Abroad but not forgotten : Improving the career management of employees on international assignments

Purpose – The paper seeks to develop a detailed understanding of expatriate return on investment. Design/methodology/approach – The paper draws on research by PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP and Cranfield School of Management, UK, which tracked 3,450 expatriates over an average of three years. The nine multinational organizations taking part in the research employ more than 500,000 people in total. Findings – The paper reveals that companies that send employees on international assignments are failing to capitalize on this investment and losing talented staff through inadequate arrangements for repatriation and professional development. Practical implications – The paper lists ten ways for companies to improve the effectiveness of international assignments. Originality/value – The paper helps organizations to maximize their investment in foreign postings.