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A Successful International Assignment Depends on These Factors

• Boris Groysberg
• Robin Abrahams

Your marriage, your family, and your career will all benefit from advance planning.

The prospect of an international assignment can be equal parts thrilling and alarming: Will it make or break your career? What will it do to your life at home and the people you love? When you’re thinking about relocating, you start viewing questions of work and family — difficult enough under ordinary circumstances — through a kind of high-contrast, maximum-drama filter.

• BG Boris Groysberg is a professor of business administration in the Organizational Behavior unit at Harvard Business School and a faculty affiliate at the school’s Race, Gender & Equity Initiative. He is the coauthor, with Colleen Ammerman, of Glass Half-Broken: Shattering the Barriers That Still Hold Women Back at Work (Harvard Business Review Press, 2021). bgroysberg
• Robin Abrahams is a research associate at Harvard Business School.

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International Assignments: Who's Going Where and Why?

What does the global-mobility landscape look like today?

According to global relocation services provider Cartus’ recent 2013 Trends in Global Relocation Survey, younger employees are most interested in taking international relocation assignments, with career development being the main reason, and sequential assignments are on the rise.

The survey’s findings shed light on who companies are moving (and where), what criteria they are using to select their mobile talent, and how they’re linking talent management to global mobility.

Assignee Demographics

The demographics of the expatriate population appear to be steady in terms of gender, with the percentages of both men (79 percent) and women (21 percent) shifting only slightly from 2012.

Generation X employees (56 percent) represent the largest age group of transferees. Baby Boomers (20 percent) posted a slight increase over 2012, while the youngest group—Millennials, or Generation Y (20 percent)—showed a significant increase.

Married expats with accompanying families are still the most common but have become a smaller percentage of global workers over the past six years. The category of those “married and traveling solo” has gained the most in percentage points over this period.

In general, younger, single male employees are showing the highest interest in global assignments, according to the survey. Women, Baby Boomers and employees with families are showing less interest in working abroad.

This profile holds true when the destination is an emerging market.

“Given the issues with schooling, housing and in many cases security, the lack of interest among assignees with families is not surprising,” the report said.

Some of the respondents’ comments include:

• “Dubai and the Middle East have their limitations for certain lifestyles. People with family are not so open to move their family to areas with little infrastructure.”
• “There is low interest in African regions.”
• “Employees seem to be less interested in going to certain locations if assignment allowances do not properly reflect the hardships that exist in the new work/life environment.”
• “As the quality of lifestyle in emerging markets can vary when compared to a developed country, it is difficult for entire families to relocate to these types of countries. We have implemented two-year assignments in these regions, which seem to be working, with a limited time in more challenging environments.”
• “Although Millennials are interested in these types of assignments, we need highly experienced people to go in and develop our emerging markets, so sometimes the interest and the experience needed to be successful are out of sync.”
• “Employees with families tend to shy away from emerging markets. They look for places with more stable economies and social systems, especially for reasons of safety, security and schooling. They are also concerned about fluctuations in currency and overall earning and savings power.”

Most and Least Desirable Locations for Assignments

When asked which of the developed countries generated the most employee interest for assignments, the clear choices were the U.S., U.K., Australia, Singapore and Canada.

Tier I India and China (developed cities such as Mumbai and Shanghai) ranked as the locations that workers were most resistant to relocating to among the developed countries, indicating these are still perceived as challenging markets.

For emerging-market locations, Brazil topped the list of nations to which employees most wanted to go, followed closely by the United Arab Emirates. Among the emerging-market countries that professionals were reluctant to work in are Nigeria, Saudi Arabia and Russia. Notably, Tiers II-IV for both India and China show up as generating significant interest and resistance. “This is likely attributable to the fact that as booming markets, they offer significant opportunities but also major challenges in infrastructure and other areas,” the report explained. “They are likely to be perceived differently depending on the assignee’s experience, appetite for adventure, and perception of the market’s importance to company goals.”

Motivating Factors

When asked for the main reasons why employees accepted an international assignment, companies said that while attractive compensation was named by a third of respondents (34 percent), the main motivating factors for employees were career development and advancement.

“This finding is a clear indicator that now is the time for companies to really start focusing on creating synergies across HR and businesses in order to ensure assignees are no longer ‘out of sight, out of mind’ and they are aware that the company is also focusing on their career. If employees’ value is not recognized, particularly the Gen Y/Millennial population, attrition rates will continue to rise,” according to the report.

Qualifying Criteria

As for the business criteria and qualifications that organizations seek when considering someone for an international assignment, leadership potential (80 percent) and technical skills (75 percent) were cited the most. A significant number of respondents (61 percent) also noted that the criteria depended on the project. Notably, only 33 percent are factoring in minimum performance ratings in selection criteria.

Flexibility and the ability to adapt to fluid circumstances (71 percent) led the list of behavioral characteristics businesses look for when considering an employee for an assignment abroad.

Second and third on the list of behavioral traits were career orientation and the desire to advance (63 percent), and the ability to work productively in an independent setting (57 percent).

Questioned about the family criteria their organization takes into account when considering someone for an international assignment, 68 percent of respondents said family status was not considered, while 25 percent said family criteria depended on the project.

Linking Talent Management and Global Mobility

When asked whether they agreed with the statement “The impact of an international assignment on an assignee’s career is positive,” 82 percent said yes, a 30 percent increase from 2009. “This supports the feeling that companies are paying more attention to, and realizing the importance of, how international assignments support employee growth, business value and retention,” the report said.

Building effective linkages between talent and global mobility will help ensure that assignments truly contribute to company business strategies, the report said.

According to respondents, the most frequently implemented strategies were:

• Ensuring assignment objectives are incorporated into the employee’s performance review while on assignment (62 percent).
• Collaborating with HR to ensure that employee performance ratings are considered for all workers on overseas assignments (60 percent).

The top three strategies under consideration:

• Tracking postassignment employee advancement (63 percent).
• Tracking postassignment employee retention (57 percent).
• Developing a global talent pool for future assignments (56 percent).

Sequential Assignments Rising

Not all expatriates get to return home after an assignment. Fifty-eight percent of respondents have either many (13 percent) or a few (45 percent) “global nomads” who are on back-to-back assignments. More than half (57 percent) expect the sequential-assignment trend to stay about the same, and about a third (31 percent) expect the trend to increase.

