April 2003

Editorial

Happy Birthday!

Alain Verstandig, Managing Director, Net Expat My, how time flies! It's now five years since Net Expat was born. And, my goodness, the offspring is doing fine ;-). It all started six years ago, when we had the revolutionary idea of offering customised solutions to Dual Career problems. We realized soon enough that this wouldn't be an easy task. So we enlisted the help of mobility specialists, expats and their partners, and of course corporate HR people to develop our first programs. A year later, we were ready to go: apart from the skills and knowhow we had managed to put together, we had above all the enthusiasm necessary to create the first partner assistance package in Europe. Here I would like to acknowledge the support of our first client, DuPont de Nemours, who placed entire confidence in our services without hesitation. In the two years that followed we were able to develop our partner support activities and perfect our coaching skills to the point that we were able to achieve an 80% placement rate. This, added to our growing list of multinational clients, was our greatest reward. The establishment of Net Expat offices abroad was a logical consequence of this development. In five years, our presence has extended to eight European countries, and the company's built-in dynamism comes from the caliber of the 47 people who work for it. As for our services, we also now provide integration business coaching for expats, and our latest baby ExpAdviser® - a psychometric test that measures individual expatriation potential - won't be in its crib for long! None of this would have been possible without you, our clients, sponsors, and readers, who - some from the outset, others more recently - have put your trust in our services. So let's blow out the candles together. Happy birthday!

Best Practice

A Flexible Approach to Partner Support

Denise Starrett, Manager International Assignments, European Union Region, Kraft Foods International When we looked at our international assignment program from an expatriate's perspective, we found a number of areas we could enhance. One critical area was the support we provided to the relocating partners. While we had in place policy elements defined as "partner support", we were not getting high satisfaction marks. Essentially the expatriate partners said we were not offering them proactive assistance in finding roles in the host countries, and the benefits we offered could not be tailored to their individual needs. We asked the partners to tell us what support they thought was important. The partners ranked assistance with job searches, language training, career counseling, funding for education, and establishing networks of expatriates among their top preferences. Further research revealed that a number of partners did not work in their host countries because the cost of childcare was prohibitive. Some partners felt isolated and wanted to build social networks. Other partners requested extra flights home to maintain relationships. Continuing education, international subscriptions and association memberships were also requested. Clearly the needs of the partners were as unique as the individuals themselves. Based on the surveys and focus groups, we redesigned our partner support into a more proactive and flexible program. Rather than a one-size-fits all policy, which is targeted mainly to the working partner, our flexible approach is now designed to allow each expatriate partner an opportunity to prioritize different benefits to meet his/her requirements. The new program offers increased value through choice to the individual and provides cost savings to the company compared to our previous program. Under this approach, we have assigned "points" to each benefit in the program. The points are associated with the cost of the benefit, including the tax effect. Thus, the higher the actual cost, the more points allocated to the benefit. With this points system, we have set a maximum number of points for the "year of transfer" and allocated points for annual "on-going support" for the length of the assignment. The expatriate partner can select benefits, in any combination, as long as the total number of points does not exceed the maximum allocation for that year. Our previous policy provided benefits primarily in the initial year of relocation. Now our expatriate partners can elect to change their choices on an annual basis. We are teaming up with specialized service companies that offer job search coaching, web-based tools and various destination services. A number of benefits come in the form of financial contributions, such as an annual budget for childcare or continuing education fees. In the preliminary testing of this new approach, we have received positive feedback. The key to our successful implementation is to ensure we introduce the concept as early in the international assignment process as possible. This way our expatriate couples will be able to assess the degree to which the partner's resettlement issues impact their final decision and know prior to the relocation what support our company offers to address their individual needs.

Guide

A helping hand

Dr. Damien Marmion, head of marketing, BUPA International, London Most companies expect to increase their expatriate placements over the next few years. The protection of the overseas workforce is becoming an increasing priority for management teams everywhere. This trend has prompted BUPA International to produce a comprehensive guide to employee relocation. 'On the Move' deals not only with the issue of international health insurance, but with every other aspect of the relocation process too. From initial documentation requirements through to finances, removals, and childcare and cultural issues, the guide brings advice from the best in the industry to help things run smoothly. Although originally produced for UK companies relocating employees abroad, 'On the Move' has proved to be so popular that a European version has also been developed. The guide is completely free of charge, and is now available in French, Spanish and German for companies in these countries with employees relocating abroad. You can find out more about what is available and order a complimentary copy below. 'On the Move' is not just about corporate relocation issues. It can also act as a personal resource to help people move abroad. The original UK version includes a handy checklist at the back that is designed to be removed and given to individual employees to refer to every step of the way. The countdown takes them from 22 weeks prior to the move, right up until their final week of preparations. A complete guide for individuals who are relocating abroad from the UK is currently in development, and will be available on the BUPA International website soon. BUPA International is part of the internationally respected BUPA Group, which looks after eight million members of 115 nationalities in 190 countries worldwide. With over 30 years' experience in the global health care market, BUPA International understands well the huge number of issues involved in expatriation. Managing Director Bill Ward comments that 'our corporate team keeps in regular contact with HR teams and scheme administrators who have to deal with all the practicalities of relocation. We decided to produce 'On the Move' to help both them and their employees with this complex subject.' Order your FREE copy now On the Move - English version www.bupa-intl.co.uk/companyguide  On the Move - European versions - Relocating from Spain (in Spanish) www.bupa-intl.co.uk/es  - Relocating from Germany (in German) www.bupa-intl.co.uk/de  - Relocating from France (in French) www.bupa-intl.co.uk/fr  For more information about BUPA International, please visit www.bupa-intl.com

Testimonial

Stick your nose outside!

