For Dual-Career Expats, Economic Woes Threaten Benefits
from http://www.shrm.org

1/30/2009

One of the most important factors in determining the successful completion of an international assignment is the willingness of a spouse or partner to leave home and—more and more often these days—a career to live abroad. The situation has become even more serious in light of the current turmoil facing world markets.

According to participants in global workforce consultancy ORC Worldwide's Dual Careers and International Assignments Survey, the economic downturn, along with demographic changes, is having a major effect on the management of dual-career international assignments.

“Employers face a difficult dilemma,” said Geoffrey W. Latta, executive vice president of ORC Worldwide, in a statement about the study. “Forced to be particularly mindful of cost constraints, managers are still responsible for balancing these efforts with the need to attract and retain the best talent to remain globally competitive. Further, as more and more Baby Boomers are beginning to retire, companies are sending Generation X and Y employees abroad, many of whom have spouses/partners with their own careers and who are unwilling to give up not only their jobs but also the income associated with their positions.”

The situation is more severe in nations that restrict employment to residents only or that are experiencing their own high unemployment.

Exacerbating the problem for both managers and expatriate candidates is the trend of reducing financial support for dual-career couples. Survey participants reported cutbacks in such assistance during the assignment. In 2005, 33.5 percent did not provide any financial help, compared with 50.9 percent today.

Although a wide range of support—such as job search assistance, CV/resume preparation and business start-up advice—is available before and during the assignment, employers are reluctant to offer any assistance on repatriation. In fact, 81.8 percent do not provide any form of assistance for returning partners/spouses.

“Recognizing these factors, dual-career families are increasingly reluctant to accept an international assignment,” Latta said. “To address this challenge and the need for two incomes to fund a family's lifestyle, successful employers will recognize the necessity for flexibility and creativity in finding solutions for staffing worldwide operations.”

Source: http://www.shrm.com