Of organizations that said they have sequential assignments, 80 percent said they were typically long term, and the most frequent demographic profile was an older employee, Generation X worker or a Baby Boomer. This supports a general trend of companies sending more senior employees on this type of assignment, often with newer employees accompanying them for professional development, the report said.

Repatriation Lacking

Responding organizations ranked repatriation and career development highest among aspects of their relocation programs they most want to improve.

More than half (58 percent) of companies said they did not offer formal repatriation programs. Of those that offer these programs, only a third (33 percent) typically offer repatriation programs for long-term assignments. The most common reasons given for not offering these programs were lack of perceived value by the organization (60 percent) and cost considerations (35 percent).

Roy Maurer is an online editor/manager for SHRM.

Follow him at @SHRMRoy

Related Articles:

Developing an Effective Global Mobility Program , SHRM Online Global HR, August 2013 International Assignments Expected to Increase in 2013 , SHRM Online Global HR, May 2013

Managing International Assignments , SHRM Online Templates and Samples, July 2012

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Overseas Assignments

Transition Center

An overseas assignment translates to months of preparation and planning. U.S. government employees and their family members assigned to a U.S. embassy or consulate overseas can visit the Overseas Briefing Center (OBC) in Arlington, VA to use their collection of resources for researching overseas posts and the logistics of an international move. Hours of operation .

Country Bidding Information

• OBC’s listing of country bidding resources assists in discovering more about an overseas location.
• U.S. government employees and their eligible family members who are bidding on or assigned to a U.S. embassy or consulate overseas can access post-specific information via the OBC’s Post Info To Go websites. For more information, contact the OBC .

Resources for an International Move to a Mission Overseas

• Activities to encourage curiosity and discovery
• Quotes from kids who have experienced moving overseas
• Games to prompt discussion, and more!
• ZINES! A new series of Teen Zine tell the stories of kids who travel from post to post and their struggle to find their place in the world, figure out a new school, find new friends, manage relationships, and handle the bumps along the way. Overall resilience themes are incorporated, including maintaining a positive attitude, finding one’s meaning and purpose, active problem-solving, self-care as the key to well-being, supportive social relationships, and developing a growth mindset. Download a PDF of the first ZINE: Transitions   . Download a PDF of the second ZINE: Identity   .
• The  Foreign Service Assignment Notebook: What Do I Do Now? offers invaluable information and guidance for an international move and assignment to a U.S. embassy or consulate abroad. Topics include: overview of a U.S. Mission, children in the Foreign Service, resilience, post research, packing to go, finances, family member employment, insurance, traveling with pets, and more.
• For iOS:  Apple’s App Store
• For Android:  Google Play

Learn about Allowances for an International Move

• Department of State employees heading on assignment overseas are eligible for certain allowances, as outlined on the Office of Allowances website. Here is a quick guide to Allowances for Transitions .

Annual KidVid Contest

• The Foreign Service Institute’s Overseas Briefing Center (OBC), in collaboration with the Foreign Service Youth Foundation (FSYF), hosts the annual worldwide KidVid Contest. Contestants submit an original video that depicts life for Foreign Service youth at their post. The purpose of this contest is to develop a library of videos that will help FS families anticipate what life overseas is like from a kid’s perspective. The Overseas Briefing Center administers the contest and FSYF awards cash prizes to winners.  Foreign Service youth, ages 10-18 who are posted overseas, are eligible to enter this contest.

Traveling with a Pet to an International Location Outside of the United States

• Getting a pet to a foreign country involves understanding country-specific import restrictions, paperwork procedures, and the various offices involved in the process. OBC’s guidelines for pet shipping are invaluable to understanding Pets and International Travel . U.S. government employees heading to a U.S. embassy or consulate overseas can contact the OBC for detailed country-specific guidelines.

Online Training Resources for an International Assignment

• Protocol for the Modern Diplomat – Ask OBC for this booklet designed to help readers master the basics of diplomatic protocol.

The Overseas Briefing Center staff is available to answer questions, share valuable resources, and assist with transition concerns. U.S. government employees assigned to an overseas U.S. Mission can contact the OBC  for more information.

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7 advantages of sending employees on international assignments

1. Enter new markets

2. develop a deeper connection with new clients, 3. understand how the competition operates, 4. expand your company’s network, 5. build your company’s in-house experience, 6. boost team confidence by showing your trust, 7. create internal buzz around opportunities, candidate screening, application process, language barriers, visa requirements and travel documentation, internal communication and knowledge sharing, expenses and logistics, growing your business and your team capabilities .

No matter the size of your organization, sending employees on international assignments is a big challenge. From candidate screening and language training for employee relocation  to logistics and settling in – there’s lots to consider. 

But there are many big upsides to having feet on foreign soil.

In this guide, we take a look at seven of the main benefits for your company – and explore some key considerations for HR departments and L&D managers alike. 

Why send employees overseas on international assignments?

First, we’ll look at some direct business benefits of sending your employees on foreign assignments. 

There’s no skipping market research, especially when considering moving into new territory.

While some of this work can be undertaken by external, local agencies and online investigation, nothing beats in-house, first-hand knowledge of a new audience. 

Speaking to real people – in person – helps your team glean profound insights that they could not otherwise get. 

Sending your employees on foreign assignments is sometimes the only way to really understand the needs and challenges of the buyers in any given country or region. 

Whether they attend events, run local focus groups, or interview people on the ground, they are sure to get the qualitative insights they need to supplement their quantitative research.

Moreover, the longer their tenure, the more profound understanding they’ll have of the local market. 

Business is built on relationships. That does not simply mean delivering on expectations or providing good customer service.

Zoom chats with clients and partners are fine for feedback and planning, but what about building that spark? Very often, especially in B2B scenarios, it’s the face-to-face element that really helps you create lasting friendships and business links. 

Albert Mehrabian, Professor Emeritus of Psychology at the University of California, proposed the now familiar 7-38-55 rule , which states that only 7% of all communication is verbal; 38% comes from tone of voice, and 55% comes from body language. 

