July 2000

Editorial

What's new in Dual Career ?

Alain Verstandig, Managing Director, Net Expat   The most encouraging thing for a company like Net Expat in its daily quest to change attitudes in a field of which it is a pioneer, is to see things happening. Well we certainly have been lucky on that score! We were delighted to be invited to speak at 3 international conferences dealing with Human Resources and International Mobility. They were held in Prague, London and Brussels. The subjects on which the organisers asked us to speak were, of course, directly linked to our key area of activity : new solutions to the growing problem of "Dual Career couples" encountered by companies in their management of international mobility. On each occasion our presentations opened up debates which were rich, constructive and forward-looking. The many questions are beginning to find satisfactory answers and ad hoc structures are being put in place in most international companies. " Family management" is taking off, to the considerable benefit of multinationals and their employees.

Expert Opinions

The Flexible Response

Scott Cromar Senior Manager in Expatriate Compensation and Benefits Consulting at PricewaterhouseCoopers, London The reality behind the rhetoric of globalisation is borne out in PricewaterhouseCoopers' fourth International Assignments European Policy and Practice 1999/2000 survey of over 270 companies. Growth in expatriate numbers was reported in every region, accompanied by increasing numbers of short-term, commuter and 'virtual' assignments. This increasing diversity in assignment type is a reflection of the innovative approaches being adopted in both expatriate reward and policy in order to feed the growth. The attraction of the different assignment types is that they avoid the requirement of prolonged trips abroad and are a response to employee reluctance to relocate. Nearly half of the participants have introduced 'virtual' assignments, where the employee manages their international responsibilities with a combination of regular communication link-ups and frequent business trips, in place of a 'traditional' assignment. As technological advances in communication continue to speed up the business environment, many companies have identified the need to engender flexibility amongst their workforce. There is a move by some to demystify the expatriate process and establish international trips as a commonplace part of an employee's work. Attracting employees to accept an international assignment remains a key challenge for organisations. Most companies have had an employee turn down an offer of an international assignment and nearly half report that they encounter problems in attracting employees to accept international assignments. The evidence suggests that this is a growing problem, particularly as the increasing demand for internationally mobile employees naturally puts pressure on the supply of available candidates. Furthermore, not only are employees most likely to refuse an international assignment due to concern over the disruption to a partner's career, half of the companies in our survey singled out the partner as a major factor in assignment failure or under-performance. This is not altogether surprising since the least important criteria when selecting an expatriate are the intercultural adaptability of the expatriate's partner, and considerations of the partner's career, lifestyle suitability and emotional resilience. However, in an attempt to address partner issues, an increasing number of companies have established a dual career policy stating what assistance they will offer to an accompanying partner. The types of assistance provided to partners and spouses include job-finding assistance, financial assistance for education and compensation for lost income. The more flexible approach adopted by many companies to assignment management is also beginning to be reflected in the area of expatriate reward. Companies' recognition of diversity is a key factor in the continuing trend away from highly prescriptive, paternalistic policies towards a more flexible approach. Organisations want to be able to recognise the different and individual needs of employees, but at the same time remain squarely within the framework of a policy that treats everyone fairly. The growing demand for internationally mobile employees is being met by a realisation that the paternalistic, rigid approaches of yesteryear will no longer suit. The diversity of the employee pool from which expatriates are drawn is increasingly recognised with the development of more flexible and transparent responses. In such a fast changing environment, an understanding of the potential options available for facilitating international employee mobility is an organisation's best response. Scott Cromar can be contacted in London on +44 (0)20 7213 1144 or at scott.cromar@uk.pwcglobal.com

Lobbying

Spousal Employment Relief

Pam Perraud  President, Global Transitions, New-York Moving abroad has never been easy for spouses, but for today's career-minded spouses, the barriers to working overseas seem insurmountable. Not only are there the obvious linguistic barriers, but the governmental hurdles are well entrenched. The United States has been one of the most difficult places for foreign spouses to work. But new legislation has been introduced to change that. NEW LEGISLATION There is now legislation in Congress (HR 2662- the Spousal Equity Act), introduced by Silicon Valley Representative Zoe Lofren, which would provide work authorization for non-immigrant spouses of intercompany transferees, if the US has a reciprocal treatment agreement with the country of origin of the spouse. Some 28 Representatives have co-sponsored the bill. This legislation would be a god-send for the thousands of dual career foreign spouses unable to work in the US during their spouses' sojourn. It would also prove to be a boon to American spouses currently unable to work abroad because of similar restrictive laws in other countries. At the present time, there are only a handful of countries that permit easily american spouse of international executives to work - Argentina, Australia, Sweden, the Netherlands and the UK. While the new legislation would seem to be a win-win situation for all countries involved, there is still plenty of resistance in the US Congress about opening jobs up to foreigners. The law would also face opposition abroad, particularly in Europe, because of existing high unemployment levels. MEWS Multinational corporations are generally backing this legislation because it would begin to solve one of the biggest headaches for intercompany transfers - refusals to relocate because of dual career problems. A lobbying group called MEWS - Multinational Employers for Working Spouses - has been formed in Washington DC under the auspices of the American Council on International Personnel. While many companies have joined, more support is needed. In order to receive more information about joining MEWS, contact lynn-shotwell@acip.com. Address : MEWS 121 New York Ave NW Suite 850 Washington, DC +1 202 371-6789 FAX +1 202 371 2898. Individuals wanting more information on HR bill 2662, the Spousal Equity Act should check out the website for the government at www.congress.org. Individuals or non-profit groups who are interested in joining an international lobbying effort on behalf of working spouses should contact Pam Perraud at pperraud@aol.com

