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  Managing Short-term Assignments  

Like all areas of the working world, global mobility is evolving. Businesses are providing employees with increased flexibility by offering different forms of international assignment. Where once expat assignments lasted three to five years, now assignments vary in range.

A short-term assignment can be a more cost effective way of achieving specific goals in another market without disrupting an employee’s life too much. 

What is a short-term assignment?

• A short-term assignment (STA) is an international project that usually lasts between 3 and 12 months. They allow organisations to transfer resources, knowledge and skills cost effectively and quickly providing fast response to business needs. For some companies short-term assignments are becoming more popular than their long-term equivalent due to changing workforce demographics, skills shortages and the need to provide more flexibility to employees. 
• Just because employees are away for less  time does not make STA’s easier. In fact, short-term assignments may be more difficult as there is a need to hit the ground running and accomplish a lot quickly.
• When it comes to short-term assignments, thorough preparation is more important. Potential pitfalls that can cause problems for professionals in an overseas office for a short period include:
• Failure to build key relationships
• Culture shock
• Alienating local colleagues
• When planning an STA pre-departure training is important but pre-departure preparation is essential.

Preparing short-term assignees before assignment

Preparing for a short-term assignment is challenging. It may need to go further than providing the soon to be expat with clear understanding of their role or overview of the local culture. Short-term assignees with aggressive deadlines may fall into a common expat error of trying to introduce initiatives without sufficient knowledge of local circumstances or alienating colleagues. 

For these kinds of assignments pre-departure preparation must go much further than training on what to expect, it should allow the soon to be expat to begin their assignment before they leave. 

Developing personal network in advance

Help employees prepare in advance for life in their temporary home by doing everything possible to acquire relevant information about life there:

• Arrange meetings with employees from the host country that are working in your current location
• Encourage the employee to join groups from that country in your city 
• Make the most of web-based platforms like LinkedIn or Meetup to enable future expats to become more aware of life and work etiquette before they leave

Virtual introductions to colleagues

Gauge local support and understand perspective, supporting short term assignees on assignment, are the team willing to participate, is their role clear.

At the outset of the assignment it is important for the expat to share:

• The assignment goals
• The expat’s role
• Expectations for employees

This does not have to be completed on day one but may be useful within a few weeks of the assignment starting. This way, any gaps in expectation or issues that arise can be ironed out quickly to provide the assignment with the best chance of success. 

Maintaining their personal support system

Even though short-term assignees are not going to be overseas for long, having a support network outside of work still matters. This is where the groundwork put in before the assignee arrived should pay dividends. Help expats find work life balance by continuing a hobby they have at home, locally, from yoga to rock climbing, hopefully there’ll be a group or venue where they can let off some steam after a busy day in the office. 

It is also important STA’s remain connected to colleagues in head office particularly if the medium term plan is they return to a role there. Arranging intermittent virtual check ins is a great way to ensure there are no surprises when they return to head office. 

Achieving Short term assignment goals 

Sufficient time for knowledge transfer, local owners of the initiative .

The last thing your business wants is to spend all that time and money on an STA only for everything to revert to how it was previously as soon as that person leaves. Key to long-term implementation is ensuring there are local owners of the initiative who will continue to grow the programme once the assignment is over. 

Ultimately any global mobility practice should aim to create solutions that are employee centric while also being relevant and cost effective ways to achieve company goals. Although there is likely to always be place for longer term assignments, their short-term counterparts may be the right solution in certain scenarios.   

Managing short-term assignees may be challenging but looking after their health while they are away does not have to be. We have group international health insurance schemes tailored to the needs of your business.

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Short-Term Assignments: Key Considerations and Essential Information

By Tracy Langlois, CRP, GMS

Short-term work assignments have been steadily increasing over the years and certain factors like the pandemic have shined a light on vulnerabilities within numerous industries. For instance, the demand for travel nurses has never been higher, as certain staffing agencies need to fill voids and provide additional support at hospitals all over the US. Other companies are asking employees to train new hires at different locations or attend workshop programs and conferences out of state. Those working in media may need to spend days, weeks, or months in different locations covering news stories. HR representatives are focusing on talent mobility, which may require employees to take on short-term work assignments for specialized training and upward growth within a company.

