WHAT IS DONE TO REPATRIATE AN EMPLOYEE WHO IS RETURNING FROM AN ASSIGNMENT ABROAD?

Ideally, the repatriation process begins before the expatriate leaves his or her home country and
continues throughout the international assignment by addressing the following issues:
 Career planning. Many managers are responsible for resolving difficult problems abroad and
expect that a well-done job will result in promotion on return, regardless of whether the employer
had made such a promise. According to a 1996 Conference Board survey titled Managing
Expatriates’ Return (Gates, 1996), 87% of companies indicated that most international assignments
do not result in a promotion on repatriation, though only 49% of respondents said that the potential
for promotion was discussed before they accepted the international assignment. This misconception
can be avoided by straightforward career planning that should occur in advance of the employee’s
accepting the international assignment. Employees need to know what impact the expatriate
assignment will have on their overall advancement in the home office and that the international
assignment logically fits in their career path.
 Mentoring. The expatriate should be assigned a home-office mentor. Mentors are responsible for
keeping expatriates informed on developments within the company, for keeping the expatriates’
names in circulation in the office (to help avoid the “out of sight, out of mind” phenomenon), and for
seeing that expatriates are included in important meetings. Mentors can also assist the expatriate in
identifying how his or her overseas experience can best be used on return. The best results are
achieved when the mentor role is part of the mentor’s formal job duties.
 Communications. An effective global communication plan will help expatriates feel connected to
the home office and will alert them to changes that occur while they are away. The Internet, e-mail,
and Intranets are inexpensive and easy ways to bring expatriates into the loop. In addition to formal
e-mail communications, home-office employees should be encouraged to keep in touch with peers on
overseas assignments. Employee newsletters that feature global news and expatriate assignments are
also encouraged.
 Home visits. Most companies provide expatriates with trips home. Although those trips are meant
predominantly for personal reasons, scheduling time for the expatriate to visit the home office is an
effective method of increasing the expatriate’s visibility. Having the expatriate attend a few
important meetings or make a presentation on his or her international assignment is also a good way
to keep the expatriate informed.
 Preparation to return home. The expatriate should receive plenty of advance notice (some
experts recommend up to 1 year) of when the international assignment will end. This notice will
allow the employee time to prepare the family and to prepare for a new position in the home office.
Once the employee is notified of the assignment’s end, the HR Department should begin working
with the expatriate to identify suitable positions in the home office. The expatriate should provide
the HR Department with an updated resumé that reflects the duties of the overseas assignment. The
employee’s overall career plan should be included in discussions with the HR professional.
 In addition to home leave, it may be necessary for a company to provide trips for the
employee to interview with prospective managers. The face-to-face interview will allow the
expatriate to elaborate on skills and responsibilities he or she obtained while overseas and will help
the prospective manager determine if the employee is a good fit. Finding the right position for the
expatriate is crucial to retaining the employee. Repatriates who feel that their new skills and
knowledge are underutilized may grow frustrated and leave the employer.
 Ongoing Recognition of Contributions. There are several ways an employer can let the
repatriate know that his or her efforts are appreciated, including the following:
1. Hosting a reception for the employee to help him or her reconnect and meet new personnel
2. Soliciting the repatriate’s help in preparing other employees for expatriation
3. Asking the repatriate to make a presentation or to prepare a report on his or her overseas
assignment
4. Including the repatriate on a global task force and asking him or her for a global perspective on
business issues