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Expat-Consultants - Basis for a Successful Assignment?
The successful realization of an expatriatiation is equally hard as to make the impossible possible.
Expatriate companies, Human Resource Departments, local management in foreign countries and expatriates themselves, all have different expectations and anticipations, which have to be synchronized with the differing legal regulations and complicated country specific requirements.
Expat Consultancies which have become very popular throughout the last couple of years, are offering support as far as practical questions are concerned and can also be used as a guide through the legal maze.
Those Expat Consultants operate predominantly for expatriate companies, because an increasingly globalized world economy requires more and more internationally operating employees. At the same time, companies have to worry about increasing cost minimizing pressures. That’s why „all-inclusive packages“ for expats nowadays belong to the past. At the same time though companies have realized that a thorough preparation and support is essential for expats and a big asset to the success of any expat assignment as well as a preventive measure against an expensive premature return of any expatriated employee.
Nowadays, companies buy specific services for their expats, which are tailored to the individual needs.
Payroll, social security, taxes and labor law issues are usually on the top priority list of employers. That’s understandable considering the fact that not following the complex regulations can cause substantial financial consequences for expats or companies.
Numerous large management consultant companies like Ernst & Young, PriceWaterhouseCoopers, KPMG, ORC Worldwide or smaller consultant companies like Essener ERC Service GmbH cover this subject area. Even though employers are usually very careful, expats are recommended to seek professional advice in tax and labor law issues.
The field of health insurance saw an increasing number of private providers who have entered the expatriate market over the last few years. Often those private providers offer additional services to expatriates, such as 24 hour emergency hotline, return to home country services, vaccine information or English speaking doctors and clinics.
Some of the major players are DKV and Allianz, and also „ Bund der Auslandserwerbstaetigen“ in Hamburg), which offer group packages.
Another complex topic is the application for a visa or a working permit. Specialized agencies (like the Berliner Service Visum-Direkt) and providers of relocation services advise companies and expats in all questions considering visas and even take care of the application process.
While the international companies with expats dedicate great attention to those „hard facts“, the family situation as well as the integration and reintegration process represent the biggest problem areas for expats, as a study from July 2003 by Ernst & Young reveals. That comes not as a surprise since most expats live in partnerships and therefore travel with their family. The companies become more and more aware that expatriates are only able to perform 100% on the job when the family is being taken care of. At the same time the companies have a high interest in motivating their “high potentials” to take the step and to go abroad. A PriceWaterhouseCoopers survey found out that three-fourth of all expatriates who decline to go abroad do so because of family issues.
One of the most frequently used services for International Employee transfers is the relocation service. The providers extend from large, internationally operating agencies to small committed one-man businesses which offer a very diverse spectrum of services for future expats. One of the classical components of the relocation process is the organization of a so called look-and-see trip, during which the relocator introduces the expat and his family to the new environment.
Housing assistance as well as support in finding the right schools or kindergarten and and mastering all the formalities related to the move are usually included in the services offered. Of course, the services differ from provider to provider. Some relocators also offer language training courses, translation services or intercultural trainings or make themselves available for support even for a certain period after the move has taken place.
Knowing that a relocation agency is a member of of one of the internationally operating associations like TIRA or EuRA usually ensures certain quality standards.
Especially with transfers beyond the European borders intercultural trainings and transfer preparations have become standard procedure.
The spectrum ranges from multiple week seminars to individualized tailor-made training. Aside from established big providers like IFIM (Institute for Intercultural Management) and CDG ( Carl Duisberg-Gesellschaft, now Inwent GmbH) a huge number of small training providers has come onto the market in recent years.
Besides meticulously chosen methods and competent trainers the seminar should cover the consequences of living abroad for the whole family. Thus, partners and older children should always be involved in this sort of training measures.
A new branch in the intercultural preparation business is the offer of special training sessions for kids, which in Germany is conducted by the company ConsultUs.
In addition to pre departure-trainings, personal coaching or E-Learning units conducted several weeks after the transfer are very effective ways to debrief first culture shock symptoms and enhance intercultural competence.
Even though a good command of English quite often is sufficient at work, the local language of the country enables expats to get an easier access to the host country and its people. In many expat locations, special language schools offer programs that combine language training with practical introduction to the everyday life and the new culture.
The traditional single income family is part of the past. Gone are the times when „he“ traveled abroad and „she“ followed willingly. The dual career problem is the reason for declining an expatriate job in 59% of the cases. Young and well-educated women think twice whether they want to lay their careers to rest, just because the partner wants to accept a job abroad. Special agencies ( i.e. REA Career Services, Partnerjob.com) assist expatriate spouses in applying for a job or getting a work permit.
Most of the expat support programs concentrate on the moment of transfer. Though the real challenge for the expat does not begin until the family has arrived at its final destination and everyday life begins. In this situation it is helpful to have a contact person for any potentially upcoming questions. social events and informative websites of expat clubs often help to familiarize with the new situation abroad. Often specialists who are familiar with the specific living situations of expatriates are needed. In English speaking countries providers of so-called „Employee Assistance Programs“ are quite common and German companies have started to realize that a continuous employee support which can be easily obtained for a reasonable price is essentially contributing to the success of an expatriation and eventually pays off for the company allowing expats to bundle their energy and creativity as well as their knowhow and concentrate on their new challenges at work.