No matter the industry or reason, employers are recognizing the value of short-term assignments, as well as the logistical steps required to smoothly transition their employees from point A to B. With that in mind, CapRelo put together an overview of short-term assignments, so your company knows what is needed to assist your employee during the hectic transition of a short-term assignment.

What is a Short-Term Assignment?

A temporary assignment is defined as a work stint lasting for one year or less. A short-term assignment can be a series of shorter rotational assignments or an assignment that requires an employee to stay in one place for the entire duration. Similar to temporary duty assignments in the military, short-term assignments are not permanent and are meant to carry out a specific purpose. Companies may send one employee or a whole team out on temporary assignments, depending on the industry and work goal.

What is the Purpose of a Short-Term Assignment?

There are plenty of different reasons why companies would send their staff out on short-term assignments. For instance, an employee may need to assist a branch that’s struggling to perform and help them to increase their sales numbers. It’s also not uncommon for staff to oversee different departments during a company merger, requiring temporary assignments to ensure company policies are being carried out consistently across the board. Perhaps limited resources have prevented staff at different locations from being properly cross-trained, necessitating the need for temporary work trips.

Whether three weeks or three months long, short-term assignments typically require companies to cover lodging, food, transportation, and other travel-related expenses with stipends.

Benefits and Challenges of Short-Term Assignments

While short-term assignments sound like a breeze, they can pose some serious challenges for both the employee and the company itself. International short-term assignments can pose tax and immigration issues if companies don’t comply with the laws and regulations in each country. Secondly, some countries have turbulent landscapes, which could potentially put staff at risk. Employees may also get stranded in the assignment country due to canceled flights or COVID-related concerns, further implicating the company when temporary assignments do not go according to plan.

On the flip side, a company can create a robust talent mobility strategy with initiatives that reward current and new hires willing to take on short-term assignments. For instance, paying employees during travel time can lead to higher retention rates. Companies can also train staff across locations to improve their skills, eliminating any consistency errors. A change of scenery might help employees to improve productivity as well, especially in locations that offer plenty of sunshine and warm weather for post-work relaxation.

Short-Term Assignment FAQs

• Are Short-Term Assignments International? Short-term assignments can be either domestic (within a country) or international (across country borders). Certain companies like Amazon, FedEx, and Apple are known for leading the way with the most corporate travel, requiring employees to rack up airline miles to fulfill their job duties.
• How Does the IRS Define Short-Term Assignments? The IRS defines short-term assignments as work in one location that can be reasonably completed in one year or less (and is). Employees typically file taxes with their home state. If a work assignment lasts for longer than a year then it is considered an indefinite assignment, prompting an employee’s tax home to change.
• What is Relocation Tax Assistance? Before 2018, any moving-related payments or reimbursements to employees were not included in their annual reportable wages. These expenses did not require withholding taxes and would have been paid by the employee and later deducted. The Tax Cuts and Job Act of 2017 changed the way payroll handled relocation expenses. Nowadays, employers can offer relocation tax assistance or tax gross-ups. A tax gross-up simply means that a company provides a larger payment sum to the employee to compensate for the taxes that will be withheld from their payment if that employee is relocating somewhere new.
• Do Family Members Join Employees on Short-Term Assignments? When it comes to temporary assignments, most companies do not assist families to join the employee in the new location if the assignment is expected to have a duration of six months or less. Assignments greater than six months may include company support for family accompaniment. Some companies will offer to pay for visits home after a certain amount of time has passed for employees who are not accompanied. This could be anywhere from 8 to 12 weeks after the start of the assignment but depends on the company’s unique policies.

How Can Companies Assist Employees?

Companies should have well-defined relocation policies in place before sending employees out on temporary assignments. The policy should include details on the relocation services and benefits which will be provided to employees and who will be assisting them with these services. It is important to note for international cases that proper immigration documentation is required before the start of the assignment. Letters of assignment (LOA)s should also be created for employee and company signature and should include specifics on the location and duration of the assignment and specific benefits. Companies should have a dedicated budget in place to assist with short-term assignment relocation expenditures; a comprehensive cost estimate including tax costs can be prepared in advance to ensure appropriate approvals can be obtained. A survey of HR professionals conducted in partnership with CapRelo found that 33% of participants stated their relocation policies have been updated to accommodate employees’ mental health and well-being, which is another factor that should be taken into consideration to help employees cope better with their new surroundings.

