thresholds and proving that the job cannot be filled by a local worker.

How to navigate this: Provide comprehensive relocation packages that include assistance with visa applications, finding housing, and settling into the new environment. 

You can also partner with relocation specialists and legal entities familiar with local employment laws to make sure you are on the right legal track. 

Now that we have a good overview of all the processes and steps to successfully hire international employees, let’s quickly go through some industry best practices.

Think about your global compensation strategy

It’s also vital for your business to ideate and flesh out a global compensation strategy. 

This includes managing direct financial payments like salaries, bonuses, and allowances. It also includes managing indirect financial benefits like health and life insurance, paid time off, etc.

While building your global compensation strategy, it may help to keep these pointers in mind.

• Regularly review and adjust your global compensation strategy to keep up with international regulations and employee expectations
• Refer to international compliance rules to set payment parameters
• Remember to account for exchange rate fluctuations in your payment flows
• Plan all compensation-related communication to be clear, specific, and relevant

The Role of ClickUp in Facilitating International Hiring

You may not expect this, but the trickiest part of hiring internationally is keeping track of the process. 

This is why our HR friends swear by talent management software such as ClickUp , which helps them track every step of the recruitment process and much more!

Here are five ways in which ClickUp simplifies the otherwise long and complicated process of international hiring:

• Application Tracking System (ATS) integration : Easily integrates ClickUp with ATS to track candidate progress from application to hiring
• Custom fields : ClickUp allows recruiters to manage interview phases, foreign worker contact information, deadlines, and more
• Candidate pipeline management : Utilizes tasks to move candidates through different stages of the recruitment process via a visual representation of their status

• Task assignment and tracking : Assigns specific recruitment tasks to team members, ensuring clarity and accountability
• Automations : Automatically assigns tasks, triggers status updates, and switches priorities to keep the recruitment process on track
• Time management : Tracks the team’s workload using time estimates and a time tracker to gauge productivity effectively
• Calendar view : Schedules tasks and syncs them to external calendars to avoid double booking
• Automated reminders : Sends automated reminders to both interviewers and candidates, which makes it a very effective recruitment tool for reducing no-shows

• Task comments and attachments : Collaborate with team members, comment on tasks, and attach relevant documents, such as resumes and interview notes
• Feedback collection : Collect feedback from interviewers and hiring managers within the task, simplifying the decision-making process

Interview Processes

• Templates : Save folders or lists as templates, like onboarding templates and ATS templates for reuse, ensuring a consistent structure for recruitment tasks
• Custom fields and task descriptions : Customize task fields to manage various aspects of the hiring process, such as interview scorecards and candidate evaluations
• Task organization : Place a task for each candidate in the appropriate list, complete with relevant custom fields and attachments
• Standardized evaluation : Use an interview scorecard template to maintain a consistent evaluation standard across all candidates and roles

Bonus : Here are some free HR templates that are used by talent resource teams across the world.

Remote Onboarding

First up—the ClickUp Remote Onboarding template . It doubles as an onboarding software that helps you track the entire recruitment process from Day 1 and contains a lot of useful features, such as:

• A customized task checklist 
• Beautiful visual timelines
• Super-easy collaboration tools that can help you include other decision-makers

All the above and more make ClickUp an easy-to-use onboarding software that is perfect for teams of all sizes.

Recruiting and hiring

Hiring involves a whole set of steps. If you find it hard to keep track of all the steps, you are not alone. 

It is no secret that HR managers hate using multiple apps to track a candidate’s progress—it’s cumbersome and complicated. For them (and probably you), ClickUp’s Recruiting & Hiring template will work like a dream.

Hiring candidates

Finding it difficult to manage your candidate pipeline? 

Then you should try out ClickUp’s Hiring Candidates template . It’s a ready-to-use, fully customizable workspace that is feature-packed for all your hiring needs.

However, if you have just started and need something more simple, then you should instead give ClickUp’s Hiring Checklist a shot. It will work well for beginners and has enough customizations in it to breeze through basic hiring processes.

Also Read: Human Resource KPIs – 10 HR KPIs & Examples

Get ClickUp to Hire Better

Whether it is international hiring or domestic hiring, HR managers have multiple roles to fulfill. 

From writing job descriptions to getting on interviews, choosing candidates, and writing endless chains of emails—an HR’s job never ends.

But it does not have to be so complicated either.

54% of candidates abandon the recruitment process midway because of poor communication from the hiring manager. This can be especially tough for companies looking to hire global talent.

This is where project management software like ClickUp can prove invaluable in your hiring process. HR teams use it to track candidates, manage deadlines, schedule interviews, and collaborate with other decision-makers.

Additionally, with ClickUp Brain , they get AI-powered insights that let them create detailed reports and analytics—all of which lead to better data-driven decisions.

Are you ready to change the way you hire workers?  Sign up on ClickUp for free and experience the future of recruitment.

Questions? Comments? Visit our Help Center for support.

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