A quick literature search on the term “expatriate” will lead to multiple sources dealing with expatriation topics, its issues and challenges. However, these issues are mainly treated in reference to long-term assignments while neglecting other types of expatriation practices, for example frequent flyers or so called flexpatriates. Lets take a closer look at them.
Current trend: Lacking financial metrics for assessing international assignments
Companies argue that expatriates provide benefits both in the short and long term; yet, only a few can quantify these benefits. According to the 2011 Brookfield Global Relocation Trends survey, only 8% of responding firms actually appear to measure the return on investment (ROI) for global staff mobility.
The first challenge of expatriation is finding the right candidate
The annual Brookfield global relocations survey consistently reports that finding suitable candidates is one of the main relocation challenges for companies. Specifically, the recent 2011 survey findings highlight candidate selection as the third most important challenge, topped only by assignment costs (1st) and career management (2nd).
If you want to solve expatriates’ adjustment problems, don’t forget the spouse!
With expatriation becoming an integral part of the talent management in global companies more and more attention is paid to its challenges and the problems that international assignees face. However, focusing only on the difficulties that expatriates themselves encounter is not enough…
Do international assignments add value to your career?
When deciding on whether to accept an international assignment one of the main questions to ask is ‘will it add any value to my career?’ This very question was posed as part of a recent investigation of two scholars. Monika Hamori and Burak Koyuncu looked into the relationship between international assignment experience and career advancement and discovered some unexpected results.
Expatriation close-up – Calling things by their right names
Expatriation is a broad term referring to a whole range of work experiences abroad. However, at closer inspection there are many different forms and classifications of expatriation.
The value of inpatriates: Some managerial implications from my recent study
When we speak of international assignees and their value, we tend to think about an expatriate employee moving from headquarters (HQ) to one of the company’s subsidiaries. A key purpose of this expatriation is the sharing of knowledge and connecting HQ to its subsidiaries. However, the role of connectors can be fulfilled not only by HQ staff transferred to a subsidiary, but also in the other direction.Thus, contrary to the term ‘expatriate’, an inpatriate is an employee that is transferred from a foreign subsidiary to the HQ.
Friendships abroad: stretch for the difference or find comfort in being alike?
Building relationships and making new friends is an inevitable part of building your positive expatriate experience. Having friendship ties with other expatriates or local people have both their pros and cons. Entering expat enclaves makes you feel understood but integrating into the local community is culturally more rewarding, though more difficult as well. So, what would you do, stretch for the difference or find comfort in being alike?
Relocation stats: expatriate destinations
Have a look at what are the most frequently selected and what are the most challenging expatriate destinations.
Social media create another form of expatriate – a virtual one
As my previous blog entry focused on the role of social media in expatriates’ personal life, now it is time to take a look at this from the professional side. Not only do communication technologies ease expat blues while living away from family and friends, they enable a new way, a virtual way, of organizing an international assignment.
Social media help to ease “Expat Blues”
The recent 2010 Expat Explorer Survey reports that for expatriates emotional worries cause much greater concerns than practical issues. More specifically, the survey results indicate that re-establishing a social life (41%) as well as feeling lonely and missing friends and family (34%) are topping the list of the most common expat concerns.
What is an ´average´ expat?
What is an ´average´ expat?
Take a look at the interesting data based on the 2010 Brookfield Global Relocation Survey results.
Why do international assignees stay? – Findings from a recent study
The retention of expatriates and repatriates has been and continues to be a major concern for multinational companies. However, so far the focus of researchers and managers alike has been to understand why international assignees leave the organization. In my latest study in collaboration with Maria Kraimer and Anne-Wil Harzing (2011) we decided to take a look at the retention concern from a different angle and explicitly investigate what makes international assignees stay.
Why would you go abroad? Professional vs. personal reasons to accept an expatriate assignment
Clearly, being an expat involves a number of important stressors in life, such as moving between countries, starting a new job or project, adjusting to a new culture, and having to build new relationships. Why is it worthwhile to tolerate these challenges?
They have many names, and expatriate is but one of them!
They have many names, and expatriate is but one of them!
Getting the right people: Soft vs. hard skills. Which matter more for going abroad?
The debate about soft skills versus hard skills is not new in people management. These soft skills are usually differentiated from more technical skills, specialized knowledge and proficiency (also called hard skills), which traditionally have been the main focus of recruiters. However, which types of skills are more important for international assignments?
