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Expat Partner Support HR Newsletter | December 2015
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EXPAT PARTNER SUPPORT
Welcome to the December edition of Global Connection’s quarterly HR Newsletter. We inform you of findings from our own research department and ISC Research. The following organisations are also mentioned: Permits Foundation, Heineken, iRelaunch, Credit Suisse, Edufax and EY.
POSITIVE DEVELOPMENTS FOR MOBILITY In the run up to Christmas, I am delighted to share news on some significant developments that will improve the mobility of expat partners. Permits Foundation In October, I attended the annual conference of the Permits Foundation in London, where, once again, they stressed the importance of their worldwide lobby to grant expat partners work permits. In the column opposite, we detail what they have achieved so far. Return to work support We also have more good news on a rather new phenomenon: returnships (page 2). Our recent Return to Work survey highlighted how important this option is, also for our target group. Therefore it’s great to see an increasing number of companies are now looking to support those who want to re-join the workforce through returnships.
WORK PERMITS GOOD FOR BUSINESS In the next five years the Permits Foundation plans to step up its global campaign persuading countries to give expat partners “open” permission to work. At the foundation’s annual meeting it was announced the initiative would gradually be extended to the “50 most important business destinations”. Win-win-win situation There is a clear business case for offering “open” permissions that would allow expat partners to work, said board member Kathleen van der WilkCarlton at the Permits Foundation’s international symposium in October in London. It is basically a win-win-win situation: it is good for host countries as it supports trade and investment; it helps international employers to attract and retain mobile talent; and expat partners get a chance to maintain and develop skills. It also makes it easier for the latter to return to work in their home country. Eliminate restrictions It’s for these reasons that the Permits Foundation will try to convince more countries to eliminate restrictions on work permits for expat partners. When the foundation started its work in 2001, only a handful of countries allowed partners to work. There are now 31. Global Connection is a sponsor of the Permits Foundation. For more information: www.permitsfoundation.com
Volunteering 3.0 Another interesting development is the rise of ‘virtual volunteering’ (also see page 3). Although a voluntary job doesn’t generate a paycheck, it can bring valuable work experience. With virtual volunteering, location is no longer a restriction. Positive for mobility During the pre-decision phase, in the kitchen table discussions that we provide, we have seen how the abovementioned developments are having a positive influence on the mobility of expat partners and, consequently, also of expats. Jacqueline van Haaften
Global Connection | December 2015
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Expat Partner Support HR Newsletter RETURN TO WORK INTERNSHIP A GREAT SUCCESS
EXPAT CONCERN: LEFT-BEHIND PARENTS
A paid internship is one way to a satisfying job for expat partners who want to return to work after their repatriation. It certainly worked for American financial expert Jenifer Kelley (38). She went back to her home country after a few years in the Netherlands with her husband, who worked for Heineken.
Concern for elderly relatives, particularly parents, back home is frequently cited as a serious issue for expats and their partners. It will also likely be an even bigger issue in future.
Long absence from workforce Jenifer had worked for 12 years in private wealth management when she decided, in 2009, to take a break after her first child was born. Three years later, this break was extended when she went as an expat partner to the Netherlands. In 2014, Jenifer and her family returned to the US, where she wanted to get back to work. Special programmes Jenifer was aware of the existence of special return to work programmes. “I Googled re-entry internships, and found a site called iRelaunch with a number of programmes offered by financial services companies.” Jenifer decided to apply to the 11-week Real Returns programme at Credit Suisse. “They offer the kind of financial services that I was already familiar with.”
Increasingly common The demographics of expats are diversifying, meaning among other things that more older employees are being asked to move abroad. That in turn means it’s getting more common for older relatives to be left behind, sometimes alone. There are more reasons behind this phenomenon, such as people now live longer, have children at a later stage in life, families are getting smaller, and divorce rates are higher. Very high costs What can be done about lonely, left-behind relatives? Taking your parent(s) abroad with you is an obvious option but can have complications, as not every country is willing to issue a visa for them. Also, possibly very high extra costs can be involved, such as insurance premiums and health care costs. Use modern technology There are other ways, though, to make your move easier, both for your elderly parents and yourself. One of them is to make full use of modern technology, such as Skype or FaceTime, to maintain contact. If necessary, teach your parents in advance how to use a tablet, and practise with them. Adapted and edited from an original article, in Global Connection’s media for spouses (B2B subscription).
THE THINGS I CAN’T GET USED TO
Getting to know each other How does a return to work internship work? Jenifer: “It is a paid internship, and it gives you the opportunity to demonstrate what you can do. The idea is that the employer can get to know you, and you get to know them.” After her 11-week internship, Jenifer had demonstrated her value to Credit Suisse, and was offered full employment. Great way to get back to work With that experience Jenifer is very enthusiastic about return to work internships. “There are a lot of very capable women who take a break for a few years and then want to work again. Return to work internships are now offered by some banks, but also in the legal community and in insurance. I think they are a great way to get back to work again.” For more information: www.irelaunch.com Adapted and edited from an original article, in Global Connection’s media for spouses (B2B subscription).
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Global Connection | December 2015
“The Chinese don’t queue. Even when you’ve managed to reach the counter, they still try to cut in.” British expat partner in China
“It seems that whenever I go to a bank to get money, there are always a few cashiers asleep at the counter.” Canadian expat partner in Cuba Source: Global Connection’s media for spouses (B2B subscription)
GROWING INTEREST IN INTERNATIONAL SCHOOLS
VOLUNTEERING 3.0 With the rise of social media and our hectic modern lifestyles, the times are a-changing for volunteering. New trends and buzzwords in the field include slacktivism, crowdsourcing and micro-volunteering. Welcome to Volunteering 3.0. Reaching out online It may be true that people are less likely to get physically involved in volunteering nowadays and that social media encourages social isolation. However, statistics show that we are reaching out more than ever and that this is down to social media. It has created a whole new landscape for volunteering.