Following this, it’s clear that in-person meetings – especially across cultural or linguistic barriers – help people develop a far better understanding of one another. 

At the same time, in-person meetings can help you nail down details and avoid the time-wasting (or expensive) miscommunications that can occur in email exchanges and quick video chats.

So, if you want to develop a deeper connection with a new client, nothing beats a business lunch on your company. 

International assignments can help your team better understand your future clientele and see how the competition is operating, too. Inevitably, competitor research will inform a large part of your international expansion strategy. 

Stepping into a store, speaking with a sales rep, attending an expo, or simply talking to your competition’s clients can give your team invaluable information that they simply can’t access through online research.

At the very least, you’ll know what you’re up against and what is doing well in your new target market. 

Sending staff on international assignments has another big benefit for your brand. As the old saying goes, it’s not what you know, it’s who you know. 

New markets can be impenetrable without a solid network of local connections and a real understanding of the local culture. 

Whether you send staff to international conferences, networking events, or simply to knock on doors, the new connections they make can become invaluable. 

Connections don’t have to mean direct sales, of course. Rather, by expanding your network on foreign shores, you can begin to create a buzz around your products and services.

You can earn those valuable introductions and warm up the leads you covet. 

Further internal benefits of sending employees on overseas assignments 

A thriving company is more than just a healthy annual P&L statement. As every Learning Development manager and HR leader knows, a positive working environment is key to productivity and employee happiness. 

Giving your team a range of opportunities to prove themselves on foreign soil offers excellent professional development opportunities. It will also grow your team’s capabilities and may even boost staff retention. 

In fact, a survey from The Execu|Search Group found that 86% of respondents said that they would change jobs for more ways to develop professionally.  

Here are some other reasons why foreign assignments could inspire your team. 

A company is worth more than the sum of its parts. Your products and services might be what everyone sees – but it’s your staff who have the knowledge, skills, and tenacity to help your business grow.

By sending employees abroad to work on a project, you’ll be pushing them further than you could ever imagine.

It takes pressure to form diamonds – dealing with challenges, adapting to new environments, and developing expertise – all help shape the right employees into A-players.

More first-hand knowledge of new markets and territories will translate into bigger and better things for your brand.

Encouraging your team members to apply for international assignments is a clear endorsement and show of trust.  

This might not be a sales manager’s top priority, but it may well impact staff satisfaction and long-term retention. According to a survey from Kimble Applications, 72% of employees (in the U.S.) want their boss to give them more responsibility. 

Staff want to feel trusted, have agency over their own decision-making, and be able to push themselves professionally. Foreign assignments can show them how much you truly trust their judgment and value their efforts. 

New chances to grow in any company tend to create a buzz. The chance to represent the brand abroad is a big deal for many ambitious staff members. You’ll see your team upping their game to be considered for this kind of opportunity. 

An injection of excitement like this can do wonders for morale and even spark new career paths for employees who otherwise feel stuck in their roles. 

What to consider when sending employees on foreign assignments

We’ve seen how international assignments can be hugely beneficial for both your company and your employees. However, there is a lot to take into account before saying bon voyage. 

When planning foreign assignments, you’ll need to consider some key factors, such as candidate screening, bureaucratic hurdles, logistics, and the language skills your employees will need.

Let’s take a deeper dive into these considerations: 

Choosing the right candidate for a medium or long-term assignment abroad can be a challenge. There is much to consider, from personality type and language ability to ambitions within the company. 

You should be crystal clear about the job requirements and the challenges of hitting the ground running. Above all else, candidates need to be:

• Keen negotiators
• Able to handle stressful situations

It’s inevitable that any employee going on a foreign assignment will experience some form of culture shock, which follows a number of stages. 

• Stage 1: Finding yourself in a strange new environment is often exciting at first. People who travel to live abroad often cite a “honeymoon” period: It’s new, fun, and there’s a lot to explore. 
• Stage 2: Inevitably, this wears off and is often replaced with homesickness or unfair comparisons to their home country. People often give up at this point and return home. 
• Stage 3:  After a while, things settle into a routine, obstacles are overcome, and the person begins to feel at home. 

During the application process, it’s key that your candidates are aware of culture shock. It’s also a good idea to give them the chance to speak to people who live in the area. This will help them understand whether they really want to go. 

Additionally, it’s essential to be upfront about the challenges they are likely to face. So make sure to allow them to ask as many questions as they need to get a full picture of the reality of a foreign assignment. 

Moving abroad comes with another striking challenge – the need to learn a foreign language. In fact, the language barrier may well be one of the things that stop an employee from wanting to move to another country.

After all, if you only speak your mother tongue, imagining yourself speaking French, German, Chinese, or another language is pretty hard to do!

But if your company has a corporate language training program in place, it can set an employee’s mind at ease – especially if it is made to measure and includes progress testing. 

Unless you transfer to a new country within a trading block like the European Union, many foreign assignments will require visas. And even within territories with free movement, there is often a lot of bureaucracy to contend with. 

While the responsibility for handling this may, ultimately, rest on your employee’s shoulders, it’s important they don’t feel alone.

Providing support or connections with local agencies will help them get everything done in a stress-free manner possible and make for a smoother start to their foreign assignment. 

Once an employee lives outside the country and possibly in another timezone, internal communication tends to suffer. Consider the tools you will put in place to handle this and how often you plan to check in with your employees. 

To begin with, it’s often a good idea to overcompensate for the distance with clear communication. If a call is followed up with a summary email, all the better. You can’t rely on informal chats in the staff canteen any longer. 

It’s important to develop a system for your internationally-based staff to record and share their knowledge with the rest of the team.

They should keep track of challenges they face and solutions they find -as well as record their new knowledge of the local business ecosystem and market. 

That way, if an employee leaves your organization, that knowledge won’t go with them, and you will have a mine of information to smooth the transition period for the person who replaces them. 

Single employees have a relatively simple job when moving countries. For those with families, however, the challenges are multiplied. Spousal visas, schools, health insurance, and housing all need to be considered. 

Of course, many of these issues are the employee’s responsibility, but the smoother you can make the process for them, the more likely they are to take the role and stay in it!

We’ve seen the advantages and explored the considerations of sending your employees on foreign assignments. One of the biggest takeaways is the need to set and manage employee expectations. 

