First-time international assignments : the South African employee experience

Abstract

Global mobility of employees has become commonplace in a globalised economy. Many multinational organisations send employees on international assignments to gain a competitive advantage. These assignments hold great benefit for employees from a growth, development, and exposure perspective. A qualitative research design, with a total sample that consisted of eight participants, was utilised. The sample group consisted of employees from various multinational organisations, fulfilling different roles in different functions. Data was collected by conducting semi-structured interviews. The aim of this study was to understand the experiences of South African employees who are sent on international assignments for the first time. The specific focus was on what support mechanisms they utilised while on assignment and also what could have enhanced or improved the transition to working in a foreign country. The findings showed that South African employees found the overall experience of working on an international assignment to be a positive one. The support mechanisms most utilised are people, that is line managers, colleagues, friends, and family. South African employees found several aspects of being on assignment that are, in their view, rewarding. These include better career opportunities as well as the opportunity to work in a new country and build relationships with people from diverse backgrounds. The factors that could have enhanced or improved the transition are having a more holistic approach to the mobility process, better communication, a defined onboarding plan from the organisation, and accommodation arrangements. This research adds to the existing research on expatriates, and in addition, builds on the limited research that is currently available regarding South African expatriates. The implication is that employees need to have a clear understanding of the expatriate cycle and what to expect from the employer at every stage.