Translocal identity work in virtual international assignments: digital diplomacy, psychological safety and cross-cultural trust

Purpose Despite the growing reliance on virtual international assignments in multinational corporations, how professionals negotiate professional legitimacy, belonging and cross-cultural trust within formal international assignment roles without physical relocation remains insufficiently understood. Grounded in Identity Work Theory, this study examines these efforts as translocal identity work in the absence of the spatial and cultural immersion that characterizes traditional expatriation. Design/methodology/approach A qualitative multiple case study was conducted across three multinational corporations in three sectors (technology, consulting, manufacturing). Thirty semi-structured interviews were carried out with virtual assignees, defined as employees formally assigned to manage cross-border responsibilities from their home base without planned relocation. The interviews were analyzed using a team-based thematic approach, with visual network elicitation used to prompt discussion of assignment-related relationships. Findings Three interrelated themes illuminate translocal identity work: (1) translocal professionalism, capturing the global professional identity and belonging virtual assignees sought to sustain while remaining locally based; (2) digital diplomacy, involving deliberate relational labor to build and sustain cross-cultural trust through digital channels and (3) perceived psychologically safe inclusion, capturing leadership-mediated conditions supporting or constraining open voice and authentic participation. Participants' accounts suggest that symbolic and social proximity can support professional legitimacy and belonging without relocation. However, persistent marginality and relational strain indicate that these efforts remain contingent on organizational and leadership support. Originality/value The study introduces translocal identity work as an empirically grounded concept that contributes to global mobility research by examining the gap between holding a formal international assignment mandate and experiencing recognition as a legitimate cross-border actor. Drawing on Identity Work Theory, it explains how virtual assignees seek professional legitimacy and belonging through digital presence management and relational practices under varying conditions of perceived psychological safety. Rather than demonstrating that symbolic proximity substitutes for physical relocation, the findings identify reported circumstances in which these efforts support recognition or remain fragile. They also suggest context-sensitive implications for supporting the identity and relational work involved in virtual international assignments.