Are international assignees really such a challenge, or are the challenges arising with international assignees more of the company's making? We give you some tips on to improve your organisation's chances of success in managing international employees.

Review your policy at least every two years

Rightly or wrongly, international assignees have gained a reputation as some of the most difficult employees an organisation has to deal with. I have heard people call international assignees “money-grabbers”, “winners” and, for the politically correct, “a challenge”.

In my experience, many of the challenges that arise with international assignees are of the company’s making: a lack of policy, inconsistency, poor communication, and the like. When combined, these make the international assignment programme a difficult and unwieldy beast, riddled with exceptions and open to misunderstanding.

It does not have to be like that. Here are some ideas to help improve your organisation’s chances of success in managing expatriate employees.

Create a policy

When did your organisation last review its international assignment policy? Can you, with hand on heart, say that your international assignment policy is aligned with your HR strategy and the overall business strategy?

If your answer is 'yes', then congratulations! If your answer is no, you are not alone. I recently worked with an organisation that last reviewed its international assignment policy in 1977! Although this is (hopefully) an extreme example, if your policy is more than two years old, then you may need to review it for current relevance.

Companies need a comprehensive policy framework that includes sections tailored to the full range of expatriate situations. The overall framework should distinguish between assignments made primarily for operational reasons and those made primarily to provide career development opportunities. It also should cover both those working solo and those accompanied by family.

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