Neil B. Krupp of the TheMIGroup offers some suggestions for achieving effectiveness in the management of international assignments.

One of the more challenging aspects of administering an international assignee programme is managing the day-today challenges while still ensuring overall success and achievement of long-term goals.

The following suggestions may not be appropriate in every circumstance but they can easily be modified to meet any company's assignment objectives. They may also serve as a guideline for companies developing international assignment policies for the first time.

Pre-departure
Whether a company is preparing to mobilise one or many international assignees, there are several action items that should be attended to in advance of the assignment. All of these action items are critical to the success of an assignment. To manage this process both efficiently and effectively, the employer should develop a timeline and responsibilities matrix. Action items and ownership responsibilities might include but are not necessarily limit to:

EMPLOYEE
90 to 45 days prior to assignment

• Review IA policy and LOU
• Meet with employer to discuss LOU
• Commence passport and visa process

45 days prior to assignment

• Meet with service providers as appropriate
• Arrange property management, HHG shipment, tax orientation etc.
• Complete necessary medical/dental requirements
• Prepare will and establish power of attorney
• Insurance and banking arrangements-home/host
• Cultural and/or language training
• Travel and lodging
• Develop contact list
• Cancel/transfer utilities and other services
• Necessary arrangements with post office, voter registration, credit cards, etc.

EMPLOYER
90 to 45 days prior to assignment

• Meet with employee to review LOU
• Initiate visa and/or work permits     
• Apply for Totalisation Agreement

45 days prior to assignment

• HHG and storage guidelines
• Host country support systems
• Review benefit plan coverage
• Meet to discuss tax responsibilities
• Cultural and/or language logistics
• Ongoing contact with “providers”
• Follow-up visa and/or work permits
• Follow-up Totalisation Agreement

Due to the large number of action items, it is strongly suggested that these be reviewed during the initial employee meeting, which should occur at least three months before the proposed assignment start date.  This will serve to "jump start" the process and ensure that the employee, family, and company are all aware of their mutual responsibilities. Frequently, there is limited advance notification of a pending international assignment. In such instances, these action items should be condensed into the available time frame. While all are critical to the success of the assignment, those listed in the 90 to 45-day time frames are the most critical and time-consuming.

To further enhance the assignment preparation process, consider developing packets of useful employee information. These should include reference materials documenting home and host country resources. The home country portion should apply generally to all international assignments. For example, it could include medical forms, change of address cards and banking information. Host country packets should be location specific and include information on schooling, housing, etc. Providing such information and assistance achieves two objectives:

• It eases the family's relocation burden;
• It sends a positive message to the employee and family for a smooth transition.

Initially, and throughout the pre-departure process, a large burden of responsibility in preparing for an assignment is typically placed on the employee and family unit. This burden extends beyond that of day-to-day demands at work. It extends to on-going family issues, and can frequently make the experience somewhat overwhelming.

Cultural training/preparation
Preparing employees and their families in advance for the cultural changes they will experience is an important yet often overlooked consideration. An investment in cultural training benefits both the employer and employee. Rapid host country adaptability and adjustment of the expatriate and his of her family to their new environment will play a major role in the overall success of their assignment. In retrospect and for families who found adjustment difficult, assignees uniformly agree that some form of cultural awareness should have taken place prior to their assignment.

There are a number of alternative overall approaches to planning an international assignment. The specific approach adopted should depend upon the purpose and objectives of the international assignment. The type of assignment should be considered, as well. The success of an assignment at one end of the spectrum will be determined by communication and interaction with the local population, while at the other end might be an assignment that requires the employee to work in total isolation from the local population in order to achieve the desired outcome. The former assignee would no doubt benefit greatly by cultural training, while the latter may not benefit from cultural training but may require frequent communication with the home office.

There are many resources available for providing cultural preparation. Technology and the internet open opportunities for an employee to explore the web for information on his or her assignment. There are many web sites that offer forums to discuss expatriate experiences, write letters, share stories, ask questions or learn commonly used words in another language. Examples of such web sites include:

Expatriate Chat Rooms:
www.expat-repat.com
www.expatforum.com
www.expatexchange.com
www.expatspouse.com
www.expatica.com (Expatica forums)

Foreign Language Assistance:
www.travlang.com

Exchange Rate Information:
www.oanda.com

 In addition to "surfing the net", employees could meet and speak with repatriated employees. Other more formal approaches include cultural awareness training provided through structured cross-cultural training programmes offered by third-party service providers. The content of such programmes typically includes subject background, cultural differences in the work place, history, culture, and social etiquette.

The assignment
Assignees are often overloaded with information during the pre-departure process. This then results in numerous questions directed back to the company, particularly during the initial months of an assignment. A proactive stance can eliminate frustration for both the company and the expatriate; anticipating questions and addressing them before they become major issues is a value-added approach.

