What’s Driving Your Globe-Trotters and How Do You Keep Them? Employee Engagement Among Expatriates in Asia

Today, it is generally accepted that the Asia Pacific region will continue to expand its piece of the global economic pie. Consequently, investing time and resources in this region of the world is viewed as imperative by many global organizations. For companies new to this region because of M&A activities, partnerships or organic growth, exporting skilled employees can be a good starting-point. Expatriates (also known as expats) are employees working outside of their home country, either on a temporary or permanent basis (Hess & Linderman, 2002). Whether they are one-time expats or serial expats (i.e., those who go through multiple consecutive international assignments), the common thread is that they are employees who move to a new country, usually to implant a new work process or expand organizational capabilities in that region. They might serve as a conduit between the organization and the location, or they might institutionalize headquarter-mandated processes or policies. Regardless, they are often high performers with highly valued skills and experience.