Testimony

Mirror Views

1. What expectations did you have before you moved? Florence: To be entirely honest, the reason I came to Brussels was to follow some of my best friends. I think I would not have come without them. However, I would not have come either if Jean-René had not been prepared to follow me. Some couples cope very well living apart during the week. I did not feel I could. Before coming I told myself I was going to Brussels to make the most of my family, my friends, myself, life. When we arrived my first priority was to sort out the children: a creche, a school and most of all a nanny. In the beginning I ended up juggling four nannies depending on the day of the week and even the hours. I finally found the perfect one. Jean-René: For the family's sake I wanted an apartment near Florence's work and in a good location for our children's school. My own personal choice did not come into it as I did not know whether or in what sector I would be working. I wanted to work in Belgium. I had no intention to commute with Paris for the obvious reason that I wanted a stable family life. 2. What were the most pleasant surprises about coming to Brussels? I think of Brussels as having all the advantages of a city without any of the disadvantages. Brussels is a very open and cosmopolitan city. There are a lot of things to do here. I am now happily working in Brussels in a new environment, which is very stimulating. I find Brussels a very pleasant city to live in: there is less pollution than in Paris, and I enjoy the proximity of the countryside and the seaside. The short distance with Paris is also helping us to have a lot of friends visiting us here. I enjoy the hospitality of the locals: if you get lost, they are the ones who will come up to you to see if they can help before you even ask for directions! 3. And the least pleasant surprises? It rains all the time. I had lived in the sun for over ten years so it makes a big difference to me. Even when the weather is fine the rain can catch you out. It can be a bit depressing sometimes but you put up with it. Europe is still not fully up and running, and you can see it from little details: as I already had a European public transport driving licence, I did not think I would have to retake all the code tests. I was wrong. I had to start again from scratch! 4. What advice would you give to newcomers or to expats who are unsure about making the move? Don't think twice about coming. It is a great experience especially if you are an expat … And also, try to learn the local languages, and if you come from France, take a Dutch language course! If you get the chance, do try to do some reconnaissance on the surroundings: it will help you to take the right decision. 5. And if you had your time over again? I would be here in a flash! This entire move has been very positive! I would therefore do it again to get to know new places, new people. Living abroad can only help to broaden your mind!

Florence & Jean-René Forte

Flavor of France

Mobilising Human Resources !

Chantal Huret, Programme Director France, Net Expat The Human Resources Department is a rising star in the recruitment hit-parade in France, where there is a noticeable revival in the number of posts being offered in HR departments. No doubt the economic recovery and the new requirements associated with the boom in international mobility have something to do with it. However, quite apart from these economic phenomena, the discussion about "HR" is changing. When we talk about expatriation or more generally international mobility, the importance of a degree and particularly one from the top universities is legendary in France. Yet increasing weight is being given nowadays both to skills acquired on the job within the company and more especially to the family circumstances of the expatriate. All of this goes to show that people are once again occupying centre stage at work. Surely that is their rightful place ?

Interview Techniques

" Face-to-face " through the phone …

Richard Hill Intercultural consultant, trainer and author of " We Europeans ", "Euromanagers & Martians" and other books on intercultural understanding.  Nothing, not even the Internet, beats contact face-to-face. When people are engaged in a process of reciprocal assessment, as in a job interview situation, they need to know one another as well as they can. Personal contact offers the widest range of signals - not just the words, but the gestures, the eye contact, the body language - and it enables the participants to use their intuitive senses. But not everyone can find the opportunity to get face-to-face in these busy times, so contact by telephone - particularly through the mobile phone services - is a second-best alternative. But one that has its hazards, practical and cultural. The first problem of course is that, with less clues available to the participants in a phone conversation, the room for misunderstanding, particularly across cultures, is great. One important thing that seems to distinguish the British and the French - and that infuriates Germans and people from the German-speaking zones of influence further east - is a reluctance to identify oneself when calling. A well brought-up German (and most of them are) will say "Here is Mr or Ms So-and-So. May I speak to…". A Brit will just say "May I speak to…". The French add to the confusion by refusing to identify themselves when taking a call. This is liable to precipitate an exchange of reciprocal "allo allo's" that leads nowhere in particular. The comes the vexed question of precise forms of address, the use of first or family names and, for English-speakers, the 'Sie/Du, vous/tu, etc' problem. The best advice there is to stay formal until you're invited to behave otherwise. Only the Anglo-Saxons seem anxious to get on first-name terms to show that they are as good as you are… The Dutch have a ritual. "They start by saying 'u' but, within five minutes, they're saying 'je'. Even the French today can quickly get onto first-name terms but they will continue to 'vouvoyer' you, like French children talking to their parents…". When approached out of the blue by a headhunter, the typical German will be awfully suspicious and ask for a call-back number. Bearing in mind the fact that there is such a thing as phonephobia, my advice is to be polite, listen carefully, avoid too direct questions and maybe even offer to call back later. There are also some people about, like Romanians, who suspect that every phone - including their own - is bugged!

Job opportunities within Net Expat

Things are moving fast at Net Expat.

We are actively looking for several outstanding candidates (employed or self-employed) based in Paris, London and Brussels for various positions. If you are truly people oriented, have at least 5 years experience in Recruitment or Training, understand the challenges of expatriation and speak perfect English, then contact us quickly to discover what could be your next professional adventure!