Each year, a growing number of Canadian firms relocate employees to work in foreign countries. While there are considerable personal and professional benefits to working and living abroad, there are also a number of challenges for individual employees, as well as their spouses and families.

Need for family-friendly policies

In recent presentations to Norfolk Mobility’s Calgary and Toronto clients and friends, Robin Pascoe talked about the importance of developing family-friendly relocation policies. Robin is a journalist and former Canadian foreign service spouse. She has used her experience to assist spouses, families, and international assignment managers during overseas assignments through books, lectures, and an online community.

Robin says that it is critical to keep in mind the fact that the whole family – and particularly the spouse – is affected by a foreign assignment. She says that while many other components of foreign assignments have changed over the years, company policies have often not been developed or updated to reflect broad global and work/life balance issues for expatriates and their families. They also do not reflect specific issues such as the fact that many accompanying spouses now have careers of their own and are less enthusiastic about participation in the foreign assignment.

Family-friendly expat policies benefit everyone. They tend to reduce administration costs for companies, and help to control assignment costs and to minimize deal-making. They can also manage expectations, reduce stress and therefore contribute to a more productive work experience for the expat employee/family.

Research shows success factors

Research done by Yvonne McNulty, herself a trailing spouse, points to a number of factors that contribute to a successful experience for the expatriate’s spouse. Yvonne conducted a survey of 216 trailing spouses in 48 host countries and from 26 home countries for her Masters thesis at Southern Cross University in Australia. The results provided the following factors for success:

Success factors to increase willingness to relocate:

• 66% said standard of education for children
• 59% said company-funded home country visits
• 57% said transferring spouse’s attitude towards relocating
• 56% said ability to re-establish a support network
• 54% said perceived standard of living in host country
• Only 11% cited language barriers.

Success factors to improve organizational support:

• 94% said assistance to set up Internet and email
• 94% said housing assistance
• 85% said ongoing organizational support after relocation
• 82% said provision of extended time to adjust
• 26% said pre-departure training for trailing spouse.

Success factors to increase spousal adjustment:

• 99% said marital satisfaction (strong and healthy marriage)
• 96% said access to technology (email/Internet)
• 94% said organizational assistance
• 87% said degree of intimacy with other expats
• 76% said transferring spouse’s overall satisfaction with job.

Robin suggests that these strategies should be considered when developing/reviewing expat policy:

• Including the spouse in the candidate selection process
• Funding comprehensive insurance coverage including an Employee Assistance Program
• Developing effective ongoing communications with expats and families during assignments
• Family support during preparation for the assignment, repatriation and reassignment
• Spousal allowances, work permits, and other spousal support

She says it is also important to educate senior management about what they are putting at risk. She says “…most repatriation programs are initiated by a VP who has been there, done that, had problems. Find sympathetic people within your upper management who can serve as a champion for the program and for family-friendly policies.”

For more information:
www.thetrailingspouse.com
www.expatexpert.com