Do You Need a Relocation Program?

So, you’re ready to send your employees out on short-term assignments, but don’t know where to start? Whether you need help transferring one employee intra-country, or flying a whole team across the globe for specialized training, we can help.

At CapRelo , we provide relocation solutions for companies that need them, covering a host of services including cost estimate preparation, corporate housing, auto shipment, property management, travel services, immigration coordination, and much more.

Our team specializes in seamless transfer operations and sorts out all of the logistical steps before your employee’s short-term assignment so you can have peace of mind knowing that they are in the best of hands. Allow us to take one more thing off your plate and contact our highly qualified team at CapRelo today to get started.

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The Xe Guide To Working Abroad

March 27, 2019 — 5 min read

How to Leverage International Assignments and/or a Laptop Lifestyle to Build Your Career

Digital nomad-ism and long-term international assignments are growing trends for ambitious professionals and creatives in 2019. According to a KPMG research study, 83% of international companies offer short-term work assignments abroad, and 97% offer long-term overseas assignments.

For businesses that are making their first forays into global markets, having an internal employee with an explorer's mindset, the courage of a pioneer and the instincts of an entrepreneur is very lucrative.  

Let's take a look at the opportunities and strengths of work-abroad assignments relative to digital nomad freelancers and full-time employees who work remotely at or close to home.

International Work Assignments

International assignments are a great way to:

Nurture the careers of future business executives

Establish a presence in an emerging market

Launch a new product

Reward a high-performing employee that has requested an international assignment

The KPMG study found that about 40 percent of international assignments fail, however many of those failures are typical because companies don't track overseas expenses accurately, and don't educate their employees on potential tax, cross-cultural and immigration issues when they are on assignment. Some assignees are cut off EAP programs and health benefits support when they move overseas, which can be profoundly isolating and counterproductive.

Paying employees for expenditures, and either a portion or all of their salary via an international money transfer is an excellent way to maintain accurate records of expenses.

Photo by Trinity Treft / Unsplash A PWC study found that 71% of millennials expect to experience an international assignment during their career. There is, however disparity in where millennials would want to work, as most would want an assignment in countries like the US, the UK, Australia or Canada. Only if the assignment would have a significant positive impact on their career trajectory would they consent to an assignment in an emerging country like India.  

Frequent overseas travel gets costly, and some employees that commute across borders on a frequent basis regularly get flagged for customs/security reasons and be denied access or visas if they decide to settle in the country on a long-term basis.  For these reasons, longer assignments, though less frequent is preferable to the opposite.

According to an SHRM study, a three-year assignment abroad for a senior professional can easily cost as much as US $3 million including benefits and living expenses.  

Many of the 60% of employees that are sent on a work assignment abroad are so successful there, and they create such a bond with the country they are assigned to that they become "accidental expats." If and when employees do return to their home country, however, their employers should have repatriation programs to get over the "culture shock" of re-acclimating to their native country.

Scott Redmond, the XE Managing Director for North America, moved his family from Australia, and he recently wrote about his experiences as an expat in the United States.

Digital Nomads Living the Laptop Lifestyle

According to a Citrix research report , by 2020, 50% of the workforce will be comprised of remote workers and telecommuters. This shift is in part a result of the ubiquitous nature of the cloud and mobile devices, and in part because of the environmental impact on ever-increasing highway congestion, urban gridlock and commute times.

Photo by Austin Distel / Unsplash Most Generation Z and millennial employees are very digitally savvy. Many companies are transitioning to having employees work remotely on a regular basis, which saves these companies significant real estate and infrastructure costs.

Whether a freelance writer, application developer or UX designer is working from their home office in the same country as their customer or a coffee house overseas is often a moot point. As long as project milestones are being met and projects are being completed on time, many businesses hiring digital expertise are happy to let their employees or contractors work where ever it suits them.

Digital nomads that change countries on the regular, and digital "slow-mads" that linger in specific countries for long periods of time are becoming more prevalent. Depending on whether they are independent contractors, freelancers or untethered full-time employees, they may be fortunate enough to have healthcare benefits . Others maintain a "home base" in their native country, but travel and work abroad as a location-independent worker.