They need to know what to expect from such a big transition and know that the company is there to support them with the inevitable challenges and setbacks. 

Your pre-move preparation, corporate language training program or business trip english lessons , and moral support will go a long way to ensuring the process is stress-free, exciting for your employees, and beneficial in the long run for your brand.

That way, you and your employees will make the most of each international assignment! 

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Mildred is a Senior Content Marketer at Preply and a former college instructor of Hispanic literature and linguistics. She holds a B.A. in Humanities & Communication, a Master’s degree in Spanish Language and Culture from the University of Salamanca, and doctorate studies in Hispanic Studies from the University of Puerto Rico. She has been working in content marketing across different industries, including PropTech, TravelTech, and EdTech. A keen believer in the power of education, Mildred loves to create content that can help learners along their language learning journey.

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Why International Assignments Make Good Business Sense

29 Nov 2021 | Sarah Huntridge, Business Development Manager

Many employees jump at the chance of an international assignment. Exciting challenges await… new role, new culture, a fresh start abroad. What are the advantages for the organisations involved?

Increasingly, companies are investing in global talent mobility. Global talent consultants MSI offer four reasons why organisations should introduce and develop international assignments:

1. Market Expansion Research shows that expansion into existing markets is the biggest reason why employees are transferred overseas. International relocations can help a small office become a strong foothold abroad.

The other major factor for sending employees to another country is expansion into new markets. In fact, research shows that this is almost as important as moves to existing markets. (52% participants gave expanding existing markets as the main reason for internal relocations; 49% cited growing new markets as their main motivation for sending employees overseas.)

2. Develop Top Talent International relocations involving existing employees help to: • Project a consistent corporate identity • Demonstrate commitment to employees’ personal development • Provide the international experience often needed for leadership roles • Show that employees are valued as they are trusted to represent the organisation overseas

3. Seize Opportunities Quickly Existing employees understand the company’s culture, processes and plans. They can help the organisation to move quickly and streamline operations within global markets. This is especially important in markets where there is a local shortage suitably qualified and/or experienced talent.

4. A Different View MSI explains that: “Being immersed in a new culture boosts creative problem solving and reveals valuable new ways of doing things, and the employee can both share these exciting insights with the company and apply them in his day-to-day work.”Is your organisation seizing the potential offered by international relocations? AT BTR International, we make global moves as stress-free and cost-effective as possible.

Like to find out more, or have any questions?

Our friendly experts can offer information and advice without obligation.

Call +44 1582 495495 or email us

Over 20,000  assignees handled annually

18 offices across  8 countries

Audited by  Deloitte and EY

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Selecting Candidates for Overseas Assignment

Anne morris.

• 2 December 2023

IN THIS SECTION

Given the level of investment required to enable effective international working , organisations have to see the value and return in their global mobility programmes.

International assignments have the potential to impact all aspects of an individual’s life – their family, their career, their health. While HR and mobility departments focus on building and maintaining the Policies, Procedures and Processes that facilitate effective global mobility – it is critical not to lose sight of the fourth, pervasive ‘P’ – People.

And for Millenials and Gen Z workers, who together now make up the majority of the workforce, international experience remains highly desirable, and competition for overseas placements are  is likely to be high. This makes it important that employers optimise their selection process to choose the right individuals for the assignment.

It is incumbent on employers to ensure they are supporting their people throughout the process – starting at the outset, by selecting the right candidates for overseas posts.

Candidate selection criteria

Developing the right selection criteria will determine the impact of the assessment exercise.

Focus on achieving objective insight into candidate suitability and capability in relation to the specific demands of the assignment.

Issues that have the potential to prevent a candidate from pursuing an assignment should be identified early on in the process. You are looking to establish if and how you as an employer can support individual employees’ requirements in undertaking an international post. Identifying deal-breakers will ensure you are not pursuing no-goers, saving cost and time, and allowing you to focus on those candidates that do meet your requirements.

For example, selection criteria could cover:

• Technical – what are the specific skills, qualifications and/or experience required for the assignment?
• Leadership – what level of managerial or leadership experience and/or capability is needed?
• Linguistic – what, if any, language skills are required for the post?
• Flexibility – how adaptable and willing is the candidate to meet the demands and cope with the upheaval (or adventure!) of an international posting?
• Personal – does the candidate’s personal situation present any issues, or deal-breakers?
• Eligibility – is the candidate (and their dependants) precluded from or ineligible to meet the immigration requirements of the host country?

Common reasons for overseas assignment attrition and failure

The extent to which an organisation is willing or able to support or be flexible to employees’ individual needs will dictate the approach to dealing with issues raised during the selection process.

Common ‘deal breakers’ or problems can include:

Spouses and dependants

Naturally employees’ spouses and dependants play a significant role in an employee’s willingness and ability to undertake an international assignment.

Primarily there will be eligibility considerations, dictated by the local immigration rules of the host country.

Reluctance for personal reasons may derive from a spouse’s own career aspirations; concerns about children (disruption to education and friendship groups); elderly relatives requiring care and support; or, as is becoming increasingly common, whether they can bring a beloved pet.

Faced with any of these issues, employers may choose take a solutions-driven approach to supporting the employee in taking on the overseas assignment. Financial support for spouses and dependants is costly, and an area of support employers are increasingly moving away from. But in instances of exceptional talent where the pool of suitable candidates is limited, issues such as spousal support could tip the balance for the employee in favour of the assignment.

For example, if a spouse intends to stop working while on assignment, this can have implications financially and emotionally for the family unit. Would you provide financial or career support to spouses who have left employment to follow their spouse on assignment?

Or where an employee has responsibility for an elderly relative, the employer may offer to extend home visits during the assignment, or support the elderly relative(s) to accompany the candidate on assignment.

Whether pets can join on assignment will depend on the local laws, which could allow certain breeds and species only, or require specific vaccinations and special travel and quarantine arrangements to be made. Research will be key here.

As a broader-brush approach to addressing personal issues related to overseas assignments, employers are seeing the benefit of training as a valuable means of supporting employees and their dependants to prepare for the assignment and the associated upheaval.

