Issue 47 - Net Expat

newsletter
Offices throughout America, Asia-Pacific and Europe
Issue 47
EDITORIAL
The 3 most common mistakes in expat partner assistance
Alain Verstandig, NetExpat President
Current trends are forcing corporations to revisit not only what type of expat partner support they offer but
also how they offer it. Here are 3 common and painful mistakes to avoid:
Contents
Page 1
The 3 most common mistakes in
expat partner assistance
Alain Verstandig, NetExpat President
Page 1
Schlumberger Spouses Association
Muriel Barnier, Program Manager
SSA and HSE at Schlumberger,
Houston, USA, is interviewed
by Nathalie Brotchi, EVP Global
Operations, NetExpat Group
Page 2
Self-Employment in Hong Kong:
using Networking to build up a
successful business
Agnieszka Marczuk, spouse of a BNP
Paribas expat is interviewed by Sam
Pinney, APAC Regional Manager,
NetExpat APAC
H1B spouses can now work in
the USA
Page 3
Best practice sharing within German
and non-German industries
Winfried Guba, Director NetExpat
Germany and Davina Bayless, Global
Operations Coordinator NetExpat
Are your global mobility policies
“Gen Y ready”?
Page 4
Are women benefiting from global
mobility?
Jonathan Dunlea, Partner,
PricewaterhouseCoopers Australia
Learn more about NetExpat
www.netexpat.com
1. Offering cash instead of support
While 86%1 of organizations select a set of programs to support their
expat partners, 14%1 are tempted to throw cash at the problem. These
numbers are decreasing over the years for the following reasons:
• Cash is often poorly used: it might be used to enroll in further
education programs which are not fully thought through,
or spent to buy material objects like flat screen TVs which
will certainly not help their integration or make them happier
abroad. A cash solution doesn’t equip the expat partner with
the necessary know-how, career advice or networking skills
which are essential for a successful integration.
• Cash is the simplest but also the most expensive way to offer expat partner support: next to grossing all
amounts up, value added taxes and even employer’s contribution to social security often blow the final bill
for corporations.
2. Having an ambiguous policy
Don’t leave your policy short of what your company wants to offer: if you do not specify all the basics (budgets,
scope, rules of eligibility…), you’ll soon see a worryingly inconsistent implementation of your good intentions.
Don’t be short-sighted: your next generation of mobile employees, Gen Y, greatly value transparency
and equal treatment!
3. Selecting a provider unable to deliver a global solution
Don’t be tempted to search for solutions “just for your HQs” and main locations: partner assistance will soon
be requested wherever you send your employees. With the increasing number of countries now allowing
expat partners to work legally, you need a provider able to cover at least 80% of your geographical needs.
Country coverage should be part of your requirements when you select a provider!
(1) “KPMG Global Assignment Policies Practices Survey 2013”
TESTIMONIAL
Schlumberger Spouses Association
Muriel Barnier, Program Manager SSA and HSE at Schlumberger, Houston, USA,
is interviewed by Nathalie Brotchi, EVP Global Operations, NetExpat Group
Nathalie Brotchi: Muriel, the Schlumberger Spouses
Association is an amazing concept created by
Schlumberger 25 years ago: can you tell us more
about it?
Muriel Barnier: Indeed, the Schlumberger Spouses
Association, or the “SSA” as we call it, is a not for
profit organization funded entirely by Schlumberger
to support its employees’ spouses/partners. It all
started 25 years ago with a group of Schlumberger
expatriate spouses in Paris, who saw a need to create
a support system for one another. Today, the SSA is
organized into about 120 chapters in 51 countries, each
having its own Local Board, and gathers about 5000
members globally. The biggest SSA chapters are those
of Houston, Al Khobar, Kuala Lumpur and Paris. There
is also a global board of 11 SSA members which is vital
to the organization. They work very hard at supporting
local chapters and connect with Schlumberger at
corporate level.
The SSA mission statement is to create and maintain a
welcoming and supportive environment for all members
and their families. The SSA fosters fellowship through
ongoing social events and community involvement.
Schlumberger Spouses Association article continues on page 2
Ò
1
SUCCESS STORY
Self-Employment in Hong Kong: using Networking to
build up a successful business
Agnieszka Marczuk, spouse of a BNP Paribas expat is interviewed by
Sam Pinney, APAC Regional Manager, NetExpat APAC
Sam Pinney: Agnieszka, tell us
how you got to where you are now
as I bet there were a few hurdles
to overcome?