Is your business considering starting a new venture or launching a new product overseas? Are you considering taking an international assignment, be it a short-term gig as a full-time employee, or a long term work assignment abroad as a contract consultant?

Check out our blog on a regular basis for strategies for expats, accidental expats, and even stealth expats that sometimes work among us.

For fast, easy payments abroad, such as mass payments for payroll or one-time project payments, register for a free account. Whether you are paying rental deposits on a London flat, receiving project payments or sending money to loved ones from overseas, XE Money Transfer enables you to live your best international life. And empowers your business to compete and win in international markets.

The Mercer Mobility Exchange website and its divisional websites may be translated for your convenience using translation software powered by Google Translate, a free online language translation service that can translate text and web pages into different languages. Reasonable efforts have been made to verify the reliability of the translation service, however, no automated translation is perfect nor is it intended to replace human translators. Mercer does not guarantee the accuracy of the translated text. Some pages may not be accurately translated due to the limitations of the translation software. Text in images, PDF files, Word documents or other document types cannot be translated. The official text is the English version of the website. Any discrepancies or differences created in the translation are not binding and have no legal effect for compliance or enforcement purposes. If any questions arise related to the accuracy of the information contained in the translated website, please refer to the English version of the website which is the official version

Short-term assignments

Short-term international assignments usually last between 3 and 12 months, and allow companies to transfer skills, knowledge and resources quickly and cost effectively, providing a quick response to business needs.

However, living costs for short-term assignees are different from other categories of mobile workers. Mercer’s technology and data solutions can help you handle the related issues with efficiency and ease.

Short Term Travel Cost Report

Forecast the cost of short-term assignments, commuter assignments or extended business travels with ease and accuracy. The report accounts for the costs of airfares, accommodation, car rental as well as per diem allowances, providing data in up to 3 currencies.

Per Diem Allowance Calculator 2.0

Determine fair and cost-efficient per diem rates suitable for short-term assignees and business travelers.

Alternative International Assignments (AIA) Survey

Benchmark your policies with our latest data gathered from 200+ multinational organizations worldwide. The survey explores the use of international assignments other than long-term expatriate assignments: short-term assignments , permanent moves /  one-way transfers , and commuter assignments .

Contact your consultant or  use our form  to discuss available options and order data.

Assignment segmentation As managing a globally mobile workforce grows more complicated, assignment policy segmentation offers more flexibility and a broader range of solutions.

Business travel allowances Looking for daily allowances for business travellers?

More tech solutions See what other tools Mercer offers that streamline the work of building assignment compensation packages.

Get the latest global mobility news, event invitations, and articles from Mercer. sign up now

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Maximize Your Learning in Short-Term Assignments

• John Coleman

The potential for development is still there.

The number of short-term assignments in companies has been increasing, and the trend is expected to continue . Within large corporations, secondments , short-term transfers, and functional or geographic management rotation programs often thrust full-time employees into short-term jobs. Many companies employ temps or interns to supplement those working full-time. Even consultants may engage with a client for a period of weeks or months.

• JC John Coleman is the author of the HBR Guide to Crafting Your Purpose . Subscribe to his free newsletter, On Purpose , follow him on Twitter @johnwcoleman, or contact him at johnwilliamcoleman.com.

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Health insurance: Workers on short-term assignments in Switzerland

People resident abroad who work in Switzerland for a short period of time must take out Swiss health insurance. However, certain exceptions apply, depending on the country of residence and nationality or the type of work permit held.  

Do you have any specific questions about your personal circumstances? If so, please contact the authority responsible for the canton in which you work. You can find their details in the following PDF:

Cantonal institutions authorised to grant exemption from compulsory health-insurance (in French/German/Italian) (PDF, 162 kB, 13.09.2023)

EU/EFTA or UK workers: place-of-work principle

Under the Swiss-EU Agreement on the free movement of persons, the EFTA Convention and the new social security Agreement with the United Kingdom the requirement to obtain health insurance is based on the place-of-work principle . Anyone working in Switzerland, as well as non-working family members, is required to take out Swiss health insurance.