This could include language training and cross-cultural training. Online training for example is preferred by younger generations, to be accessed ‘on-demand’, which in the long term is also a more cost-effective and consistent solution for employers.

Linking Talent & Mobility

A fundamental requirement of effective candidate selection is close alignment of talent management and global mobility . Clarity of objective around the assignment itself – for example, does the post form part of strategic succession planning? Or is it meeting an operational need (e.g. opening new regional headquarters)?

One tactic to enable the link between career development and mobility programmes is to operate formal pools of candidates, segmented by skill set, experience, salary level, risk factors.

Again, clarity of process and selection will ensure expectations are managed, and that objective and effective candidate selection meets the specific assignment goals.

Salary & support package

What financial support is available to meet the specific needs of the assignment and the candidate? And to what extent are reward packages needed to incentivise key employees to take up overseas assignments?

Expectations of salary and support package relating to an overseas assignment should be managed from the outset. For example, remuneration may become more of an issue for candidates whose spouses’ intend to give up employment to join them on assignment.

For you as an employer, using candidate selection assessment will provide insight into the motivators and non-negotiables employees are seeking as part of an overseas assignment. Aligning this with the commercial objectives of the post will provide insight into relative candidate suitability.

The location of the assignment will also have a bearing on the attractiveness and suitability to candidates.

Again, eligibility candidates will be determined by local immigration rules, which are becoming increasingly protectionist across the board and governments seek to preserve the right of their respective domestic labour markets. There may be requirements for example to attend health checks, criminal background checks.

Language, culture, climate – candidates and their dependants will attribute varying degrees of significance to these characteristics and the wider experience or an assignment beyond the role itself.

Assignments to emerging markets for example are increasing in number. While travel to these areas creates new areas of risk, it appears the millennial cohort has a strong appetite to gain professional and life experience within different cultures.

Your selection process should draw these preferences out.

Repatriation issues

The motivator here is to avoid instances of returning employees leaving soon after overseas assignment, and taking their experience with them – inevitably impacting the return on the employer’s investment in the assignment.

While employers generally recognise the importance of providing support to returning employees, the mistake is to leave this too late in the assignment – typically in the final stages in the run up to homecoming.

Repatriation should feature from the outset, as part of the assignment preparation stage. Be open and transparent about links between gaining international experience and career development. What progression opportunities will be available on return? What are the timescales involved?

Keep open lines of communication throughout the assignment. This should involve HR as well with the individual’s direct team in the home location.

Ultimately, employers should seek to offer returning employees certainty about their position and their prospects within the organisation.

Need assistance?

A formal approach to candidate selection for overseas assignment will enable employers to operate more effective global mobility programmes, while maximising return on the organisation’s mobility investment. Contact us for guidance on global mobility programme management and best practice.

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Why cultural training is vital for overseas assignments

Overseas projects often fail when employees and their families are not prepared for life abroad. Janette Hiscock looks at why cultural training and education can set staff up for success.

Embarking on an overseas assignment can be hugely exciting for employees – workers and their families get the chance to live and work in a new country, experiencing career progression and a new culture at the same time. Given the opportunities afforded by an overseas posting, it is no surprise that moving abroad can be the highlight of one’s career.

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But moving to a new country can also be challenging. Around 61% of failed assignments were unsuccessful because of family or personal issues, according to relocation service Cartus. Overseas assignments are often to countries with very different cultural environments to the employee’s home country. Culture shock can compound the usual feelings of nerves associated with a new job.

To overcome this, employers need to think about preparing and supporting employees and their families before they move abroad.

Employers can support employees and their families by offering cultural training. Cultural training educates individuals on how to navigate cultural challenges (in work and in life) in a new setting and can help avoid a costly failed assignment.

According to KPMG only 38% of companies with a globally mobile workforce offer cultural training for employees and their families, with 35% offering no training at all. This leaves a large number of people potentially unprepared and uneducated about where they will be living and working.

The following are some examples of how employers can prepare staff for success overseas.

• Implement a buddy system

‘Buddying up’ a worker with another employee who has recent experience of the destination country can help answer any questions ahead of an assignment. Often, the best way of getting a feel for a country is by talking to someone who has already been there and allows assignees to glean real insight into the day to day realities of living abroad.

Once abroad, technology makes it easier than ever for employees to stay connected with each other. For example, UnitedHealthcare Global’s Optum My Wellbeing app allows individuals to engage and stay connected with colleagues, friends and family by participating in fitness challenges against each other.

Although the app may not seem like an obvious buddy system, for many it acts as a bridge between the destination and the home country. It also links to the Employee Assistance Programme, giving workers easy access to advice relating to any issues they’ve encountered while abroad.

• Cultural awareness training courses

A more formal method of cultural training would be to use a trainer to deliver a cultural awareness training course, which educates individuals about respecting local laws, customs and cultural nuances that can be hard to immediately understand. Cultural training can enhance cultural sensitivity, competence and most importantly eliminate the risk of major miscommunication.

Promoting practical training courses that enhance cultural understanding will encourage positive cross-cultural working relationships as well as positive relationships outside of work.

• Language lessons

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It goes without saying that if an employee is moving to a different country with an unfamiliar language, some form of language training is essential. Even if the destination office is predominantly English speaking, to help with settling in outside of work, employees would benefit from some language tuition. Being even the slightest bit familiar with the language can boost an employee’s confidence and make the transition considerably smoother. Having the ability to talk to locals and forge friendships at an early stage of the move will help mitigate the chance of homesickness.

• Educating the family

Sometimes it is the worker’s family, not the worker, who find it hard to settle in abroad and is the eventual cause of a failed overseas assignment. Ensuring that the whole family receives some form of cultural training, whether that is basic information on cultural practices or even language lessons, may lead to a smoother overseas transition.

Janette Hiscock

Janette Hiscock is CEO of global solutions, Europe, at UnitedHealthcare Global, a company that offers health, wellbeing, security and assistance for employers with staff overseas.

British Airways and Nesta to headline Employee Benefits Connect 2020

Workers afraid to discuss pay because of secrecy clauses.

