European Mobility Challenges 2010 Empirical Report - BCCH

4. Repatriation Management Critical In Scandinavia
Effective management of repatriation has become a significant test for businesses. How do
you manage the repatriation of an assignee returning home? Is there a position for the
employee once they return? How long do returning employees stay within the organisation?
And how long are their skills retained?
The survey identified that 38% of the total sample population listed this as a high priority for
their relocation programme. Comments provided by respondents hinted at the difficulties
faced in managing repatriations “From experience, this is without a doubt the hardest part of
an expatriation”, whilst others were obviously at the early stages of developing their
repatriation programmes, saying they are “starting with the planning stage!”
A minority of respondents stated that they already have effective repatriation programmes in
place that satisfied the needs of their business “we are confident that we are doing most
things right, although we are always open to constructive feedback.”
The region that placed most emphasis on repatriation management was Scandinavia, with
75% of companies listing it as a high priority for their business. Businesses relocating larger
volumes of employees per year were also more likely to prioritise repatriation management
(40%) over companies who relocate smaller numbers of employees (30%).
Page | 13 February 2010