Rachel Fleishman, Expat Partner from Euroclear Rachel, could you tell us how your "expat adventure" started?  My husband and I arrived in our new host country, in August 2001. My husband had been transferred here by Euroclear and I was working for a US telecommunications company, helping to initiate its European operations. When the industry took a dive, many of our plans for expansion were recalled - but I didn't want to be. So I left the company and began to investigate where else I could work. You have an excellent education and experience, so what were your challenges?  Well, I wanted to leverage my background: master's degrees in both public policy and business, and work experience in both fields. But instead of making me a more attractive candidate, the combination made me less so: I lacked the depth of experience in a single field that peers of my age could boast. When I was unable to find a US diplomatic position in the first few months, I realized that I was quite a challenging candidate for Net Expat. That said, Net Expat handled me quite admirably. I'm now happily working in a position I really enjoy, and believe provides good growth opportunities. Now that you have been through it, what can you tell us about dual career assistance?  I must say that I was immediately impressed by the quality of everything Net Expat did. The written material was developed in a very scientific way, reflective of the realities of the job-search challenge. The personal assessment was 'spot on', and the assistance in rewriting my CV to local standards, and typifying recruiters styles really made sense. These have all been immensely valuable to me in my job search. I must also comment on my coach. She was excellent in opening my eyes to entirely new ways to view situations and opportunities. During coaching, she forced me to do things I considered totally useless, including going to interviews when I was not interested in the job. Ultimately this turned out to be excellent exercise for me: I discovered a few unforeseen opportunities, as well as a few things about myself! I realize now that this is all part of Net Expat development process and it has enriched me a lot. What can you say about the job you're in today?  The job I decided to take would not have been my preferred choice at first sight. That said, it has turned out to be an interesting position, and one in which I think I'll grow. I may not be working in diplomacy at the moment, but I know that both Net Expat and I tried this realm - and in any case, I'm using my 'diplomatic' skills every day! What has been the role of your husband's employers?  I have been very impressed by the level of attentiveness of my husband's employer. As you know, they are the reason for our transfer. I think they are right to view the transfer in the broader perspective and offer us specific support where we really needed it. I'm sure this will be beneficial for both parties: for the company and for us. Any advice for the newcomers and partners just starting their job-hunt?  Stick your nose outside! Get out, meet people, explore opportunities, and make the effort to try new things. Of course, your intuition will be to work on making your house feel like a home, so you'll have a comfortable base from which to ponder your new life. But if your house becomes your comfort zone, head for the exit: integration happens when you're up, out and exploring, so go out and do it!

Initiatives

Research and Mobility

Mr. Philippe Busquin, Commissioner for Research, European Commission The challenges facing Europe at the beginning of the 21st century are manifold. Europe's transition towards a knowledge-based economy will be accomplished by structural changes in industry, as well as a shifting profile of its human capital due to a rapidly ageing population. One of the main engines for attaining these socio-economic objectives is technical change, induced primarily by R&D.  What are the challenges of European R&D today?  European research is recognized as among the best in the world. But when it comes to translating this scientific excellence into concrete innovation, into wealth and jobs, Europe continues to trail its main competitors. The main reasons are insufficient financial backing, administrative obstacles and dispersion of effort. 1. Financials Researchers represent a much smaller percentage of the active population in Europe than in the USA or Japan, even though the number of science students is proportionally higher. With investment in research stagnating, it is hardly surprising that young people are not interested in research careers and that we are faced with the worrying phenomenon of the "brain drain". This is why the Barcelona European Council in March 2002 was a step forward, with European governments deciding to increase the EU's overall spending on R&D to 3% of GDP by 2010. 2. Mobility First and foremost, the European Research Area is based on exploiting the know-how of men and women. Mobility of scientists is a prerequisite for quality research. Mobility enables scientists to complete their training, to constantly develop their skills, and to pursue their career paths in the best possible environment. However, academic, administrative and social obstacles remain that prevent complete "freedom of movement". 3. Co-operation Member states generally have their own research policies and structures, quite often of a high standard, but on a European level this leads to fragmentation and inefficient use of resources. That's why for the last two decades the European Union aimed at encouraging co-operation between European research players. In March 2000 the Lisbon European Council adopted the European Research Area (ERA), thereby laying the foundation for a common science and technology policy across the European Union. Do you think research workers are mobile by nature and what are the challenges that face them?  By the very fact that they have chosen this as a career, research workers have accepted the principle of mobility. International mobility is an absolute must for them if they want to progress. But expatriation is still a personal challenge, regardless of the individual involved. So the challenges are still there for the researcher. Of course they also involve the spouse and the children. Mobility problems that affect the whole family are decisive. You are responsible for the very promising 'Marie-Curie' research programme. What is its objective?  The basic idea underlying the 'Marie-Curie' programme is the aim to attract high-level researchers. We don't just want European research workers to stay and prosper in Europe, we also want Europe to be a welcoming environment for non-European researchers. Specifically what are the grants available and who can benefit from them?  These grants come from a budget totaling 1.6 billion euro. They are financially very interesting for young researchers, Europeans and others. A substantial number of universities and corporations have already benefited under this scheme and are extremely satisfied. Moreover, in order to facilitate the reinsertion of workers back home, these grants cover two years in the host country followed by another year in the country of origin. This initiative reinforces the Commission's policy of European integration and helps ensure a balanced rate of development across the EU. We will also be launching a European web portal providing comprehensive data for research workers planning to expatriate. There will be sections on legal aspects, career developments, grants… The launch is planned for May 2003. For more information, please contact Mrs. Sieglinde Gruber +322 298 43 42 or Mr. Jimmy Jamar +322 295 20 82. All this, together with the substantial increase of research expenditure, will enable Europe to bridge the gap with the United States and Japan.