This rule applies to the following workers:

• EU-/EFTA-/UK-citizens with a short-term residence permit (L permit)
• EU-/EFTA-citizens who are working in Switzerland for a maximum of three months and do not require a residence permit for this period (notification procedure), unless they have an equivalent private insurance policy covering treatment in Switzerland.

Exceptions may apply for EU-workers resident in Germany, Austria, France and Italy who regularly return to their country of residence (at least once a week). See the explanation of the option of obtaining insurance in the country of residence under “Cross-border commuters working in Switzerland”.

Beginning and end of compulsory health insurance

EU/EFTA nationals not requiring a residence permit (because they are working for less than three months) are required to take out Swiss health insurance from the date their employment contract begins. If they fail to do so, they can be automatically assigned to a health insurer, with a policy commencing on the date their employment began. Insurance cover generally ends on the day the worker’s employment ends, but at the latest on the date of his or her departure from Switzerland or death.

EU/EFTA/UK nationals holding an L permit valid for more than three months are subject to compulsory health insurance from the date on which they report to the Residents’ Registration Office. They have three months in which to register with a Swiss health insurer. If they fail to do so, they can be automatically assigned to a health insurer; if the delay is not justifiable, they will be liable to a premium surcharge for late registration. They will also be required to cover the costs of any medical treatment received prior to enrolment themselves.

Insurance cover generally ends on the worker’s departure date reported to the Residents’ Registration Office, but at the latest on his or her actual date of departure from Switzerland or death.

Workers from other countries  

Third-country nationals (from outside EU/EFTA/UK) with a short-term residence permit or a residence permit valid for at least three months are required to take out Swiss health insurance.

This requirement also applies to foreign workers (including workers from the UK) whose residence permit is valid for less than three months (such as seasonal workers), unless they have an equivalent policy covering treatment in Switzerland.

Beginning and end of insurance

Holders of an L permit valid for more than three months are subject to compulsory health insurance from the date on which they report to the Residents’ Registration Office. They have three months in which to register with a Swiss health insurer. If they fail to do so, they can be automatically assigned to a health insurer; if the delay is not justifiable, they will be liable to a premium surcharge for late registration. They will also be required to cover the costs of any medical treatment received prior to enrolment themselves.

Holders of an L permit valid for less than three months are subject to compulsory health insurance from the date on which they enter Switzerland. If they fail to take out insurance, they can be automatically assigned to a health insurer.

Workers active in more than one country

Swiss or EU/AELS/UK nationals simultaneously pursuing self-employed or employed activities in different countries (EU/EFTA/UK/CH) are subject to the legislation of a single country. For more information, see “Workers in the EU/EFTA or in the United Kingdom (UK) - Simultaneous employed activities in the EU/EFTA/UK or Switzerland”

In Switzerland, the AHV compensation offices are responsible for deciding on liability to social insurance; their decision is also applicable to health insurance. Workers active in more than one country should therefore contact the relevant AHV compensation office.

Legislation

Requirements governing compulsory Swiss health insurance for EU/EFTA/UK residents (in German) (PDF, 154 kB, 09.08.2023)

Priminfo: EU-/EFTA-/UK-premiums (in German, French, Italian)

CC 832.102 Federal Ordinance on Health Insurance (OAMal), article 1, paragraph 2, subsections a, b, f, g and article 7, paragraphs 1, 2 and 2bis

- Agreement on the Free Movement of Persons (AFMP ; RS 0.142.112.681)

Further information

Cross-border commuters working in switzerland, workers in the eu/efta or the united kingdom (uk), eu/efta/uk premiums and premium subsidies, treatment abroad for policyholders resident abroad.

Last modification 19.04.2024

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Federal Office of Public Health FOPH Health and Accident Insurance Directorate Legal Supervision of Health Insurance Section Schwarzenburgstrasse 157 3003 Bern Switzerland

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International Short-Term Assignments

International short-term assignments are a useful global mobility tool, that provide companies with a resource to support critical strategic needs while mitigating mobility program costs. Short-term assignments may also be used in a developmental capacity providing high potential employees an opportunity to grow in their career. Short-term assignments commonly range from 3 to 12 months in duration.