Good article. In a recent survey of Canadian based firms we learned that 68% of firms provide cross cultural training for long term assignments https://www.cerc.ca/page/IndustrySurveys

Statistics also show support and training is even more needed for accompanying partners as they are more likely not to settle in. Depending on where they are moving the company should also consider their duty of care. There are many expats who end up in prison due to not knowing locals laws (ex: https://tinyurl.com/u6g69lm )

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The family in the center of international assignments: a systematic review and future research agenda

• State-of-the-Art
• Published: 19 January 2018
• Volume 68 , pages 77–102, ( 2018 )

Cite this article

• Julia Goede   ORCID: orcid.org/0000-0003-4652-9340 1 &
• Nicola Berg 1  

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Over the past 30 years, the number of studies investigating the family interface of international assignments has risen substantially. While alternative forms of international assignments have been gaining importance, this article focuses specifically on the family interface of traditional organization assigned expatriation as the most prominent and most researched form of global work. Thus far, research has investigated a broad array of topics ranging from the family’s willingness to relocate over family adjustment to work-family balance and utilized a large variety of theoretical foundations. Given this variety in the literature, the field is fragmented and lacks a consistent theoretical argumentation. As a first step to provide some organization, we synthesize the family expatriation literature by developing a comprehensive multi-level framework of the determinants and dimensions of family outcomes. To achieve this objective, we critically assess publications between 1985 and 2017 in peer-viewed international journals, examine theoretical foundations and review the extant literature based on our framework. With this we uncover similarities and inconsistencies in the field, which allows us to deduce an agenda for future research and offer recommendations for practice.

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Goede, J., Berg, N. The family in the center of international assignments: a systematic review and future research agenda. Manag Rev Q 68 , 77–102 (2018). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11301-017-0134-2

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Pros and cons of an international assignment

Will it boost or harm your career.

• February 1, 2021

There is no suspicion that working abroad is romantic. Living in a culture with different languages, habits, and working styles is an exciting and once-in-a-lifetime experience. It can not only much promote your career development, but also broaden your horizons. However, what many companies now call “global” assignments has some disadvantages. Some parts of the world are indeed dangerous for some visitors, but in most postings worldwide, the challenges are related to different cultures and ways of doing business. Here are some pros and cons of an international assignment to help you decide if it is a smart career move.

Table of Contents

Pros of international assignment, international work experience.

Indeed, the world is growing and becoming more and more mobile and accessible. This is the main driving force. Business leaders today are not geographically constrained. Work experience in an international corporate environment and culture is often described as a prerequisite for most senior positions at major international companies. Instantly add diverse and multicultural elements to your portfolio and experiences to make them more appealing to your position on a global scale.

Global companies are paying more and more attention to international diversity, and there is no sign that this trend stops. Therefore, the overseas experience gained by international mission professionals will help those seeking senior management positions. If you are one of these ambitious professionals, the question should be whether you can afford not to participate in the international assignment?

The company devotes substantial resources to expats international assignments. Allocation itself is usually performed for a specific purpose, and ROI is an important goal. For example, you can transfer assignees with specific skills to a new location to lead a project that is considered essential. Therefore, being selected for a job is usually a compliment, but it is also an opportunity. A successful project overview allows you to prove that you are the assignee and develop your career from the benefits of success. If you can withstand the pressure, then your international assignment can prove beneficial. Are you ready to move forward and succeed?

Experience Different Ways of Doing Business

Learning a particular field and working in that field in the same country means a fairly fixed set of expectations and assumptions. Overall, understanding how other countries treat your industry and business can be an excellent way to open yourself to new ways of doing things. The best part? Wherever you are, you will get these learning outcomes.

Diversify Your Income

When it is difficult to predict what will happen politically, earning income in different currencies is an excellent way to diversify risks and protect the financial future. For example, in the past two years, the pound sterling value has changed 30% from the value of the euro. If you are particularly interested in the domestic economy, relocation is still a way to obtain better salaries and employment opportunities in a more stable business environment.

Explore the world

If you are passionate about traveling, nothing is better than working abroad. Not only you experience the country more deeply, but you can also get rewarded for it. You do not need to spend two weeks to get to know the country’s culture and personality directly. This is also an excellent opportunity to explore neighboring countries. If you are learning a language, immersion in the countryside is also an excellent way to quickly improve your skills.

Cross-Cultural Communication

Cons of an international assignment, emotional problems.

Life as an expat is a rewarding experience. However, it can be challenging. Loneliness, culture shock, and nostalgia usually overwhelm foreigners, and not all migrants are ready to face this strong, perhaps new emotion. The combination of pain and diligence described above has reportedly resulted in high burnout among professional immigrants.

Less Job Flexibility

You love your new country, but do you hate work? Unlike going home, if your position is not suitable for you, you can shop here. Working abroad may mean that your job is linked to your visa. Even if you are not restricted by a visa, your lack of language skills and local experience may limit your escape options.

Interrupted Career Progression

For outsiders, “Out of sight, out of mind” can be a very familiar word. Even if you live in the same company, you do not go out every day or work in different time zones. This means that good impressions are slowly disappearing and are no longer the number one promotion. In the country of visit, it may be necessary to take a junior position due to a lack of local experience or limited language skills, which can feel like a step back professionally.

Cultural and Language Barriers

Among foreigners who cannot establish the necessary business relationships or live daily lives, posting emails in places where there is a tremendous cultural difference or where communication in a new language is required can cause trouble. Non-traditional families, such as gay couples, may face cultural resistance and pressure, making assignment management difficult in the long run

Legal risks

Domestic work laws and regulations regarding wages, taxes, and pensions usually differ between residents and foreigners. As with immigration requirements, compliance with legal requirements must be ensured.

Technological change

Your country’s technology can lag foreign countries for several years. After returning home, it may take several months to digest all the changes.

As global mobility increases, many employees want foreign stamps on their passports to support their personal growth and career development. They are increasingly looking for commuters, rotational, expatriate, or other alternative jobs to build resumes. International assignments are an essential tool for international career development. In this case, employees with international experience are the greater wealth for the organization.

Some potential business traveling international career in which global travel is usually necessary like international accountant, marketing and sales International missions help improve cultural literacy, promote foreign language learning, expand professionals’ network, and broaden their horizons. But of course there are always pros and cons of an international assignment.

