Today, finding leaders skilled to lead your organisation means looking beyond the traditional boundaries - many companies seek and compete for talent and skills on an international basis wherever their operations. 

Adopting a multi-country approach to Human Resource policies is a must. Build an employment brand that will help to attract the increasingly scarce person with the skills that you need who actually wants to relocate internationally. 

Kevin attended a seminar and ran into a former colleague who as it would happen, had recently been approached by the same company for another senior position at the same location."The arrangements for schooling and healthcare were decidedly lacking and all for the same deal I could get closer to home - we took a pass."

Are these type of comments made about your organization? Are you unknowingly creating your own barriers to recruitment and mobility within the international talent pool? Even a minor miscue can create a ripple that affects the hiring schedule for an entire project. 

Look for the tell tale signs. Do you have:

• Inconsistency in compensation levels across different countries/regions
• Candidates turning away once they learn more about benefit coverage or relocation terms
• Complex and costly administrative practices 
• No commonality between worldwide terms and conditions; for example home leave, medical benefits and schooling
• Expensive and cumbersome employee risk management measures e.g. evacuation and employee benefit insurance
• A family oriented approach to your policies

Kevin was starting to get cold feet. He didn't really need the promotion right now. Maybe the change wasn't worth the risk to family and lifestyle? 

Mobile talent is a scarce commodity. The old expatriate models no longer work and employers often inadvertently send the wrong message or worse, no message at all about their values and culture. 

An attractive, respected international employment brand is essential to attracting "A team" candidates from any jurisdiction.