Expatriate Assignment and Remuneration Strategy for Singapore

Expanding businesses globally require strategic human resource management to ensure success in new markets like Singapore. This essay examines the critical aspects of selecting suitable candidates for overseas assignments, focusing on their ability to adapt and perform effectively in a foreign environment. It highlights staffing decisions based on candidate experience and cultural compatibility. Furthermore, it evaluates comprehensive remuneration packages, including allowances for cost of living, housing, and hardship, which are essential to attract and retain talented expatriates. The essay also discusses non-financial benefits that enhance the attractiveness of overseas roles. Overall, effective HR strategies in managing expatriate assignments are vital for businesses aiming to expand internationally.

11/29/2017
Student Name
INTERNATIONAL HUMAN RESOURCE MANAGEMENT

Contents
Introduction.................................................................................................................................................1
Difference between home and host country.................................................................................................2
Builds friendships and close relationships quickly..................................................................................2
Priority on candidate who lives independently........................................................................................2
Staffing strategy to select the right candidates for the overseas assignment................................................3
Educational qualification.........................................................................................................................3
Experience...............................................................................................................................................3
Work knowledge.....................................................................................................................................4
Gender.....................................................................................................................................................4
Confidence..............................................................................................................................................4
Communication skills..............................................................................................................................4
Adaptability.............................................................................................................................................5
Training and development needed before and after posting to the host nation............................................6
Before relocation training........................................................................................................................6
After relocation Training.........................................................................................................................7
Discuss the remuneration packages for the assignees..................................................................................7
Other benefits..........................................................................................................................................8
Conclusion...................................................................................................................................................9

Introduction
International expansions are the objective of every business making it important for businesses to
prepare for the challenges linked to international expansion. There are many elements linked to
international expansion businesses must consider but in most situations, the business must first
take into consideration placing experience and high performing staff at strategic positions so as
to maximize the business's performance and growth (Harzing & Pinnington, 2014). This means
most businesses consider to expand internationally will have to train expatriate from existing
position at the organization, provide training and send them on international assignments. This
helps reduce the strain business experiences while expanding its operations thus helping the new
branches settle down faster and begin registering profits in a shorter timeframe. The organization
human resource department is therefore tasked with the challenge of selecting, training and
preparing staff to be sent on overseas assignments. Factors such as religion, gender, language,
customs, diet, and leisure activate amount many other must all be carefully reviewed and the
staff offered training on how to handle such situations which they are likely to experience once
they move to the new country (Stahl, Björkman, & Morris, 2012). Culture shock has been
identified as being the amount the most devastating affects many untrained managers and staff
experience when sent on international assignments making it important all these aspects are
prepared before the candidates are sent on the overseas assignments.
Difference between home and host country
One of the major challenges experienced by candidates sent on overseas assignment is the
student change in environment and people whereby they need to begin from scratch and build
frees relationships (Durai, 2010). This is classified by most fresh expatriates as being the most
challenging aspect of being offered overseas assignments. The candidate will in most situation
loose routine social life and requires beginning building relationships from scratch.
Builds friendships and close relationships quickly
This makes it important for the human resource department to prioritize on selecting candidates
who have demonstrated an ability to correlate and build relationships quickly at the workplace
and amount colleagues. This also involves building and maintaining good relationships outside

the organization which is a feature which demonstrates the individual’s adaptability and
improves the candidate’s chances of achieving success at the new posting.
Priority on candidate who lives independently
Another important factor which has been identified to place considerable pressure on expatriates
it the severing of family ties and close communication. This is especially important in Asia
communities which tend to be closely knit family relationships and a factor which could
compromise the success rate of overseas assignments. To overcome this concern the human
resource managers must consider giving preference to candidates who demonstrate high levels of
independence from an early age. Staffs that live in tightly knit family groups are likely to
experience major complication when separated from their family (Anthony, 2015). This
increases the risk associated with the individuals failing to perform as per the expectation which
could result in the businesses experiencing major loses and reduced performance. Candidates for
overseas assignment should be selected be living independently which demonstrates their ability
to perform without needing family or parental support.
Staffing strategy to select the right candidates for the overseas assignment
Staffing overseas assignments is a challenge which every organization human resource
department must focus on very closely. Educational qualification, experience, work knowledge,
confidence, communication skills and adaptability among several other attributes require being
exalted during the assessment and before a section of the overseas assignment candidates. Unlike
conventional staffing strategies, overseas staffing requires additional emphasis on the candidate's
ability to adapt and performance once relocated (Hakala-Ausperk, 2013). Candidates with family
are unlikely to adapt or perform as per the desired level of expectation since the candidates will
in most situations be distracted by their family back home. This makes it important that all
aspects linked to the candidates be closely exalted and their prior history considered so as to
make the best choice.
Educational qualification
Educational qualifications play a huge role towards selecting a suitable candidate. This is due to
the candidates needing to be qualified and understand the given job discretion so as to execute
the project correctly (Phillips, 2009). Qualifications thus play a major role while selecting the

