What are international assignments
Sending employees on an international assignment is an opportunity for both employers and employees. Overseas assignments consist of relocating an employee temporarily to deliver specific work abroad. Often, international assignments are managed through a business mobility policy that sets out details on logistics and other relocation requirements.
Related: Guide to corporate travel policies
International assignments, a definition
An international assignment involves an employee temporarily relocating abroad to work for their organisation. The duration of these assignments can vary significantly depending on their purpose, ranging from a few weeks to several years
Regardless of the length of the assignment, there are several considerations that employers should be aware of when sending their employees abroad. These include ensuring compliance with work permits and visa requirements and providing support to help employees navigate potential language or cultural barriers.
Why are employees drawn to international assignments?
International mobility across Europe is quite common. An Indeed study on international job searches shows that more than 14% of United Kingdom residents were born elsewhere. In London, that number jumps to 37%.
Candidates see international assignments as part of their career development and consider international projects as golden opportunities to grow on a professional and personal level. Relocating, either for a short or long period, offers them an adventure that can enhance their career progression. This interest in international opportunities is driven by several factors, including:
- An increased cultural awareness and a desire to experience diverse perspectives
- Being digital natives, which makes them comfortable working remotely or in global settings
- A strong preference for flexibility in their careers
Six benefits of international assignments for employers
While international assignments may present some challenges to businesses, they also bring a wealth of benefits, both from a financial and productivity perspective. Here are some key benefits of overseas assignments for organisations:
1. Entering a new market and developing internationally
For businesses looking to expand internationally, overseas assignments can be a game changer. Having people on the ground conducting market research, building networks and increasing local knowledge are all key factors for successful international expansion. Sending employees with a deep understanding of the business, its objectives and goals, can be a key part of an organisation’s expansion strategy, providing valuable insights into the target country or region.
Related: Grow Your Business
2. Developing a client network abroad
In-person meetings are essential to building lasting relationships especially when cultural or linguistic differences are involved. Face-to-face interactions foster a deeper understanding and help bridge potential communication gaps. Additionally, meeting in person provides sales teams with invaluable insights into their prospects’ specific needs and preferences, enabling them to tailor their approach more effectively. International sales assignments are a powerful tool for forging meaningful connections with clients and expanding your organisation’s global reach.
3. Gaining market insight on how your competitors operate
For organisations planning to expand internationally, understanding the competitive landscape is essential. Through international assignments, organisations can better understand their future customers, how the supplier network operates and more importantly how competitors are positioned in the market. Competitor research is essential to expansion strategies.
4. Building internal expertise and in-house experience
When opening a branch abroad, developing in-house expertise is key. Assigning an employee or a team to an international assignment allows local teams to benefit from shared knowledge and collaborative learning. Encouraging employees to exchange insights and skills maximises the assignment’s impact. This approach not only enhances productivity but also helps define how business challenges are addressed while reinforcing company culture.
5. Boosting employee morale
Supporting employees in international assignments demonstrates the organisation’s trust in their abilities. This trust fosters greater engagement and confidence among employees, leading to long-term benefits such as increased productivity, enhanced innovation and overall business success.
Related: Team-Building Tips and Activities to Boost Employee Morale and Engagement
6. Attracting talent and increasing employee engagement
Working abroad enhances career prospects, making highly driven employees eager to take on international projects and relocate. By promoting international assignments, a business communicates their commitment to people development. Their employees working abroad are exposed to a new environment, gain opportunities to expand their network and nurture their professional relationships with senior management. The prospect of career development attracts top talent which helps position the organisation as a desirable place to work.
Related: How to develop employee engagement and motivation in the workplace
What businesses should know when using international assignments
Expanding your business globally through international assignments is a great opportunity. However, this business development approach should be carefully planned to ensure its success. From candidate selection to logistics hurdles and language barriers, here are some considerations for businesses before getting into international assignments.
Candidate screening
Selecting the ideal employee for an overseas assignment is paramount. It is important to assess their personality, skills and career aspirations, while ensuring their loyalty to the company and proactive approach in general. Employees working abroad need to be highly adaptable, resilient and ready to tackle challenges when they arise.
Related: Adopt international recruitment methods to attract digital nomads
Supporting employees through cultural adaptation
Employees on international assignments may often experience culture shock. To help them succeed, it’s important to screen candidates carefully and prepare them thoroughly for what lies ahead. Provide resources and opportunities for them to familiarise themselves with the culture before the assignment begins. Additionally, maintain open lines of communication throughout the assignment to offer ongoing support.
Related: 4 Ways to Ask Cultural Interview Questions
Addressing language barriers
In many cases, relocating to another country means learning a new language. Plan ahead by preparing your employees with intensive language courses prior to the assignment. This will contribute to the success of the assignment and help your employees feel more comfortable with their work abroad.
Ensuring compliance with visa and travel requirements
Relocating an employee for an international assignment often involves visa and travel documentation requirements, which can vary depending on the assignment’s duration. Partnering with local agencies specialised in these processes can provide valuable support and help navigate any complexities.
Keeping open communication and knowledge sharing
When employees are abroad, communication can suffer, particularly when time zones are different. The business and its managers should ensure that clear communication channels are established with the employee on an international assignment. It is valuable to create a document where employees can share their experiences, challenges and market insights. This information can be used for future international assignments.
Related: Twelve tips for employers on how to overcome communication barriers in the workplace
Accounting for expenses and logistics arrangements
Anticipating expenses and logistics is essential to ensure the success of the international assignment. The employee’s personal situation, such as whether they have family travelling with them can add complexity to the relocation process and must be factored into planning. Housing, healthcare, and family visas are expenses that need to be accounted for in order to measure the ROI of the assignment.
Related: How and when to offer expenses reimbursement to your employees
International assignments can boost the growth of your business and the capabilities of your teams. Consider this solution when looking to develop new markets or when opening a branch abroad. In addition to direct impacts such as increased productivity, international assignments have indirect positive impacts on your organisation, such as employee engagement and talent attraction.
