“Recently, I was contacted by a local HR Director of a large multinational seeking urgent advice. The company was discussing a localisation process with an expat, who was reluctant to accept the offer due to the impact it would have on his family.”
All was well
“The family had moved from East Asia to Europe three years previously. At that time, the expat was satisfied with the job and the overall package. The company hadn’t heard of any issues concerning the accompanying family. They were apparently happy with the location, with the house, the school. So, all was well, therefore they’d be happy to stay, right?
Localisation kicked in
Not quite. After three years, the company decided that localisation would be the next step. Although the offer was considered attractive, a local contract would have a significant impact on the family’s financial situation. In order to continue the life they had become accustomed to, the partner would have to find a job. So, the expat, if accepting the job, requested that his partner be supported in her job search.
Turn back time
And so, the HR Director turned to us. I mentioned that, if we could turn back time, we could have been involved in supporting the partner three years ago, when the family was preparing for their move to Europe. We could have supported the partner, not only in making plans for her three-year stint in Europe, but also for the long-term, whatever she wished to do.
A lesson learned
In this case, I didn’t have to explain that partner support is an investment, not a cost. We are now looking forward to discussing a strategic, global and pro-active partner support programme with the company.”