One of the biggest challenges of global mobility is compliance with applicable immigration, tax, employment, and permanent establishment laws. Laws that change quickly and vary from country to country can take companies by surprise. A carefully crafted short-term assignment program and comprehensive policy can help avoid potential hazards. Having a consistent program with clearly defined parameters will allow the focus to remain on compliance.

Program Development

As with all mobility programs, short-term assignments can be structured as a single policy applicable to all, tiered based on factors such as business need or job level, or as a structured core/flex program. When developing a short-term assignment program, whether for the first time or revising an existing policy, these initial steps are recommended:

• Consider the overall company culture, mobility philosophy, business objectives of the international short-term assignment program, and common assignment objectives.
• Identify employee job levels and demographics.
• Reflect on the importance of the employee experience as well as how the assignment policy can support DEI initiatives.
• Determine the most common assignment durations and locations, if possible, to estimate the anticipated cost of the benefits under consideration.

These initial steps will, in turn, help the company determine the desired parameters of the program. A common example of how a company’s overall company culture influences mobility policy can be seen in eligibility of family members under a short-term assignment. Some companies may decide that short-term assignees may not be accompanied by families and reflect that in policy eligibility language. Some companies will not support families going on the assignment, but do not expressly reject families from accompanying at their own expense. While others with a more family focused culture will allow accompaniment and provide some supporting benefits.

Assignment duration is also a key factor in short-term assignment program design. These assignments can have varying ranges from as short as 30 days or up to 18 months. They are most commonly defined as longer than 90 days or up to one year. However, knowing company intentions regarding durations helps in determining parameters and components. For example, if assignments are typically shorter in duration, the policy may not include parameters for home leave. If the assignments are typically the full year, the company may decide to include a home leave. If there is a possibility that the assignment may extend beyond 1 year, the company should be prepared to address whether benefits change or the employee transitions to another type of mobility policy. If short-term assignments are a new phenomenon and assignment durations are unknown at the time of program development, it will be important to revisit the policy as the assignment program matures.

A brief description of the components commonly found in international short-term assignment programs follows. It is important to note that note every component has to be included in order to have a successful program, and regional variances/culture may also dictate which components are included. There may also be variations on the inclusions and descriptions below as these descriptions are based on an unaccompanied employee. 

International Short Term Assignment Program Components

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Taking Another Look at Short Term Assignments and Talent Mobility

Corporate Relocation , Domestic Relocation , Employee Relocation , Talent Mobility

The Covid pandemic has spurred companies and employees to reassess work models and locations, and to consider more flexible, cost-effective ways to achieve business objectives. While not new, short-term assignments can be an effective workaround to current obstacles to employee relocation —from reluctance to relocate to a frenzied real estate market and global restrictions.

Short-term assignments are a “lite” form of talent mobility, enabling businesses to achieve specific, finite project objectives with less expense and disruption. International short term assignments have a longer history, arising as a relatively inexpensive alternative to global relocation . Domestic short-term assignments became more popular over the past 15 years, as the U.S. recovered from the Great Recession.

Objective of Short-Term Assignments

Companies originally devised short-term assignments as a developmental opportunity for high potential, junior-level employees. The employee had the opportunity to meet and work with employees in a different company location, master new skills and hone leadership abilities. This opportunity can increase the employee’s job satisfaction and loyalty and help the company to retain a promising employee. Employees who shine in STAs can be candidates for promotion and future STAs or possibly a traditional global assignment.

Short-term assignments also can be an effective way for more experienced employees to share their expertise with other parts of the organization. A company might deploy a manager to oversee the opening of a new company location, lead a merger or acquisition or bring specific IT or other technical expertise to another company location. In these examples, permanent relocation might not be necessary, but a brief business trip wouldn’t be enough.

Tax Implications of Short Term Assignment Jobs

The IRS treats short-term assignments more like business travel than relocation expenses . Relocation expenses are employee benefits and must be reported on the relocating employee’s W-2 for the year. Most companies gross many of these expenses up to cover the tax obligation, creating another expense for the company.

The IRS definition of a short-term assignment is very precise: the company must expect it to last for less than one year and it must actually last for less than one year. In this case, the IRS considers travel, lodging and certain other expenses to be business expenses that are deductible for the employer and not W-2 benefits to the employee.