Agnieszka Marczuk: It all started
in South Korea 5 years ago where
we moved with our two children
for my husband’s company BNP
Paribas: at the time we were
concerned that this would be
challenging, especially for our
two daughters who spoke little
English - now they speak English
better than I do! It really took
some adjustments from us all,
especially for me: I had to give
It was amazing how in just
four hours, we learned how to
introduce ourselves, highlight our
skills and assets, network and
clearly present ourselves
up my job, not only because it
was hard to secure a work permit
in Korea, but also because my
priority was to support my family
with the adjustment. However,
we soon became accustomed
to the cultural differences and
even found some similarities with
Poland.
It was very important for me to
remain active and do something
meaningful: I was involved in
sports, ladies’ organizations and
volunteering at school and I
quickly started helping my Korean
friends locate business contacts in
Europe. I really enjoyed this and
soon realized that it could lead to
a successful career.
Then came our transfer to Hong
Kong: you can imagine how
thrilled we were when we were
offered the assignment to Hong
Kong. With the help of my
NetExpat consultant, the contacts
I made in South Korea and the
new skills I learned, I am now
following my ideas from Hong
Kong! Furthermore, my business
partners are based in South Korea,
so we are able to offer our services
across Asia.
SP: I was lucky enough to meet
you at one of our seminars in
Hong Kong. Can you tell us a little
about how these were helpful in
pursuing your dream?
AM: I attended two NetExpat
seminars: “Welcome to Hong
Kong” and “Boost your Job Search
Networking”. I really enjoyed
both as an opportunity to meet
new people whilst getting advice
from the NetExpat consultant, and
realizing that we all have similar
concerns and questions which
The SSA is a great relocation
resource
during
transfers.
Among other things, they have
created departure and arrival
information kits, moving check
lists, information for children…
Malaria, Road Safety and Breast
cancer. Some of this information
is available on the SSA website
such as a useful video on Ebola,
vaccination info for the whole
family and plenty of personal
security tips. The SSA is also one of
Schlumberger crisis management
stakeholders and has proven to be
a great partner during crisis such
as the Arab Spring or hurricanes.
NB: I’m sure the SSA has faced a
few challenges in the last 25 years!
The SSA also acts as an important
liaison between Schlumberger
spouses and Schlumberger HSE
Managers on safety, security or
health related issues. The HSE
function organizes training in
chapters on topics such as First Aid,
2
MB: One of the first challenges was
for the SSA to establish their own
vision and mission and organize
themselves around it. This is still
the foundation of the association
and one of their keys for success.
Staffing is also a challenge:
the SSA is made of volunteers
who are often mobile; you
have to constantly fill in gaps left
by those moving in other places.
We
also
tried
a
few
things which didn’t work as we
SP: You are really well integrated
now. What advice would you give
to anyone starting afresh abroad?
AM: Make sure your entire family
is happy! It is worth all the energy
and time you put into this.
Start building up a network from
which you will be able to identify
the people you can trust and rely
on, and who will become your
friends. This is also true for the
kids - it’s really important to work
on your network, and reliable
friendships will come out of it.
H1B spouse
s ca
work in th n now
e USA!
Schlumberger Spouses Association
continued from page 1
we could share with each other.
“Boost your Job Search” was very
useful and it was amazing how in
just four hours we learned how
to introduce ourselves, highlight
our skills and assets, network, and
clearly present ourselves. This was
not only useful in helping to find a
job, but also in my case, helping me
learn how to sell my product in the
future without using aggressive
sales techniques. I am looking
forward to exploring the NetExpat
Community and attending its
Chattinar next week now that
things are little less hectic.
Great new
s: as of
May 26th
spouses of
wished: as a growing number
2015,
H1B visa
allowed to
h
of accompanying partners
work in th older will be
of L1 w
are men, we strongly
ere grante e USA! Spouses
d th
the US job
encouraged them to join
market yea is access to
rs
NetExpat
the SSA but most of the
experts w ago.
ill
to
be deligh
h
time they don’t feel they
elp and g
ted
uide any
interested
ex
pat partn
belong.
in working
er
while in th
e USA.
NB: Could you summarize
for those from other
multinationals,
tempted
to
replicate the SSA organization,
what you consider to be the from senior company leadership
key success factors behind and strong partnerships with
such an organization?
representatives at location level
will also be key success factors.
