Bank stems the loss of employees returning from abroad: Talent-management system helps to keep people loyal

Purpose – Aims to develop a greater understanding of the problems faced by returning employees after an expatriate assignment. Design/methodology/approach – Reports the results of qualitative semi-structured interviews to create a multi-layered perspective of repatriation in a bank. Findings – Reveals that the inconsistent application of a global mobility policy contributed to the dissatisfaction of all stakeholders involved with the repatriation of staff. There was fundamental lack of talent management because of the absence of clear lines of responsibility associated with repatriating an employee. Practical implications – Highlights the need to audit global-mobility policy and practice to ensure policies are interpreted and applied consistently. The issue of multiple stakeholders identifies the need to ensure that clear lines of responsibility are required when managing repatriates. Social implications – It advances the view that fair and consistent treatment of employees enhances the bank’s reputation to manage talent effectively. Originality/value – It draws upon the views of multiple stakeholders, including line managers, human resource specialists and repatriates.