Success Strategies for Expats

This article focuses on a time-tested blueprint for successful development and change that enterprises can use to strengthen expatriate support programs. For multinational enterprises, today's competitive, global business environment makes expatriate assignments a necessary, but risky proposition. The lure of career advancement and new vistas beckon the expatriate. Expatriates don't come cheap to start with, and under-performance or failure only adds to the bill. Expatriate failure or under-performance costs are tough to quantify, reaching beyond the actual costs of the transfer and salary of the individual. Most executives agree losses are substantial, affecting up to 40 percent of all expatriate assignments. There are five essential conditions for development. These are: insight; motivation; capabilities; real-world practice; and accountability. Repatriation activities--such as post-assignment career planning, frequent visits to the home country, as well as an ongoing bridge to the home office and repatriation discussions--are essential to avoid de-motivation or attrition during, or after, the assignment.