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The Benefits of International Study

• If your degree program includes an international component, you will learn to work alongside diverse peers and develop cultural empathy.
• You will acquire the real-world knowledge you need to address today’s business challenges, which are frequently global in nature.
• Your options include participating in study abroad programs, attending a school that is part of an international network, or choosing a school with campuses in multiple countries.

  No matter where you’re from, it can be challenging to take yourself out of a familiar environment and throw yourself into something completely new. This is especially true if you’re a student embarking on undergraduate or postgraduate education outside of your home country. You might find yourself anxious about managing the intensity of study or fitting into a new social environment.

Even so, I encourage you to consider international education because of all the benefits it provides. When you are out of your comfort zone in a new city or country, you build skills that end up serving you well—not only in school but throughout your lifetime. International study brings both short-term and long-term advantages, in five specific ways.

1. You Grow and Change

Education is about more than a degree; it’s about undergoing transformation and setting yourself up for success. The probabilities of both outcomes increase when you’re learning through an international lens.

Pursuing an international degree shows curiosity and optimism. You learn not only from the curriculum, but also from the culture and environment around you.

Being in a new environment and taking on the role of outsider can stimulate your learning. When you’re in unfamiliar surroundings, you become resourceful as you seek out new support networks, learn to adapt, and find your grounding. As you face new challenges, you become more resilient and improve your problem-solving skills. You’ll also get a cognition boost if you learn a new language.

2. You Gain Cultural Intelligence

I would argue that understanding cultural and workstyle differences is critical to professional success today. It builds empathy, leads to open-mindedness, and enables individuals to build strong problem-solving skills.

At schools where global immersion is part of the DNA, international awareness is intrinsic to the overall educational experience. Often, these schools don’t just provide international study experiences for students; they also enroll students from all over the world. For instance, at Hult International Business School, where I am president, our students represent some 150 nationalities.

Understanding cultural and workstyle differences is critical to professional success today. It builds empathy, leads to open-mindedness, and enables individuals to build strong problem-solving skills.

In an internationally diverse classroom, even a simple discussion becomes a unique cultural experience in its own right. You become privy to views and outlooks you would not encounter if you were merely studying alongside people with backgrounds similar to yours. This, in turn, spurs your own thinking in surprising and innovative ways.

In today’s workforce, you must be prepared to hit the ground running alongside a distributed cohort of colleagues, clients, and partners. If your business education has given you experience working with international classmates, you will be able to comprehend and thrive in many different environments. You’ll understand how to leverage diversity to get results, and you will know how to collaborate with people who are not like you.

Once you’re hired by an organization, you will be able to assimilate quickly into the professional culture in a way that benefits the company and the team. You will be a step ahead of other new hires—possibly even ahead of some members of the management teams who are still learning how to work with colleagues who come from different backgrounds.

3. You Prepare to Become a Leader

International experience is practically a requirement for today’s leaders, because our most urgent business and societal challenges are global.

In a recent video released by AACSB, three panelists discuss how worldwide issues such as climate change, sustainability, and biodiversity loss are impacting business. And according to a recent AACSB Insights article , global events such as armed conflicts, disruptions to the supply chain, and the consequences of the COVID-19 pandemic also are causing widespread economic upheaval.

Through international education, you will gain a better understanding of today’s interconnected and global business environment. Such understanding will help you become a better leader.

4. You Practice Real-World Business

The most important way a business school can prepare future executives is to simulate work scenarios in the classroom. In challenge-based and applied learning exercises, students unpack real-life cases that companies have struggled with—and that raise issues students might have to deal with once they’re on the job. During these exercises, students collaborate with peers and focus on achieving measurable results.

Through simulated work scenarios, students unpack real-life cases that companies have struggled with—and that raise issues students might have to deal with once they’re on the job.

When I recently visited with Hult alumni in San Francisco, they told me that these real-life cases were some of their most valuable classroom experiences. These alumni work at tech companies such as Google, PayPal, and Tesla, and they hold jobs in every type of department, from product management to coding to human resources to finance.

All of them believed that learning in immersive global settings prepared them for being in a workforce where adaptability, hustle, transferable skills, and cultural understanding are prioritized.

5. You Expand Your Network

Another important benefit to attending a school with a diverse and global student body is that you build a lifelong network via collaborations with classmates from around the world. These classmates might become business partners, colleagues, or even future investors.

Business schools that have strong international outlooks and approaches are likely to have alumni in every part of the world. These individuals come together on a regular basis to attend events, access mentor opportunities, and learn about exclusive job listings.

In-Person Immersion

You might wonder if you can realize the benefits of international education through virtual experiences and online education. These options certainly have their place among today’s educational offerings, and they can offer students accessible ways to quickly get up to speed on specific topics and industry knowledge.

But I believe that international experiences cannot be replicated with virtual replacements. Ask yourself, why do people go on holiday rather than just watch videos from their own homes? Because there’s no substitute for in-person immersion in a culture. No online experience can compare to sitting side-by-side with others as you break down problems, innovate solutions, and build indispensable skill sets.

In international classrooms, students benefit from shared experiences as they exchange ideas with faculty and with each other. Successful alumni—now industry experts—regularly join the classroom to share their insights. All participants learn from each other and enrich their individual perspectives. As a result, they develop more innovative, impactful ideas that make the world a better place.

International Options

You might be convinced that you want your business education to include international experiences, but be uncertain about the next step to take. You can consider several options.

Many schools provide students chances to study abroad through exchange programs or joint degrees offered with institutions in other parts of the world. When students take advantage of study abroad opportunities, “what they learn is definitely a different culture, definitely a different way to do business, a different way of thinking,” says Sherif Kamel of the School of Business at the American University in Cairo in a video produced by AACSB.

If you pursue a global education, you will broaden your horizons, discover new ways to solve problems, and become a more interesting person.

A growing number of schools belong to international educational alliances that make it easier for students to attend classes on multiple campuses. These alliances include CEMS (the Global Alliance in Management Education), the Global Network for Advanced Management , the EMBA Consortium for Global Business Innovation , the Future of Management Education ( FOME ) Alliance, and the Quantitative Techniques for Economics and Management network.