Expatriate companies, Human Resource Departments, local management in foreign countries and expatriates themselves, all have different expectations and anticipations, which have to be synchronized with the differing legal regulations and complicated country specific requirements.
Expat Consultancies which have become very popular throughout the last couple of years, are offering support as far as practical questions are concerned and can also be used as a guide through the legal maze.
Those Expat Consultants operate predominantly for expatriate companies, because an increasingly globalized world economy requires more and more internationally operating employees. At the same time, companies have to worry about increasing cost minimizing pressures. That’s why „all-inclusive packages“ for expats nowadays belong to the past. At the same time though companies have realized that a thorough preparation and support is essential for expats and a big asset to the success of any expat assignment as well as a preventive measure against an expensive premature return of any expatriated employee.
Nowadays, companies buy specific services for their expats, which are tailored to the individual needs.
Payroll, social security, taxes and labor law issues are usually on the top priority list of employers. That’s understandable considering the fact that not following the complex regulations can cause substantial financial consequences for expats or companies.
Numerous large management consultant companies like Ernst & Young, PriceWaterhouseCoopers, KPMG, ORC Worldwide or smaller consultant companies like Essener ERC Service GmbH cover this subject area. Even though employers are usually very careful, expats are recommended to seek professional advice in tax and labor law issues.
The field of health insurance saw an increasing number of private providers who have entered the expatriate market over the last few years. Often those private providers offer additional services to expatriates, such as 24 hour emergency hotline, return to home country services, vaccine information or English speaking doctors and clinics.
Some of the major players are DKV and Allianz, and also „ Bund der Auslandserwerbstaetigen“ in Hamburg), which offer group packages.
Another complex topic is the application for a visa or a working permit. Specialized agencies (like the Berliner Service Visum-Direkt) and providers of relocation services advise companies and expats in all questions considering visas and even take care of the application process.
While the international companies with expats dedicate great attention to those „hard facts“, the family situation as well as the integration and reintegration process represent the biggest problem areas for expats, as a study from July 2003 by Ernst & Young reveals. That comes not as a surprise since most expats live in partnerships and therefore travel with their family. The companies become more and more aware that expatriates are only able to perform 100% on the job when the family is being taken care of. At the same time the companies have a high interest in motivating their “high potentials” to take the step and to go abroad. A PriceWaterhouseCoopers survey found out that three-fourth of all expatriates who decline to go abroad do so because of family issues.
One of the most frequently used services for International Employee transfers is the relocation service. The providers extend from large, internationally operating agencies to small committed one-man businesses which offer a very diverse spectrum of services for future expats. One of the classical components of the relocation process is the organization of a so called look-and-see trip, during which the relocator introduces the expat and his family to the new environment.
Housing assistance as well as support in finding the right schools or kindergarten and and mastering all the formalities related to the move are usually included in the services offered. Of course, the services differ from provider to provider. Some relocators also offer language training courses, translation services or intercultural trainings or make themselves available for support even for a certain period after the move has taken place.
Knowing that a relocation agency is a member of of one of the internationally operating associations like TIRA or EuRA usually ensures certain quality standards.
Especially with transfers beyond the European borders intercultural trainings and transfer preparations have become standard procedure.
The spectrum ranges from multiple week seminars to individualized tailor-made training. Aside from established big providers like IFIM (Institute for Intercultural Management) and CDG ( Carl Duisberg-Gesellschaft, now Inwent GmbH) a huge number of small training providers has come onto the market in recent years.
Besides meticulously chosen methods and competent trainers the seminar should cover the consequences of living abroad for the whole family. Thus, partners and older children should always be involved in this sort of training measures.
A new branch in the intercultural preparation business is the offer of special training sessions for kids, which in Germany is conducted by the company ConsultUs.
In addition to pre departure-trainings, personal coaching or E-Learning units conducted several weeks after the transfer are very effective ways to debrief first culture shock symptoms and enhance intercultural competence.
Even though a good command of English quite often is sufficient at work, the local language of the country enables expats to get an easier access to the host country and its people. In many expat locations, special language schools offer programs that combine language training with practical introduction to the everyday life and the new culture.
The traditional single income family is part of the past. Gone are the times when „he“ traveled abroad and „she“ followed willingly. The dual career problem is the reason for declining an expatriate job in 59% of the cases. Young and well-educated women think twice whether they want to lay their careers to rest, just because the partner wants to accept a job abroad. Special agencies ( i.e. REA Career Services, Partnerjob.com) assist expatriate spouses in applying for a job or getting a work permit.
Most of the expat support programs concentrate on the moment of transfer. Though the real challenge for the expat does not begin until the family has arrived at its final destination and everyday life begins. In this situation it is helpful to have a contact person for any potentially upcoming questions. social events and informative websites of expat clubs often help to familiarize with the new situation abroad. Often specialists who are familiar with the specific living situations of expatriates are needed. In English speaking countries providers of so-called „Employee Assistance Programs“ are quite common and German companies have started to realize that a continuous employee support which can be easily obtained for a reasonable price is essentially contributing to the success of an expatriation and eventually pays off for the company allowing expats to bundle their energy and creativity as well as their knowhow and concentrate on their new challenges at work.