Optimize the Global Talent Mobility Program
Focus on repatriation to achieve long term ROI.
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McLean & Company
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Our understanding of the problem
This Research is
Is Designed For:
 HR leaders looking to optimize their current
global talent mobility program.
 Business leaders responsible for global talent
mobility in their divisions.
This Research Will Help You:
 Assess your current global talent mobility
practices.
 Define the best fit global talent mobility
program use cases.
 Develop your global talent mobility policy.
 Set global talent mobility initiatives to support
employee performance before, during, and
after a global assignment.
 Measure the effectiveness of your global talent
mobility program.
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McLean & Company
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Executive Summary
Situation
!
• In today’s increasingly globally connected environment, global business
is no longer limited to large organizations. Companies of all sizes are
expanding their footprint around the world and fast: over the past two to
three years, organizations have seen a 63% increase in the need for
cross-border work. (Source: Harvard Business Review, 2014)
Complication
?
• The increasing economic presence of emerging markets means
transactions must include a two-way cultural understanding – not
just implants of ideas and operations from Western countries.
Cultural training has become more than a nice to have – it is essential to
forming lasting global relationships.
McLean & Co. Insight
• Global talent mobility is no longer about
transplanting home office leaders to
foreign countries – it’s about stationing
the best talent in the right place, at the
right time, for the right reasons.
• Furthermore, organizations must
support the employee before, during,
and after their assignment in order to
optimize the talent development
opportunities associated with a global
assignment. Only then will organizations
see the cost benefits of global
assignments.

Resolution
• Since repatriation is the biggest challenge for employers, focusing the program with the end in mind is especially
important for career planning and retention of key global assignees.
• Organizations must focus on creating pro-active global talent mobility programs that support their business
strategy, workforce planning needs, and address all compliance issues seamlessly. Otherwise they risk failed
assignments and disengaged repatriating employees who often leave taking their global knowledge with them.
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McLean & Company
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McLean & Company offers various levels of support to best
suit your needs
DIY Toolkit
“Our team has already
made this critical
project a priority, and
we have the time and
capability, but some
guidance along the
way would be helpful.”
Guided
Implementation
Workshop
Consulting
“Our team knows that
we need to fix a
process, but we need
assistance to
determine where to
focus. Some check-ins
along the way would
help keep us on track.”
“We need to hit the
ground running and
get this project kicked
off immediately. Our
team has the ability to
take this over once we
get a framework and
strategy in place.”
“Our team does not
have the time or the
knowledge to take this
project on. We need
assistance through the
entirety of this project.”
Diagnostics and consistent frameworks used throughout all four options
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McLean & Company
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Use the McLean & Company Framework to optimize global
talent mobility programs
McLean & Company helps you create a program that is tailored to your
organization's business goals and talent priorities.
7 Measure and reflect
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on global mobility
program effectiveness
Assess the
current state of the global
talent mobility program
6 Optimize the
repatriation process
Define the global
talent mobility
program
5 Optimize the
3 Select the best
2
assignment abroad
candidates for global
assignments
4 Optimize the
pre-departure process
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McLean & Company
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Sample
Slides
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An ineffective global mobility program is extremely costly and
can harm your organization for the long term
Global assignments can cost 3 to 5* times salary. Avoid risks to gain ROI.
–*Source: Weichart, 2012.
Risks
Cost of
unsuccessful
assignment
Repercussions
Having an employee return before completing a global assignment not only sinks their expenses,
but also results in substantial costs for training and sending another employee in their place. In
addition to hard costs, an unsuccessful or incomplete assignment can result in immeasurable
opportunity costs due to the unknown factors of lost business, missed connections, or damaged
reputation.
Legal
implications
Whether it’s fines due to tax mismanagement, or employees requiring last-minute immigration
services, the unexpected costs of poorly managed compliance can be monumental. It also leaves
employees feeling vulnerable and averse to future travel. “I couldn't believe the company told me
to just go to the airport and wait for my passport to be delivered. It was unnerving – was I going
to be able to go? Not go? All this preparation could be for nothing.” – IT Consultant, Mobility
Mismanagement
of support
Support services, from language training to housing, must be delivered accurately, appropriately,
and in a timely manner, or their impact will be lessened and the cost of closing the gap increased.
For example, “They are paying $2,200/month for a huge place I’m barely in. I’d love a place
closer to work for half the cost, even if it was half the size.” – IT Consultant, Mobility
Turnover after
repatriation
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Perhaps the most dire cost is the turnover after repatriation, especially for high-performing or
high-potential employees. When employees leave the organization after an assignment, the
organization loses not just the hard costs of the assignment, but also the developed knowledge
and leadership potential gained by the departing employee. Even if repatriated employees don’t
leave the organization, disengagement due to disillusionment with the repatriation process could
mean dead weight on your team.
McLean & Company
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Define the use cases for global talent mobility based on the
three types of talent in McLean & Company’s framework
Move people globally when it makes business sense. Tie the use cases back
to your business strategy and workforce plans.
Define each use
case specific to
your organization
Operational
employees
High-performing
employees
High-potential
employees
Who:
Employees with the pertinent
skills for global projects. Able to
hit the ground running and fill
the gap immediately.
Employees with proven
strategic expertise to launch
global projects. Able to
contribute after a short ramp-up
window.
Employees with long-term
leadership potential that
require global development.
May require a longer ramp-up
time than high performers.
Why:
Fulfill short-term or ad hoc
commitments where skill sets
are not readily available locally.
Where skill sets are not readily
available locally, or where it is
important to build stronger
relationships between locations.
Local talent may be available,
but the organization has
strategically decided to use the
role to develop high potentials.
How long:
Varies depending on when the
need arises. Typically shortterm assignments of less than
six months.
Typically between six months to
three years. In recent years, the
trend is for shorter, rather than
longer, assignments due to cost
and employee preference.
Typically between one and two
years, depending on the
specific skill set to be
developed.
Where:
The countries each type of employee will likely have assignments. For example, high-potential
employees might have assignments in regions where there is a need for more leadership candidates in
the near future or where the company foresees its future growth will be concentrated.
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McLean & Company Helps HR Professionals To:

Empower management to
apply HR best practices
Maintain a progressive set of
HR policies & procedures

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Develop effective talent
acquisition & retention
strategies
Demonstrate the business
impact of HR

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Build a high performance
culture
Stay abreast of HR trends &
technologies

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"Now, more than ever, HR leaders need to help their organizations maximize the
value of their people. McLean & Company offers the tools, diagnostics and
programs to drive measurable results."
•
– Jennifer Rozon, Vice President, McLean & Company
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