candidate but the section process should not be limited to the can date educational qualifications
nice there are other important criteria which must also be reviewed to determine the best
candidate.
Experience
One such criterion which tends to play an important role despite a candidate not being
educationally qualified for a position is work experience. In any situation, a candidate may have
several years’ experience working on a specific subject or project which makes him qualified to
take on the job role (Shermon & Shermon, 2016). Experience, therefore, plays an important role
and must be taken in to close consideration while selecting a candidate for overseas assignments.
Work knowledge
Work knowledge is also similar to experience since this refers to the knowledge an individual
may have with regard to performing a specific take. This differs from experience since it may
noodle may have been acquired over the short term or via multimedia thus delivering the
individual with the know-how needed to undertake the task. This aspect also plays a huge role
whole recruiting staff must require close evolution to determine its value based on the other
evolution criterion.
Gender
In many Asian communities girls may experience a limitation towards taking up overseas
assignment thus this is an important aspect which needs to be taken in to close consideration
before hiring the staff.
Confidence
Candidates aspiring to take up overseas assignments require being confident in their work. This
is an important requirement as it ensures they retain control and are capable of handling their
assignments presented to them even when major obstacles are encountered. This makes it
important for the HRM to evaluate each candidates confidence and willingness towards taking
up the assignments and only selecting the candidates who are confident regarding the process
and how its performance.

Communication skills
Communication plays an important role towards any operations success making it important for
the candidates applying for overseas assignments to have clear and powerful communication
skills. This is due to one’s communication skills and ability to communicate diplomatically being
an aspect which both the customers and colleges monitor and many will use any identified
weakness to their advantage. Candidates must demonstrate the ability to communicate clearly
and confidently and also be able to adapt their mood to the situation (Neal, 2014). It’s critical to
maintain a friendly atmosphere at the office but at the same time, the individual must be able to
take a rigid stand related to decisions which may not be acceptable. In such situation
communication again plays an important role towards asserting the individual's position and line
of control tusk helping realign staff that may not be following the code of conduct.
Adaptability
Candidates with the ability to adapt to a vast range of situations are likely to register a higher rate
of uses thus it’s important to monitor how active candidates have been towards performing
different roles at the organization. It’s advised to select staffs who have demonstrated a wiliness
to be involved in different departments, processes, and meeting at the organization as well as
those who contribute towards the organization's development and performance.
Staffing strategy %
Educational
qualification 20
Experience 15
Work knowledge 10
Gender 10
Confidence 15
Communication skills 15
Adaptability 15
Total 100

Educational qualification
Experience
Work knowledge
Gender
Confidence
Communication skills
Adaptability
Training and development needed before and after posting to the host nation
Once the candidates for the overseas assignment have been identified the human resource
department will have to provide them with extensive training and support before and after they
have been posted to their positions overseas (Niehaus & Price, 2013).
Before relocation training
Training before relocation plays a huge role towards educating the candidate regarding their job
roles, responsibility, expectations and changes they are likely to encounter. This is very
important since in most situations the staff members would be the pioneering staff members,
managers and representatives of the businesses overseas. This makes it important for the staff
members to be offered extensive training regarding the entire process since each must be able to
take up or manage all roles in case one member is unable to continue working. It’s important to
expect a 20-30% staff turnover rate on overseas assignments thus its critical for the remaining
staff to be educated and prepared to take up the roles temporarily till another candidate can be
trained and sent to take up the position. In addition to the job training, it’s important to introduce
and educate the candidates regarding other aspects they are likely to encounter while on overseas
assignments. Cultural change, food, customers, and other important pointers need to be provided
to the candidates so as to improve their understanding of the new market and set their mind
towards handling the situation.

