Expat Partner Support HR Newsletter | March 2017 Welcome to the March edition of Global Connection’s quarterly HR Newsletter. The following organisations are mentioned: HSBC, Mercer, AIRINC, Permits Foundation.
ADVANTAGES OF SPECIALISATION IN CONTRACTING Over the years we have had the pleasure of concluding many global spousal support contracts. As a result, we have seen first-hand how this field has benefited from specialisation. Here are some of our observations in this field. Purchasing department Nowadays, the actual contracting is generally performed by Purchasing departments in close cooperation with Global Mobility or HR departments, especially when the anticipated expenditure is large. Even larger contracts (e.g. over €500,000) are, however, ‘small’ for most Purchasing departments. The total expenditure of our corporate clients’ Purchasing departments often amounts to billions of euros on an annual basis.
PUSHING EXPATS OUT OF THEIR COMFORT ZONES When assigned abroad, it’s natural for expats to seek the familiar, to help them feel more at home. But does this hinder their integration into local culture? Familiarity not helpful It turns out that familiarity does more than breed contempt. It can work against the success of an assignment, according to two professors at the University of New Mexico, who aimed to assess the impact that organisational cultural intelligence (OCQ) has on ‘intent to quit’ (ITQ). They believe the more expats are surrounded by things that remind them of home, the harder a company needs to work to keep them from packing up and heading home.
Professional services Previously, many manufacturing companies left the sourcing of professional services to purchasers responsible for production related materials. Once they started with a separate department for professional services and, for example, travel, they often referred to the activity as non-product-related purchasing. However, nowadays most corporate clients have a special department for sourcing professional services, ideally even with purchasers who are specialised in HR-related purchasing. Partnership approach Professional services, especially expat partner support, require quite a different approach than production related materials. The latter are often commodities and often fungible. Lowest price is typically the main decisive factor in the purchasing choice. In the case of partner support, pricing is important but not as important as the total cost of ownership. Numerous qualitative arguments in combination with implementing a proper global coverage are often the overriding factors. Ultimately, it’s a partnership approach. Often we become an extension of the Global Mobility department. Code of Conduct However, the expat partner has no contractual agreement with the assigning organisation. Consequently, in general the Code of Conduct of the organisation is not applicable for the expat partner. This has been an incentive for us to introduce our own Code of Conduct (based on the Codes of Conduct of our clients).
Benefits of local exposure The results might be surprising to some who assumed familiar items would make being away from home more bearable or easier. On the contrary, the paper argues, organisations need to train expats to understand and appreciate the benefits of local exposure. This is no small matter for organisations when expatriate assignments require significant expenditure. What of expat partners? So do expat partners also benefit from being in a less familiar environment? It’s an interesting question to consider. More than ever before, we’re often able to find our favourite foodstuffs on the far side of the world and unwind in the evening while watching the same Netflix shows online that we would watch back home.
Advantages of professional contracting Thanks to the increased specialisation of contracting expat partner support, we are all experiencing a better, more professional, contracting process compared with the past when it was often still a ‘product related’ exercise.
Connections with host culture But as it gets easier and easier to not engage with the local culture, perhaps expat partners need to be mindful that their own assignment will benefit from shunning the familiar and seeking more connections with their host culture.
Jacqueline van Haaften
Source: University of New Mexico
Global Connection | March 2017
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Expat Partner Support HR Newsletter JOB-SEEKERS NEED TO FOCUS ON ‘PAIN RELIEF’
OLDER EXPATS, THEY DO AS THE ROMANS DO
Pain letters are the new cover letters, according to one recruitment expert as they give jobseekers a “more powerful and immediate way to tell their story to hiring managers.”
Rather than being content to live life overseas in an expat bubble, many retired expats embrace the local way of life. As a result, they are more likely to feel at home in a short space of time. Member of the community Younger expats with careers take note: older retired expats often settle into life overseas more quickly than you do. That’s because retired expats often enthusiastically embrace the local way of life. The result of this open-minded, positive approach is they quickly feel like they’re part of the community. That’s according to a 2016 survey by HSBC Expat Explore in which 49 per cent of retired expats said it took less than six months to feel at home; 52 per cent said it took less than a year.
Avoiding the black hole According to HR expert Liz Ryan of the Human Workplace, most CVs and cover letters end up in a ‘black hole’. From there, she believes, a jobseeker’s odds of hearing back are very slim. That’s why Ryan came up with the idea of a ‘pain letter’ in which the candidate explains how they would offer ‘pain relief’ to the hiring company. Homework required This means to draft an effective pain letter, the job-seeker has to do their homework. They need to identify what ‘pain’ a company might be struggling with. For example, a Payroll Specialist might look at a fast-growing company that experiences ‘the pain associated with employees getting paid the wrong amount or not getting paid on time’. The Payroll Specialist’s letter would highlight how they would address this situation. In Ryan’s words: “Stop focusing on your skills, and tell us instead about the kinds of pain you relieve!” To the point An effective pain letter is short and to the point, starting with a hook to draw in the reader – a reference to a news story about the company, for example. The candidate would then zero in on a ‘business pain’ the hiring company is likely experiencing (choose one ‘pain’, advises Ryan, even if there are a number of issues). The candidate should also describe a time when they saved the day at work by addressing a similar issue. Snail mail, not email After adding a simple conclusion, how can the job-seeker make sure their pain letter won’t go straight into the aforementioned black hole? The trick is to find out the hiring manager’s name and snail-mail address and pop the pain letter and a CV in the post. That way it will land right on their desk and get their attention. Source: forbes.com 2
Global Connection | March 2017
The secret of retirees So what’s their secret? According to the researchers – who surveyed 22,000 expats in 100 countries – the retirees were clearly making a concerted effort to find local friends. But how do you make local friends? By simply immersing yourself in the local culture and interacting with the local community. Expats with careers and kids might feel they have less time and opportunity to do so than retirees, nonetheless, the findings of the survey are crystal clear: If we take a proactive approach to interacting with the local community, we will feel at home more quickly. Fun-loving expats The retired expats are also having a lot of fun. More than two in five retired expats surveyed said they had a more active social life than at home. They invariably enjoyed discovering new cuisines, which can play a major role in socialising, with seven in ten retired expats enjoying cooking or eating the local food. As a result of all the above, a majority of 63 per cent found it easy to form new friendships abroad. Nearly three-quarters of participants believed that they are integrating well overall with the local people and culture.
