Analysis: Making Sure Your Execs Flourish Abroad

Consultant Neil Jacobs explains how to pick the right candidates for foreign assignments and how to keep them happy overseas

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The best thing a company can do for the execs it sends abroad is to first choose the kind of employee who can adapt to a challenging new environment, whether it be harsh Canadian winters or a Chinese marketplace. So says Neil Jacobs, head of consulting firm YSC's Organizational Development Practice in the U.S.

While many good candidates for stints abroad are older execs looking to fill the void left by the departure of grown children, Jacobs says plenty of Gen-Y-ers—who've grown up with a global point of view and are eager for jobs requiring travel—are another good bet. But whether you choose a 55-year-old veteran or a fresh-faced 25-year-old, by screening potential transplants for qualities like openness to change and adaptability—even if the relocation is temporary—is half the battle, says Jacobs.

Prepping your exec comes next. Besides flying him (or her) out to get a glimpse of his new office before the big move to help establish an initial connection to the place, Jacobs suggests treating him or her to basic language classes and workshops coaching him on the country's cultural norms. Offending business partners with a traditional American greeting or a pronunciation mixup isn't just bad for business; it can wound your clients' pride, damage your and your company's reputation, and contribute to feelings of frustration and hostility.

A Letdown is Possible

These negative feelings often escalate after an initial period of euphoria, Jacobs says. The initial excitement can last from the employee's first few weeks in his new home to a month or two. Then, the realization that his residence is not home sweet home begins to sink in.

To get your exec out of these doldrums requires knowledge of psychologist Abraham Maslow's Hierarchy of Needs, according to Jacobs. Maslow postulated that, until a person's basic needs of safety, shelter, and a sense of belonging are met, he cannot function at the top of his game. In this case, he can't perform on the same level as he would have back home.

A company, then, needs to carefully choose its exec's residence. The place should be near the exec's office and, especially when the family has accompanied the relocation, in a safe area. Often, companies try to relocate groups of expat execs together, or find them housing in areas where other companies also have relocated workers.

Making Room for Fun

Jacobs says companies also need to encourage employees to join groups and enjoy hobbies in their host country, be they badminton leagues or bridge clubs. Company counselors can help an exec find an enjoyable activity to fill non-working hours. These groups provide a convenient outlet for stress relief. Even better than these groups, though, is letting family members relocate with execs during long tours of duty or, as Glaxo does, giving execs a home leave allowance to maintain ties to the homeland.

Once an exec has arrived at his new home, companies have to be mindful of not forgetting about the relocated employee, Jacobs says. He recommends keeping tabs on all employees abroad with frequent check-ins, preempting any feelings of abandonment. Out of sight —or out of the country —should not be tantamount to out of mind, he says.

Following these steps doesn't guarantee a well-adjusted executive expat, Jacobs cautions, but not following them can be a recipe for disaster—and a costly one, both in terms of dollars and cents and employee loyalty.

Oriana Schwindt recently graduated from Northwestern University's Medill School of Journalism in Chicago, IL. She writes for the Innovation and Managing channels of BusinessWeek.com.