The 2011 report on Mobility Challenges in Emerging Markets by Cartus aimed to establish baseline practices used by multinationals in emerging locations. The report highlights the variety of markets perceived as emerging and that companies have a strong need to succeed in these markets. Moreover, it seems that when dealing with emerging markets the question of expatriation costs becomes secondary. Take a look at the arguments.
Expatriates have less work-life balance abroad than at home. Some evidence.
The statement that expatriates have less work-life balance abroad than at home is a Fact. Expatriate survey findings indicate that expatriates spend longer hours at work than they do in their home countries, working on average 13.4 hours per week more.
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.
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.
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?
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?
Statement: Starting an expatriate assignment requires more company support than repatriation
Company support at the outset of the assignment is much more important than when completing the assignment and returning home.
Fact or Fiction?
Have a look at the evidence..