ExpatRepat Services
by Robert E. "", President
ExpatRepat Services
A Fortune 10 executive once said to me: "Any employee in our company is capable of performing in an effective manner on an expatriate assignment." An executive would hope that such a statement is valid. But in all candor, is that statement correct? Or more to the point, is it even prudent if it is correct?
To the surprise, discomfort, and disappointment of many—not every employee, or employee and accompanying spouse—will be an appropriate candidate for expatriation to another country in a variety of contexts. There are a variety of reasons for the unsuitability, or inappropriateness, of some employees to be considered as candidates for an expatriate assignment. They might include:
The health status of an employee, his/her spouse or immediate family members. There are circumstances when it would be a matter of grave concern for an otherwise very capable employee to be sent on an assignment half-a-world away from home.
The health status of a parent where the employee, or his/her spouse, is a primary care giver. This condition might be more a matter of compassion for an extended family member, than for the capability of the employee to perform well as an expatriate.
The special educational needs of a child or children crucial to family stability. While it is possible needs such as this might continue to be met with an key employee in absentia while residing and working in another country, it is worth of serious consideration by management.
The level of risk in an employee being capable, or willing, to adjust to a host culture. At this level, such a potential in employee response, or employee family response, quite likely will be undetected without assistance from an outside resource to do screening substantiated by years of research on proven procedures for effective screening of such candidates.
The level of risk in an employee's accompanying spouse being capable, or willing, to adjust to a host culture. Regardless of an employee's competences, an accompanying spouse has been the source of an aborted assignment on many occasions. Screening of both employee and accompanying spouse is prudent to know whether or not there may be undesirable challenges in their expatriate assignment.
What do you think? Is it always valid to affirm that every employee in a corporation will be be able to perform effectively in an expatriate assignment? Share your thoughts by contacting us.
Read other articles concerning expatriate screening and assessment.