REPATRIATE ADJUSTMENT AND TURNOVER: THE ROLE OF EXPECTATIONS AN PERCEPTIONS

International placements, particularly of executives, have increased with the globalization of business. Although many global organizations have established procedures to help their employees adjust to their stays abroad, and some have established practices to provide support for returning employees, repatriate turnover continues to be a challenge for organizations. Organizations lose the skills and knowledge that repatriates gain through their foreign assignments when repatriated employees leave their jobs. With the substantial costs of training and salary for each employee sent abroad, repatriate turnover also represents a significant financial burden. This paper reviews current repatriate adjustment and turnover literature and presents a model incorporating the findings of recent research. The proposed model suggests repatriate adjustment and turnover intentions are related to the following key factors: employee expectations upon repatriation, employee perceptions of organizational repatriation support practices, and employee perceptions of the appropriateness of both job content upon return and the availability of external career opportunities based on the employee’s new found expertise. Recommendations for future research are outlined as well as suggestions for improving organizational repatriation support practices.