Assignments can change in scope or length once underway, and this can influence the tax treatment. The minute an employer determines the assignment is going to extend longer than a year, the reimbursed expenses from that point forward become a taxable benefit to the employee. This applies whether the company reimburses the employee directly or pays expenses on his/her behalf.

So short-term assignments can last longer than a year (this is particularly common with rotational assignments), but the company will sacrifice some of the cost-savings of shorter-length assignments. The scope of work will be one consideration in deciding whether a short-term assignment or relocation makes better business sense.

Learn More About Short Term Assignments

Within the mobility arena, short-term developmental assignments are gaining traction with companies looking to support business growth and employee development while controlling costs. This creative strategy allows businesses to deploy talent where needed without making the financial commitment inherent in a permanent domestic relocation or a long-term international assignment, but not without careful consideration. Download the Short Term Assignments White Paper

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Short-term assignments 2022 report: 10 takeaways

Short-term assignments (STAs) continue to be a popular option for global mobility and are quickly evolving into an ED&I Mobility vehicle. These opportunities have the potential to allow more diverse employee populations to gain experiences that will enhance career paths and diversify an organization’s leadership pipeline. This makes it more important than ever to ensure STA policy lines up with typical practices.

• 68% of policies are from EMEA-based companies. This predominance reflects the use of STAs globa­lly. Given the geography of the EMEA region (vs North America), STAs are a realistic option for many reasons that companies transfer employees (e.g., skill development, filling a position gap, etc.).
• Half of the policies specify that STAs are unaccompanied, typically attributed to the limited assignment duration, which most commonly ranges from three (62%) – twelve (83%) months.
• Immigration assistance (addressed in 89% of STA and LTA policies).
• Travel to the host location (87% of STA policies vs 92% of LTA policies).
• Cultural training (61% STA vs 67% LTA).
• Language training (61% STA vs 78% LTA). Just as in LTA policy, the use of cultural and language training typically requires approval.
• 90% of policies address health insurance for short-term assignees. It is becoming common to provide an international program for short-term assignees, as stated in 41% of policies (55% use this approach for LTAs).
• 34% of STA policies address settling-in assistance, compared to 46% of LTA policies. Assistance typically focuses on single assignees who are in country for a limited duration that might require: assistance with establishing a bank account, locating shopping facilities, public transportation, local services, religious institutions, and social opportunities.
• Home leave is addressed in 84% of STA policies (vs 90% of LTA policies). The major difference is the timing of the trips. For STAs, the most common frequency is one trip every three months (33%). Though many policies vary frequency based on assignment circumstances such as duration, accompaniment status, or distance between the home and host country.

• STA policy rarely includes the shipment of household goods; rather, most (52%) assist with an air shipment of personal effects or excess baggage charges only (30%).
• Few (23%) provide a pre-move trip. P­­rimarily because most (72%) provide furnished accommodations rather than have the employee find their own housing.
• Fewer (47%) provide temporary living for STAs than the 98% that address it in LTA policies.
• It is not as common to provide a hardship allowance for STAs (32%) as it is for LTAs (53%).
• Use of a relocation allowance is not as common for STAs as it is for LTAs: 47% vs. 84%, respectively.
• Most companies (63%) retain employees on their home country compensation and provide a per diem or reimbursement for daily living expenses while on an STA.

The lower cost profile of short-term assignments – due to single status, shorter duration, simpler support – continues to contribute to the popularity of this move type. For companies reviewing their STA policies, it can be very beneficial to see what the typical practices are and how they differ from their LTA counterparts.

Five common myths about short-term assignments

Myth #1: an sta is pretty much the same as an lta – just shorter..

Fact: The differences between these two assignment types are notable and significant. Long-term assignments are typically investments in the future. Their considerable use of resources (people and money) makes them worthwhile for business-building initiatives such as leadership training, market expansion, management roles where local candidates are not available and new product development. These are all goals that require a long term to complete. Short-term assignments are better suited to initiatives that can be completed in under a year. Global exposure, filling a job gap, short-term projects and skill building are examples of realistic STA assignment objectives.

Myth #2: Employees on short-term assignments need less support than those on long-term assignments.

