The human side of global mobility, backed by research.
Plain-language briefings for the HR and global mobility leaders responsible for people far from home — on the psychology that quietly decides whether assignments succeed. Written by Stephanie Johnson, LICSW.
Recent issues.
Why the First Year Abroad Is a Clinical Risk
Most programs treat the first year abroad as a logistical challenge. The research suggests it is also a clinical one — and the highest-risk window is later than most leaders expect.
Read the issue →The Trailing Partner: Your Highest-Risk Stakeholder
Sixty-five percent of international assignment failures are attributed to partner dissatisfaction. We’ve known this for decades — yet many programs still treat the accompanying partner as an afterthought.
Read the issue →Pre-Departure Psychological Readiness
Technical competence is assessed before every international assignment. Psychological readiness rarely is — and that gap is often where assignment failure begins.
Read the issue →Why International Experience Still Matters in the Age of AI
As artificial intelligence transforms the workplace, the value of global experience may be increasing — not decreasing. Why international assignments build what AI can’t replicate.
Read the issue →Reverse Culture Shock: Why Repatriates Quit Within Two Years
A quarter to nearly half of repatriated employees leave within two years of coming home — and the risk peaks six to twelve months after they land, long after most programs stop watching.
Read the issue →The Real Cost of a Failed International Assignment
A failed assignment is usually priced at $250K to $1M — and that’s an underestimate. The largest costs never reach the invoice, and most failures are a wellbeing story mislabeled as a performance one.
Read the issue →Duty of Care for International Assignees: What It Actually Means
Most duty-of-care programs are built for physical safety. The threats most likely to derail an assignment are psychological — and you don’t need a clinician on staff to address them.
Read the issue →The Manager Lottery: The Most Variable Part of Your Program
Every assignee gets the same visa process and the same allowance formula. Whether anyone notices them struggling in month eleven comes down to which manager they happened to get.
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Research-backed briefings on the psychological side of global mobility — a few times a season, nothing more. For HR, mobility, and people leaders.
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Also published on LinkedIn.