| With so much uncertainty surrounding global working, | | | | company after an international assignment with no |
| companies need to convince their employees that | | | | return on the company's investment. |
| everything possible has been put in place to make the | | | | Companies strive for consistency in their ways of |
| assignment worthwhile to them, their career and, not | | | | managing people on a global basis. Yet, in order to be |
| least, their family. | | | | successful, it is necessary to adapt those policies to |
| However, in return, the company needs a payback on | | | | individual local needs. |
| the costly investment of an international assignment. | | | | Domestic policies should not be adapted. Assignments |
| With an effective and flexible international HR policy in | | | | vary in length - short term, long term or commuter. |
| place this can be achieved. | | | | Compensation strategies can be complex: how do you |
| Unfortunately some companies underestimate the | | | | manage currency fluctuations? There are legal issues, |
| complexities involved in managing international | | | | pensions to consider. The family need to be included in |
| operations - complexities such as external markets, | | | | the policy - do you pay for the education? Does it |
| compensation strategies, intercultural adaptability and | | | | start at five years old or before? Does it include |
| more involvement in family issues. There is evidence to | | | | university? Can we do anything to assist the partner? |
| suggest that business failures in the international arena | | | | Health - what needs to be provided? What about |
| may be aligned to poor management of human | | | | travel? Do they travel business class or should they |
| resources. | | | | use the low cost airlines? What about relocation? |
| Global activity is increasing. If international policies are | | | | Repatriation? What about redundancy or poor |
| not put in place, there will be a shortage of good | | | | performance on assignment - how do we manage |
| quality international managers in the future. It's just not | | | | that? |
| good enough having a business strategy in place when | | | | International managers need to be selected effectively, |
| there are not enough high calibre employees to fulfil it. | | | | if we get it right at the start there is every chance of |
| This is not just an issue for human resource | | | | success. The start of the process is a robust |
| professionals but managers involved in the selection, | | | | international HR policy; a framework in which we |
| management and, most importantly, the retention of | | | | manage the whole international assignment. |
| international managers. Many employees leave the | | | | |