Did you know that, according to the Brookfields Global Relocation Trends survey, 6% of international jobs fail, that is, they end prematurely? This statistic should be of interest to all international workers, as the typical expatriate assignment requires a significant investment in time and energy from the employee, spouse and family and, in the case of the partner it can also include a certain amount of personal sacrifice. The cost of failure in an international posting is therefore extremely high and it is vital that you do everything you can to minimize the risk of assignment failure.
So, what steps can an international employee take to maximize their chances of having a successful assignment, which is not cut short and where they get to stay the full term?
According to the Brookfields Relocation GRS survey – which looked at responses from 123 senior HR professionals who together manage a total world-wide employee population of 6 million – the top reasons for early return from assignment were family concerns/spousal dissatisfaction, accounting for 33% of all early returns. Family concerns are the top reason for expatriate assignment failure – and this strongly suggests that international workers should invest time in satisfying the concerns and needs of their accompanying partner and family. There are 5 steps that you can take to do this and we have outlined these below.
1. For starters, you should consider carefully whether your partner will be able to find work in the host country, because surveys show that partners are struggling to find employment. In particular, the International Survey of Expatriate Spouses and Partners, found that while 90% of partners were employed before expatriation, only 35% actually managed to find a job during expatriation, yet 75% of partners actually wanted to work. It is not hard to see why many spouses become dissatisfied when on assignment. In view of all this, you should do a detailed market analysis of your intended destinations and try, where possible, to pick locations where there is a strong demand for the skills that your partner possesses.
2. Secondly, another potential barrier which your partner may face is getting a work visa, so if you can afford it, arrange to have your spouse's work visa handled through a specialist immigration agency to minimize issues. Many employers will offer support with spousal visas, either paying for an agency to handle it or administering it themselves. Even if employers don't offer spousal visa support as standard, then there is nothing wrong with asking. Favour companies who offer this kind of support.
3. Thirdly, some companies may provide assistance to your spouse in finding a job; they may be able to mine their network of contacts which can help your spouse find a job quicker. Even if employers don't offer this kind of support, ensure that you ask and see if it can be made available.
4. Next, of course your spouse should also do their own preparatory work before landing in the host country. In particular, your spouse should be researching employers and networking with local recruiters and employers and professionals on Linked-In – and this will open the door to many opportunities.
5. And finally, another chief reason that partners can fail to adapt is because they can't fit into the culture. So, if you are going to a country which has a culture and language which is different to your own, we recommend that both you and your partner make some attempt to learn the language as it will make integration much easier. Many employers offer 'cross-cultural' training and support for expatriate and partner and if this is available you should take it up. Favour employers who offer this kind of service.
Therefore, if you and your spouse can work as a team to ensure that your spouse makes the appropriation preparations before moving to the host country, your partner should have a much greater chance of finding employment, integrating effectively and having an enriching experience in the host country.
Links:
http://knowledge.brookfieldgrs.com/content/insights_ideas-2012_GRTS
http://www.expatica.com/hr/story/Lack-of-partner-employment-opportunities-adversely-affects-global-mobility-of-highly-skilled-employees.html