GREATER VARIETY OF CROSS-BORDER MOVEMENT
THE BEST CITY FOR EXPATS? OH, VIENNA!
Global Mobility is experiencing an unprecedented level of change. AIRINC’s 2017 Mobility Outlook survey reveals that mobility functions are managing a greater variety of crossborder movement than ever before. The term ‘expat’ now seems inadequate to describe the range of assignment and transfer types gaining traction today.
Despite increased political and financial volatility across Europe, many of its cities offer the world’s highest quality of living and remain attractive destinations for sending expatriates on assignment, according to Mercer’s 19th annual Quality of Living survey.
In the upcoming year, survey respondents (n = 130) expect the number of assignees on the following policies to increase / decrease / remain the same: Contract type
Increase Decrease
Short-term assignment
55%
5%
International one-way transfer
45%
4%
Business traveller
43%
2%
Commuter
35% 8%
Developmental programme
29%
0%
Locally hired non-national
29%
4%
Volunteer
21% 1%
Home-based ‘light’ approach
19%
Rotator
19% 3%
Home plus approach
15%
The top ten For the eighth year running, Vienna topped the overall list with Zurich in second place, with Munich (4), Dusseldorf (6), Frankfurt (7), Geneva (8), Copenhagen (9), and Basel, a newcomer to the list, in 10th place.
3%
7%
Long-term home-based approach 14%
31%
Host (no plus) approach
11%
2%
Globalist
9% 6%
PERMITS FOUNDATION APPOINTS NEW MANAGING DIRECTOR Michiel van Campen has been appointed as new MD of the Permits Foundation, the organisation that campaigns globally to improve work permit regulations for expat partners. Focus Van Campen, who has extensive experience in international and business–government relations, says his first priority will be “to focus on the changing legislation and regulations in China, South Africa, India, Singapore and Malaysia.” In addition, the Permits Foundation will be closely monitoring the implementation of the EU ICT directive, the effects of
Outside Europe The only non-European cities in the top ten are Auckland (3) and Vancouver (5). The highest ranking cities in Asia and Latin America are Singapore (25) and Montevideo (79), respectively. Meanwhile, Dubai (74) continues to rank highest for quality of living across Africa and the Middle East, rising one position in this year’s ranking, followed closely by Abu Dhabi (79), which climbed three spots.
Brexit, and other developments around the world, promises the new MD. Visibility The Dutchman believes he has inherited a well-established organisation that is one of a kind. He plans to boost the foundation’s visibility and ensure its network remains attractive to sponsors. Van Campen: “Our work is only possible with the continued support of our impressive network, which gives us credibility and access to governments in countries where we want to achieve change.” Expat experience Van Campen experienced first hand how important it is for expat partners to have the opportunity to work abroad: “As a diplomat, I was posted to Yemen, which is not an easy location. However, my wife was able to continue her career as a paediatric physiotherapist over there, which made all the difference. It helped turn our time in Yemen into a fantastic family experience.”
Global Connection | March 2017
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Expat Partner Support HR Newsletter LEARNING FOREIGN LANGUAGES SHARPENS YOUR BRAIN Struggling to learn the language of your host country? Don’t give up! At the end, you will have a better expat experience. And your brain will work faster too, according to a new research study. The more the better Learning foreign languages enhances our brain’s elasticity and its ability to code information, according to scientists from the Higher School of Economics (HSE) in Russia and from the University of Helsinki. The more foreign languages we learn, the more effectively our brain reacts and processes the data accumulated in the course of learning, they say. The researchers measured electrical activity in the brains of 22 participants who listened to recordings of different words in their native language, as well as in foreign languages. The words were both known and completely unknown by them. Working faster Investigators tracked changes in the brain’s activity when the words popped up and specifically looked at the speed at which the brain readjusted its electrical activity to deal with unknown words. They then compared their measurements to the participants’ linguistic background – how many languages they knew, at which age they began to learn them, etc. They found that knowing a second language had influenced the brain’s plasticity. Brains of participants who knew more languages processed the information more quickly. Overall, knowledge of an additional language was associated with faster neural activity. Source: sciencedaily.com and healthnewsline.net
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 and the mobility of the expats, i.e. talent mobility. We have more than 23 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 | March 2017