Regular, ongoing communication throughout an assignment will greatly facilitate the process. Among the most commonly asked questions which should be addressed are:

• How is the Cost of Living Allowance (COLA) determined?
• What does the COLA cover?
• When will my allowances begin?
• Why does my net pay continue to fluctuate?
• How should I report out-of-pocket expenses?
• Who will be managing my housing and utility expenses at the host?
• How do I report education costs?
• Who are my Human Resources contacts at the home and host locations?
• Who are my contacts for payroll/benefits/taxes?
• What can we do to overcome the difficulties in adapting to the cultural differences?

Having a knowledgeable home country representative contact the international assignee is most effective in personalising communications. This provides an additional opportunity to directly interact with the assignee. To maximise the benefit, the timing of this initial contact should correspond to the pay period during which the expatriate receives his or her first "international" pay statement.
     
While home country contacts are critical throughout an assignment, having a local contact is equally valuable. Employers can designate a contact in the host country; however, this individual must be familiar with the issues that are of specific interest to international assignees, such as compensation, allowances, international policies and programmes, etc.

Support groups
Company-sponsored support groups can provide a valuable forum for individuals dealing with similar issues. A company's active support and involvement adds positive reinforcement for participants. For example, companies can fund meetings and identify keynote speakers to discuss applicable issues, such as trends in international business, integration into a new culture, or methods to maximise a child's international experience.

Depending on the size of the expatriate population in each country, several companies could jointly develop and support these groups. Such groups can also serve as a resource to new expatriate families by using their collective experiences to develop welcoming kits that include "do's and don'ts" and "how to" information for new families.

Companies often wish to provide expatriates with a means of communicating with their home country employer. One such tool can be a company newsletter published on a regular basis.  It might highlight up-to-date news on areas important to both the company and its employees, e.g., products, investments, new business and employee issues. Another tool is the Internet, with its capacity for real-time communication. Teleconferencing is yet another alternative for expatriates. The more sophisticated the tool and the more it is used, the stronger the ties between the employee and the employer.

A final means of improving an expatriate's link to the home office is by designating contacts in the home country that have the knowledge and capability to relay important information. Many companies have adopted mentor programmes for their home country employees, and they should offer a similar programme to their international assignees whose needs differ — and frequently require greater attention.

Companies should consider appropriate criteria for the selection of a mentor, such as willingness of the individual to commit time to the mentoring process, strong communication, listening and leadership skills, and previous experience with international assignees.
 
Repatriation
An effective repatriation programme begins in the pre-departure phase and continues throughout the assignment. In the months leading up to repatriation and immediately following, international assignees typically have many concerns that include returning to the home country work environment and to their friends and family. If proper   planning is not in place, it will have a major impact on the international assignee and will ultimately affect his or her work performance. Therefore, it is crucial that employers take an active role in the repatriation planning process.

Employers must recognise the value of an employee's international experience. During the initial assignment discussions, they must be clear about assignment and post- assignment expectations. From the onset, they should plan how future business needs could be satisfied through the employee's knowledge and experience gained during the assignment. This should be a process that is continuously communicated to the expatriate. Key to the company's planning for post-assignment opportunities is the integration of the assignee's international experiences to its own requirements.

Many international assignees preparing for repatriation express concern over leaving an independent work environment to return to a more structured position. Another frequently expressed concern is moving from being a "big fish in a little pond" to a "little fish in a big pond". Maintaining Ties Employers can help prepare the assignee's family members for the transition back to their home culture, friends and family. The cultural preparation options referenced during pre-departure are also applicable to the repatriation process. Furthermore, companies can design policies that reinforce the notion that families maintain home country ties, for example, by stating that the home leave destination must be to the employee's point of origin.

Frequently upon repatriation, international assignees find that their friends, family and business acquaintances do not share their excitement in the stories and experiences gained from the assignment. Companies can address this issue by developing and supporting focus groups for repatriated families. Such groups can benefit both the families and company by providing an outlet to share international experiences with people who are sincerely interested, assisting with reintegration into the home country society and serving as a company resource for future expatriate assignments.

Employers have many opportunities to be proactive in their approach to international assignments. It is important to understand assignees' needs and to receive regular feedback on the effectiveness of policy and support services. This can be achieved by conducting periodic programme evaluations over the life of an assignment. For example, the first such survey may occur during the first 4 to 6 months of an assignment, to find out whether pre-departure consultations were beneficial, and whether expatriates have adjusted to their new assignment.

Conclusion
Taking ownership of the continual improvement of the international assignment process must be a primary focal point for all international administrators. This process improvement journey commences with a thorough understanding of expatriate needs and ends with the corresponding implementation of appropriate management tools to best address them. Continued refinement of these tools will provide the necessary structure to ensure the success of these programmes over time.

3 July 2008

Neil Krupp is the Vice President, HR Consulting Services for TheMIGroup.  He is a seasoned HR professional with over 20 years experience in the HR field.  Neil holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Political Science and Business Administration from Bradley University and a Master’s Degree in International Relations from the Air Force Institute of Technology.

[Copyright Expatica +  TheMIGroup]