Other schools maintain multiple campuses around the world where students can gain a variety of diverse experiences. For instance, at Hult, we have locations in business hubs such as London, Boston, Dubai, and San Francisco. Students can choose to study at up to three different Hult campuses in a given year. We also recently introduced weeklong international learning experiences called City Seminars that enable postgraduate students to take elective courses in different cities. This summer, City Seminars will take place in Madrid, Stockholm, Seoul, Singapore, and New York City.

Broader Horizons

When I think back on my own education, I realize that the time I spent studying internationally changed my life. I grew up in the U.K. and attended Cambridge University, but I also spent time at the University of Pennsylvania in the U.S. as a Thouron Scholar and did postgraduate work at Heidelberg University in Germany. During those years, I learned perspectives that I would not have been open to before, and I still have close friends from my time abroad.

Others report similar reactions to their own international experiences. For instance, in a 2020 article on AACSB Insights, Anastasia Sinegaeva describes what happened when she left her native Russia to pursue graduate education at the University of South Florida. She writes that going overseas changed the way she perceives the world, helped her develop a global mindset, and heightened her sense of cultural awareness.

“In the end, graduate education abroad enabled me to understand the businesses, markets, strategies, and people across cultures and borders. It prepared me to be a business leader of tomorrow,” she notes.

If you decide to pursue a global education, you will broaden your horizons as you discover new ways to see—and solve—problems. Not only will you be in demand with employers all over the world, but you’ll also become a more interesting person.

You will build empathy, character, and confidence. By combining your natural curiosity with a global mindset, you will develop fearlessness in the face of challenges. As you become the best version of yourself, you obviously will improve your own life. But you also will have a positive impact on society and contribute to building a better world for all.

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DOD Hosts International Cohort as Part of State Department Exchange 

Officials from the Defense Department's Office of Inspector General hosted government officials, academics and journalists from 19 countries this week for a discussion on their roles in ensuring accountability and transparency within the United States' largest federal agency.  This is the last of a series of four similar meetings for over 60 participants from 37 countries.

Troy M. Meyer, DOD's deputy inspector general for overseas contingency operations, provided an in-depth overview of the department's system of checks and balances and underscored the importance of maintaining Americans' trust in their military and in their government.  

The exchange was held as part of the State Department's International Visitor Leadership Program, or IVLP, which aims to develop lasting relationships between emerging foreign leaders and their counterparts in the U.S.   

"The citizens of our country have the right to know how their money is being spent, how decisions are being made, and public officials should be transparent about that," Meyer told the group seated around a large conference table in the Pentagon.  

The DOD OIG is the largest of the 74 IG offices in the federal government. It employs 1,800 auditors, investigators, evaluators, attorneys and support staff, who provide critical oversight over the department's budget and key programs.  

"Our mission is to detect and deter fraud, waste and abuse, promote the economy and efficiency of [DOD] programs, and to ensure the ethical conduct of its employees," Meyer said.  

That mission has become increasingly important in recent years, Meyer said, amid Americans' declining trust in the U.S. government as a whole.

"Budget deficits and highly publicized scandals in the federal government have made addressing fraud, waste and abuse a constant national priority within our country," he said. "Every dollar that is lost, stolen or wasted is one less dollar that would be spent for its intended purpose, whether that's enhancing national security, improving infrastructure or feeding the hungry."

Meyer drew from real-world audits and criminal and administrative investigations in describing DOD OIG's work to ensure transparency and accountability across the department.   

Much of that oversight extends to overseas operations, further highlighting the value of relationships between U.S. officials and their foreign counterparts, like those that are formed through the IVLP. 

The DOD OIG, for example, has worked extensively alongside the State Department and U.S. Agency for International Development offices of inspectors general, and the Government Accountability Office to provide extensive oversight of U.S. assistance to Ukraine following Russia's full-scale invasion in February 2022.   

The U.S. watchdogs have completed more than 92 audits, evaluations and advisories related to U.S. assistance to Ukraine, according to agency figures posted to the interagency Ukraine oversight website .

Spotlight: Support for Ukraine

Another 80 projects are ongoing. In addition, law enforcement from DOD, the State Department, and USAID offices of inspectors general and partners reported 62 open investigations that involve grant and procurement fraud, corruption, theft, program irregularities, and counter-proliferation of technology of weapons systems components.  

Those oversight efforts have included close coordination between U.S. inspectors and their Ukrainian counterparts to ensure transparency over U.S. funds.  

Throughout Meyer's presentation, the participants had the opportunity to ask questions ranging from how DOD OIG balances classification and security with transparency to the role of technology in performing detailed audits.

That is precisely the level of dialogue the IVLP is designed to foster through engagements that align with participants' professional interests.  

Since 1940, the IVLP has hosted more than 225,000 participants for exchanges focused on topics ranging from women's leadership and youth leadership to promoting cybersecurity and combatting transnational crime.   

This week's engagement at the Pentagon was part of a series of exchanges focused specifically on transparency and accountability in government. 

"It's an absolutely eye-opening experience for us all," said Shivan Essa, a public relations manager for the Kurdistan regional government's prime minister's office in Iraq, who attended the exchange.

"I think this is a great opportunity for us to learn, to exchange views, [and] to listen to ideas," he said. "We are a group of international officers, politicians that came, and we sit at the same table to discuss global issues."  

He added that the exchange has been the experience of a lifetime.   

Constanza Fernanda, a professor of international relations and counselor in Chile's Council of Foreign Policy, said the IVLP is a critical program for defending shared liberal values throughout the globe.   

She said defending those values is becoming increasingly important amid rising geopolitical tensions.  

"This experience is life-changing for me because it not only allowed us to know more in depth about what the United States is doing in terms of defense and international security, but also what it's doing in terms of transparency and making sure that democracy is protected and reinforced all around the world," she said.   

Meyer, who has hosted several cohorts as part of IVLP, said participating in the program has been a highlight of his career.   

"These exchanges are just invaluable," he said. "It makes me appreciate how unique the inspector general system is. I've been doing this for so long. Sometimes I feel like I take it for granted, but it's very grounding when I meet with people and realize our system is very unique and special.  

"The people I engage with want a similar system in their countries, and they're trying to learn how to implement such a system," he added. "I think it's just amazing that I have the opportunity to engage and talk to them about what I know and my experiences." 

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