Mercer, the global consulting firm, has partnered with training consultancy group RW3 to create an online cultural training product that expatriates better adjust to their international assignments.

The tool, called CulturalTrainingPassport, comes at a time more companies are relocating key executives and staff offshore either to expand businesses or strengthen existing franchises.

Relocating executives is common in the financial services industry, particularly with Western banks looking to establish operations in the fast-growing Asian region. Early this year, Martin Currie relocated Mike Gibb from the UK to Singapore to lead its business development unit. iShares, the fund arm of BlackRock, also moved Hilary Bodin from the London office to Hong Kong to head the Asia-Pacific team.

CulturalTrainingPassport allows users to build individual cultural profiles and conduct in-depth country research so they can better prepare for life abroad. It also provides a confidential assessment of personal attributes to help them be more effective on their assignments.

"Cultural preparation is a key consideration for organisations sending employees on international assignments. Ensuring that employees know about their new environment and what it's like to do business there results in more success," said Barb Marder, global mobility commercial leader for Mercer.

Some of the tool's key features include a personal cultural profiler, interactive, country-specific training courses, an expat adjustment cycle tool and a relocation scheduling tool. SAGE, a validated pre-assignment self-assessment for employee and spouse or partner is also part of the programme.