After relocation Training
The training process must continue even after relocation as this is the period when the staff is not
encountering the different scenario and likely to begin facing difficulties. The human resource
department and manager must, therefore, be able to maintain an open communication line with
the staff who have been relocated on overseas assignments and ensure they are monitoring their
psychological state as well as offering them advice and guidance on how to deal with a situation
which may be causing serious complications. This applies for all staff that needs to report on
their performance to the senior most staff member from within the overseas candidates as well as
with the human resource department which will help identify problems they are facing as well as
a solution to the problems.
Discuss the remuneration packages for the assignees
Remunerations offered to candidates also play an important role while selecting candidates since
in 95% of the situation the candidates will compare their current income and saving to what
being offered to undertake an overseas assignment. This makes it important for the business to
consider offering attractive remunerations which help compensate the situation and make the
packages attractive. With candidates in most situations expected to live away from their family
and social circles for months at a time, and at a long distance from home where they cannot take
a holiday to visit family, many will expect attractive compensation (Aswathappa, 2013). In
addition to this, the employer must also consider offering benefits like house allow ants, care
allowance, hardship allowance, free medical insurance and other benefits. All these help make
the overseas assignment more attractive thus encouraging more candidates to take up the jobs. It
also helps reduce the overseas staff member employee turnover which is a critical factor towards
the performance and success of the project. Remunerations play a huge role towards any
businesses performance thus making it critical for the human resource department and senior
mismanagement to evaluate the requirements carefully before presenting the proposal to the
potential candidates.

Singapore Expatriate Before After
basic Allowance 15,000 15,000
House allowance 0 2,250
Car Allowance 0 2,250
Hardship Allowance 0 2,250
Cost of Living
allowance 0 3,000
Agreement Salary 0 1,500
Total 15,000 26,250
Change 11,250
Increase 75%
basic Allawance
House Alawance
Car Aloawance
Hardship Allawance
Cost of Living Alawance
Agreement Salary
Total
0
5,000
10,000
15,000
20,000
25,000
30,000
Before
After
Other benefits
In addition to financial gain, it’s also important for the human resource department to highlight
other benefits the staff can expect to receive from taking up overseas assignments. On
competition of a fixed period of work at the organization at an overseas position the organization
should provide the recommendation later and acknowledgment to the staff member for having
performed the task and continued towards the system. This can later be used as evidence by the
candidate while applying for other job opportunities (Heery & Noon, 2017). In many situations,
overseas candidates are requested to provide previous experience letters which demonstrate their

ability to execute the task successful thus offering the documentation while still on the job also
delivers an indirect benefit.
Conclusion
Expanding overseas has grown to become a major requirement amount many businesses today
making it important for the businesses to prepare and involve the best candidates to perform the
tasks. It is necessary for every business to consider expanding overseas but to do this most
effectively the business must depend on their high performing and most trusted staff members.
This makes it important for the organization to view these candidates from a different
perspective and consider them as a close part of the of the organization thus should not bound or
limit their choice of candidates based on financial limitation but by considering how the
candidates can perform towards delivering successful expansion efforts overseas.

References:
Anthony, L. L. (2015). The Power Playbook: Rules for Independence, Money and Success. Penguin.
Aswathappa, K. (2013). Human Resource Management: Text and Cases. New Delhi: Tata McGraw-Hill
Education.
Durai. (2010). Human Resource Management. New Delhi: Pearson Education India.
Hakala-Ausperk, C. (2013). Build a Great Team: One Year to Success. American Library Association.
Harzing, A.-W., & Pinnington, A. (2014). International Human Resource Management. SAGE.
Heery, E., & Noon, M. (2017). A Dictionary of Human Resource Management. Oxford University Press.
Neal, K. L. (2014). Six Key Communication Skills for Records and Information Managers. Chandos
Publishing.
Niehaus, R., & Price, K. (2013). Bottom Line Results from Strategic Human Resource Planning. Springer
Science & Business Media.
Phillips. (2009). Strategic Staffing. Pearson Education India.
Shermon, G., & Shermon, K. (2016). Business of Staffing: A Talent Agenda. Lulu.com.
Stahl, G. K., Björkman, I., & Morris, S. (2012). Handbook of Research in International Human Resource
Management. Edward Elgar Publishing.

Appendices: