SHOULD PARTNER ASSISTANCE BE A CORE BENEFIT IN CORE-FLEX GLOBAL MOBILITY POLICIES?

The ultimate success or failure of a core-flex mobility program is largely determined by its original intent. Core-flex programs developed exclusively for cost-savings, listing crucial policy elements as discouraged ‘flex options’ will inevitably fail. Conversely, thoughtfully identified core vs. flexible policy parameters, can add desired flexibility and empowerment to an international mobility program while supporting key talent management objectives. So, should partner assistance be considered a core or a flex benefit in core-flex mobility programs?

A relocating employee’s partner’s inability to adapt to the new environment in the host location remains the largest cause of international assignment failure. In addition, with over 70 percent of couples in dual-income families, the financial burden of temporarily forfeiting the partner’s career during a global assignment can be devastating; the stress of the financial loss has the power to trickle down into other areas of their lives and intrude on the employee’s productivity at work. As a flexible benefit option, partner support risks being eliminated by line management aimed at cost-cutting, or if the decision is left to the employee, it might lead to uninformed and misguided choices due to the lack of knowledge and inexperience with relocating globally. “I didn’t know what I didn’t know”; a relocating couple may pass on a vital partner assistance benefit suggested to them as a “flex-option” assuming they can secure a job in the host location on their own. Unfortunately, less than 10% of relocating partners are ultimately able to secure a job by themselves while abroad. That results in 90% of unsuccessful partners left by themselves; they may quickly lose confidence, feel isolated, disconnected and ultimately express the desire to return home. Companies which are successfully placing higher priority on employee engagement in the international talent management process, also manage to extend this engagement to the accompanying partner, which makes a considerable difference. And guess what? They all have Partner Assistance listed as a core benefit in their core-flex Global Mobility Policies.