Three Key Issues Expat Couples Should Address (But Often Don’t) BEFORE they Expatriate.

Evaluating an assignment that will entail an international move can bring up a number of trickier issues for expat couples.  Many HR and Global Mobility departments take a hands-off approach, leaving the couple to address these issues themselves.  However, because of lack or awareness, a rosy view of life overseas or unwillingness to confront, many couples fail to address some of the important consequences that expatriation will bring for them.

Issue 1: Will your assignee’s partner be able to continue to work and what will she/he do if not?

Below we’ve listed our top three factors that can make a critical difference to the success of an assignment and how you can help couples to be better prepared for their relocation experience

Focused on the excitement of the prospect of an international move, many couples make assumptions based on incomplete research or information about whether or not the accompanying partner will be able to work in the new location (for example, a partner may be able to work in theory but the time taken to gain approval to practice their profession in the new country may take years).  In the event that a partner can’t work, couples often neglect the issue of what the partner will do thinking that a few years out of the daily grind will be a welcome respite.

Why should you help? It’s true that a growing number of potential assignees turn down assignments because of the partner’s career and complete information might have exactly this consequence. However a partner who has received a negative surprise in relation to ability to work will likely have more difficulty adjusting and may well feel resentment towards their partner.  The couple’s assessment of the financial benefits of the assignment will be inaccurate leading to dissatisfaction with their situation.  Even partners who think they will welcome not working may find that it challenges their identity and sense of self, which can again make the adjustment more difficult.  All of these consequences can jeopardise the longevity of the assignment and/or impair your ability to retain the employee.

How?

• Encourage the employee and partner to seek out the correct information.  Facilitate this by giving them access to immigration specialists and in country recruitment specialists
• Encourage couples to consider what the partner might do if she/he can’t work and facilitateconnections with in country resources that will help explore the options.

Issue 2: Have both assignee and partner made an informed decision?

Of course it’s not just the partner’s career that deserves a proper assessment.  Couples often go into assignments making uninformed assumptions on a host of important financial and lifestyle issues, from the financial impact of the move, to how they will live to their ability to maintain continuity in things that are important to them.  If an employee thinks a move might be a difficult “sell” to their partner, information (intentionally or unintentionally) may not be communicated or may take on a rosier hue that the reality.

Why should you help?

It’s the same story – negative surprises prolong the adjustment period, create tensions between partners and impact the family’s commitment to both the assignment and the company.

How?

• Include the partner in significant discussions about the move.  We know that you have no contractual relationship with the partner but in an international move, the partner will have a significant impact on the success of the assignment, so why not include her/him in the process.
• Provide them with lists of in-country resources that will give them a head start on their research.
• If you already have expatriate employees in that location, pair them with a family already in situ that can help them build a realistic view of their new life.

Issue 3: How will the expat couple address the partner’s financial dependence (if this will be an issue)?

If the partner can’t work, she/he will like become financially dependent on the employee.  Psychologically, this can be difficult for the partner to adjust to and legally it can impact the partner’s rights to the marital property or even custody of children in the event of divorce or death.  The burden of being the sole breadwinner can create stress and resentment on the part of the working partner too.  It’s an issue that few couples really thing about and even fewer take steps to address as no one thinks that divorce or death will happen to them.

Why should you help?

Once again the logic is that if partners have addressed the issue ahead of their move, it is less likely to become a problem for them when they move.  In this case though, we’d argue there’s a moral argument too as the long-term financial well-being of the partner can be jeopardised if this issue is not understood and addressed.

How?

• You can have an impact here simply by creating awareness and encouraging couples to address the emotional and legal aspects of the issue.

As you can see, this is not about HR and Global Mobility taking on the responsibility for addressing any of these issues, its about creating awareness and empowering couples to address the issues in a meaningful way.   The Thriving Abroad DECIDE to THRIVE system helps expatriating families to work through these issues and more.  To learn more about DECIDE to THRIVE and how it can help, click here