Fact: Replace “less” with “some of the same but also different” and you would be correct! For example, short-term assignees need assistance with some of the same things as long-term assignees (immigration and tax compliance, travel, arranging housing, becoming familiar with the assignment location, etc.). But they also need different things, given that most short-term assignees remain on home-country compensation and retain many home-country expenses. For example, they need a per diem to cover daily living costs in the host location. Since many STAs are single-status, employees may have left immediate family in the home location. Therefore, trips home are a greater need for STAs than they are for LTAs.

Myth #3: It sounds like an STA is really just a glorified business trip.

Fact: Aside from the primary distinction that a business trip is typically no more than a month and an STA is typically 3-12 months, the business objectives are different, too. This is a key issue.

Myth #4: Short-term assignees don’t need the same cultural or language training as long-term assignees.

Fact: The fact that short-term assignees need to quickly get up and running, live in the local area and succeed in the business environment often dictates that they require the same or similar training as long-term assignees. Of course, there are times when a short-term assignee is needed for work that is primarily solitary and does not require local language skills. In this case, more condensed training may be sufficient.

Myth #5: We should be more concerned about the challenges of long-term vs. short-term assignments, given their bigger goals, longer time in the host country and greater cost to the company.  

Fact: STAs may impact a more diverse pool of employees than LTAs do. Companies may not recognize the challenges different demographics may encounter on STAs as they do for LTAs. For example, an employee may turn down an LTA because a same-sex partner cannot accompany but that employee may undertake an STA single-status. However, that employee still needs to be successful in the local environment. Similar ED&I considerations may be necessary for many populations (women, younger employees, older employees, etc.). It is important to address the same factors for these employees on STAs as one would if they were embarking on an LTA.

To benchmark your STA policy and discover more emerging trends, download our 2022 expert report here .  

If you have any questions regarding this article or would like to find out more about other services, please contact Lisa Johnson (Global Practice Leader, Consulting Services) at [email protected] .

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Short-term Assignments

This online course provides a deep dive into all aspects of compensation and benefits, tax governance, immigration compliance and payroll considerations for short-term international assignments.

Short-term assignments (STAs) are evolving to become an essential means of moving talent for a wide range of purposes. For both employer and employee, they can also help to overcome mobility barriers typically associated with long-term assignments. However, short-term assignments have many tricky nuances and management of these can pose a major challenge for mobility teams.

Taught across five interactive modules, our online course will guide you through the basic principles of short-term assignments, and how to structure remuneration packages and navigate the various compliance challenges. By the end of course, you will have acquired the practical knowledge needed to deliver successful, compliant and cost-effective STAs.

Providing an engaging learning experience, this self-paced training incorporates case studies, quizzes and exercises to help cement your learning, which can be completed in your own time, from anywhere. 

Who this course is for and fees

Our online course is available to in-house mobility/HR teams or colleagues involved in managing their company's short-term assignments. Perfect for anyone new to mobility as well as those wanting to refresh their knowledge of all aspects of remuneration and compliance for STAs.

Course access and duration

The course is accessed via MyECA. Please sign in* to view your regional currency and to purchase the course (fees subject to tax, where applicable):

GBP 190 EUR 260 USD 310 AUD 390

*Don't have a MyECA account? Please sign up and select "I'd like to purchase online training". 

Offering excellent value for money, we provide access to the course for 90 days. Learners are given the opportunity to complete the modules at their own pace, with time to revisit topics and browse the additional resources listed to further aid their understanding. Experienced HR professionals looking to refresh and fill any gaps in their knowledge could run through the core learning content in around two hours.

Course content

Five bite-size modules to guide you through the key principles of delivering successful short-term assignments:

Topic 1: Background & context

Get to grips with the different types of short-term international work and their nuances

Topic 2: Compensation

Master the different types of allowances typically paid (incl. COLAs, per diems, and short-term allowances)

Topic 3: Support & benefits

Gain awareness of the typical relocation support and assignment benefits offered 

Topic 4: Payroll considerations

Become familiar with payroll considerations and how to deliver short-term assignment pay

Topic 5: Compliance considerations

Grasp how to navigate compliance challenges such as immigration and taxation for STAs

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Access to ECA’s online training is subject to ECA’s Terms and Conditions for Consulting Services which can be found here .

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