Select and Send the Right Person

by Robert E. "", President
ExpatRepat Services


That is easier said than done. Often I've heard International HR leaders say: "Our business divisions select those they wish to send on an expatriate assignment, based solely upon the technical competence of the one chosen. My staff has important administrative functions in the assignment, but selection didn't consider if a candidate might be able to adjust culturally in order to perform effectively in the assignment."

Many business leaders might ask: "What's wrong with our way of choosing expatriate candidates? After all, it doesn't make sense to send someone who's not technically qualified to do the job."

Indeed, technical competence is essential for employees designated for an international assignment. But it raises a second question, often unasked, but lurking like a submerged iceberg capable of sinking a large and valuable vessel at sea. "Is making prudent investments essential to the success of your company?"

It is not unusual for more than $1 million to be invested in a two or three year expatriate assignment of an employee and his or her spouse. There is abundant evidence that there have been multitudes of bad choices made in selecting some families for an international assignment. At least two very bad things can happen:

  1. There frequently is sub-optimal performance by employees in a host country who previously had outstanding annual reports on their home country performance effectiveness. Why? If the employee or his or her accompanying spouse is unable, or unwilling to adjust to a host culture, it is certain that under performance will follow. To date, no one has an effective process for quantifying the negative impact on morale of co-workers, or the less than expected level of expatriate performance of the employee improperly selected for the assignment. Yet, it is certain under performance is costly.

  2. The unbudgeted costs in a failed assignment can be catastrophic. It isn't easy to face the reality that sending an employee and his or her spouse on an expatriate assignment for which they were not suited may well result in an aborted assignment. The unbudgeted cost can soar above $2 million. Yet, for less than $3,000 per family the company could have selected an employee family that had a high probability of being able to adjust to the culture. As some have observed, "It is absurd to refuse to screen candidates for an international assignment. It takes but one such experience, agonizing over that reality, to grasp the importance of selecting candidates with professional competence, and who are a low risk for being able to adjust to another culture."

At your request, we are prepared to share details with you on how to screen candidates for expatriate assignments so as to "care enough to send only the best qualified," both in the job requirements, and in their being able to adjust to the host culture.

Contact us today for an appointment to visit about how your organization's candidates for expatriation can be screened appropriately before they are selected for assignment in another country.

Read other articles concerning expatriate screening and assessment.