According to ISC Research, the market for English language international schools has grown substantially since 2000 and is expected to grow further, especially in developing countries. Numbers will rise The interest in English language international schools is growing rapidly. There are now 8,000 such schools with a total of 4.2 million students. It is expected those numbers will rise to 15,000 and 8 million respectively by 2025. Access to universities The reason for the growing popularity of these English language schools, both amongst expats and local parents, is that they are seen as an important educational route to access Western universities. The language itself, globally recognised curricula and high standards of learning and teaching all play a role in this. Semi-international schools Speaking of the research, Gisi Cannizzaro, spokesperson of international educational support organisation, Edufax, said that growing interest in international education would lead to more and more local schools offering international programmes alongside or in lieu of local educational programmes. Such programmes, and comparable ‘semiinternational’ schools, could create good (and relatively cost-effective) opportunities for expat children. More information: www.iscresearch.com and www.edufax.nl
Rise of slacktivism Take ‘slacktivism’. A contradiction in terms that is coined from ‘slacker’ and ‘activism’, denoting the desire to give without getting your hands dirty – like joining a Facebook group or donating by clicking your mouse or sending a text message. This way people who cannot or do not wish to commit full-time to volunteering can do short-term volunteering (micro-volunteering) and still make a difference. Support from the crowd NGOs and NPOs are increasingly benefiting from slacktivism and from the possibilities that social media and the internet have generated. Organisations can reach outside their traditional networks to raise money for various causes, a method often referred to as ‘crowdfunding’, and in this way they may see results much faster and reach a much wider target group. Flexible virtual volunteers The implications of these new trends are far-reaching both on a communitylevel and globally. It starts with one individual and all they need is a computer or a phone. Yes, social media can lead to social isolation, but it has also led to the emergence of digital citizens and virtual volunteers. Expat partners and volunteering To some expat partners, virtual volunteering is a godsend. For if you have invested blood, sweat and tears in building a charity while posted abroad, how else can you continue the good work when the time comes to repatriate or relocate? Expat partners, in situations like this, increasingly find that geographical borders mean nothing when it comes to giving. Adapted and edited from an original article, in Global Connection’s media for spouses (B2B subscription).
DIGITAL HR NEWSLETTER AND MORE Our HR Newsletter is also distributed digitally. Please advise us if you would like to receive the digital version, as well as or instead of the print edition, or if you want to stop receiving our newsletters altogether. You can find all our HR Newsletters at www.global-connection.info (‘HR’ tab), including related and more in-depth articles.
Global Connection | December 2015
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Expat Partner Support HR Newsletter ASPIRING ENTREPRENEURS SHOULD TAKE NOTE For any expat partner who wishes to start up a physical business while on assignment, extensive research and planning is essential, according to Monique de Blécourt from EY. First and foremost For starters, you need to find out if you are even allowed to set up a business. If you can then you can look into registering a company, what insurance coverage you need, and, above all else, what your tax obligations are as a business owner. A taxing situation “You don’t want to get a nasty shock of any kind down the line so you definitely need to look into tax straight-away,” says Monique. She also underscores the importance of looking at the small print: “When making contracts, you need to consider if you can commit to what it entails.” Research and networking Furthermore, Monique advises plenty of research – this could begin with a feasibility study and include a survey of the market. In general, she also recommends searching for business groups, or other networking organisations for key insights, helpful pointers and practical advice. Is this the right move? Monique also offers a final caveat: Assignments can fail if the expat partner is unhappy. To avoid adding extra duress when relocating with your family, and considering the time you expect to stay in this new location, you must ask if opening a ‘bricks and mortar’ business is the right move. Adapted and edited from an original article, in Global Connection’s media for spouses (B2B subscription).
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EXPAT PARTNER SUPPORT
ABOUT GLOBAL CONNECTION Global Connection is an independent, international organisation that is exclusively dedicated to expat partner support. Our goal: to contribute to the wellbeing and mobility of expat partners and consequently to the success of the posting. We have more than 20 years of experience. We support partners of 80 nationalities in 140 countries. SERVICES FOR HR AND GLOBAL MOBILITY Research: Global Connection conducts research into all aspects of partner support. Our studies include surveys among expat partners as well as HR/ Global Mobility executives. In addition, we conduct customised surveys to answer your specific questions. Consultancy: We help organisations with, among other things: partner support policy development, ROI calculations, improving cost efficiency and effectiveness, benchmarking, best practices exchange, supplier selection, purchasing/contracting, testing plans and new initiatives. HR/Global Mobility management and staff training is also available. SERVICES FOR EXPAT PARTNERS Unique support model: Effective partner support requires providing the right information and service at the right time and in the right way. Therefore, we work according to a unique Triple Seven Support Model and provide a one-stop-shop for expat partner support. 7 STAGES Pre-decision Pre-departure Settling in Settled Pre-repatriation Repatriation Repatriated
7 AREAS Life abroad Destination Networking Paid work Alternatives Repatriation Other
7 FORMS Needs assessment Media Support desk Network Local meeting Coaching* Training* * incl. test/assessment
B2B and B2C: Our support packages are exclusively available to expat partners of assigning organisations that have a contract with Global Connection. Our books are also available to the general public and can be ordered online. MORE INFORMATION Please visit www.global-connection.info or contact us at info@gcmail.info
ABOUT THIS NEWSLETTER This quarterly Global Connection HR Newsletter is produced for all HR, Global Mobility and Talent Managers with an interest in expat partner support. For more information, please contact us at info@gcmail.info 4
Global Connection | December 2015