With the increasing globalisation of businesses, there may come a time when you will need to send one of your employees abroad. Whether it’s a short visit or a longer business trip, you will still need to ensure that you are doing everything you possibly can to keep them protected while they are overseas. It’s not just a moral obligation, you are legally responsible for them in many ways – so if things go wrong while they are abroad you could be liable for the cost.

Educate them

What may be perfectly acceptable in one country may be outright illegal in another. Make sure your employee is briefed upon the cultural differences they may encounter while abroad. If you make a dossier available to them with up-to-date, practical & intercultural information, this will help to prevent any mishaps that could reflect badly on your company.

Prepare for the worst

Make sure your employee registers at the nearest British Embassy upon arrival. Should something go wrong and they find themselves in the midst of a crisis the embassy should be able to help. If their problem is less severe, it still wouldn’t hurt to put aside an emergency budget for them ‘just in case’.

Prevent health risks

There are several health hazards your employee could encounter whilst abroad, including the risk of disease so it’s imperative that you offer workplace vaccinations to immunise them against any infections they may be susceptible to.

Secure a valid work permit

The cost and effort it takes to properly fill out a visa/work permit application is nothing compared to the
sanctions your company could receive if your employee cannot produce the correct paperwork when questioned. These sanctions can include an absolute ban on applying for any future visas/permits, putting the stoppers on any more global outreach possibilities.

Stay in touch

Keeping regular contact with your employee can keep you well-informed about the project they are on, but it’s also useful to make sure they are coping well in their situation and there are no problems. Keeping a mix of both formal and informal contact can help put your employee at ease whilst making sure they are on the ball.

Pay attention to local laws

If you are ignorant to such things as a foreign country’s minimum wage and tax requirements, you may find yourself with a hefty sanction. Make sure you are fully aware of all these processes or the consequences could be severe.

Seek advice

We understand that you may not be an expert in many areas outlined in this guide, so you may want to speak with a consultant on this subject to guide you through the tricky areas of foreign tax/law.