Staffing is also a challenge: the
SSA is made of volunteers who
are often mobile; you have to
constantly fill in gaps left by
those moving in other places
MB: Again, the first step is
to define and communicate a
clear vision and mission agreed
by both the company and the
association, followed by a written
set of Guidelines. Sponsorship
You will need to ensure that
your corporation will financially
support the association with
yearly budgets, which are, all
things considered, reasonable.
You will then need the volunteers:
you need to reach a critical
mass
of
employees
with
spouses willing to contribute
their time, skills and energy in
each of your future chapters.
CONFERENCE IN GERMANY
Best practice sharing within German and
non-German industries
Davina Bayless, Global Operations Coordinator NetExpat
and Winfried Guba, Director NetExpat Germany
In order to keep up with the
Joneses, you first need to know
what the Joneses do right. It’s
no different in Global Mobility
and Talent Management, where
inspiration is possible only
through regular best-practice
sharing among your peers.
Spotting a gap in the discourse
around international mobility
practices in Germany, NetExpat
joined forces with Allianz and
Deloitte to co-organize the first
Internationale Mobilität und
Talentmanagement conference
in October 2014. As a unique
concept in the German mobility
landscape, the conference was
on invitation only, restricted to
corporations and free of charge.
Debates and presentations ran
in both German and English
featuring
testimonials
both
from German and non-German
international corporations.
The potential for discussion
during
and
after
the
contributions was just perfect
Germany
hasn’t
lacked
conferences on international
mobility entirely, but while some
existing formats addressed the
needs of small restricted Germancentric groups others were too
commercial in nature. “It became
clear through exchanges with
Global Mobility Managers that
less comfortable with to seek
inspiration from others. As Gudrun
Kipp, Director Compensation
and Working Conditions at
Robert Bosch GmbH, comments:
interactive conference. This event
was undoubtedly fruitful for all,
leaving participants with food
for thought and ideas to bring
back to their colleagues. “All
speakers were well-chosen and
very professional. The potential
for discussion during and after the
contributions was just perfect”
shares Erika May-Lütgenbruch,
Head of International Mobility,
GEA Group AG.
We found it very enriching
and were able to gather real
inspiration for our own work
there was a demand for a quality
one-day international conference”,
Winfried Guba, Director NetExpat
Germany explains.
Through this event, International
Mobility Directors, Compensation
and Benefits Directors and other
Talent VPs, were able to gain
insight into leading practice
from
renowned
companies
such as Bosch, Continental and
Lesaffre. This didn’t just include
what we all do right: the whole
climate of best practice exchange
allowed corporate participants
to also look into what they are
“We found it very enriching
and were able to gather real
inspiration for our own work.”
Through
candid
discussion,
participants
shared
their
experiences and learned not
only how large international
corporations handle international
mobility, but also how medium
and smaller ones with less
than 200 expatriates cope with
their own challenges managing
mobility.
The stimulating and confidential
atmosphere facilitated a truly
“The feedback we received
once the conference was over
was so positive and beyond all
our expectations” said Winfried
Guba. This was more than
enough for the co-organizing
committee
Allianz,
Deloitte
and NetExpat, to set the date
for the next IMT conference
which will take place in Hanover
on October 13th 2015. Great
corporate speakers are already
confirmed with Allianz, SAP,
Schlumberger, the US National
Foreign Trade Council and
Volkswagen to name but a few.
Registration is already open, and
the number of participants is
limited to stimulate the quality
of the interaction: if you are
interested in joining, please
contact us at imt@netexpat.com.
WHITE PAPER
Are Your Global Mobility Policies “Gen Y Ready”?
As corporations continue to navigate the waters of an ever evolving global
workforce, one of the hottest topics today revolves around the newest generation
to enter the job market – Generation Y.
What makes this new generation tick? What’s important to them and what is no
longer a deal breaker when it comes to accepting assignments abroad?
We address all of these questions and many more in the latest NetExpat white
paper featuring Generation Y in global mobility.
With contributions from Boeing, Continental, Proctor & Gamble, PwC and
Schlumberger, these international corporations share their insight on how
their organizations are proactively changing and adapting their global mobility
policies to win the bid for top Gen Y talent in the future.
3
Our Clients
3M
ACNielsen
Adeo Leroy Merlin
Air Liquide
Airbus
Alstom
Amadeus
AREVA
AstraZeneca
Auchan
AVIVA
AXA
Bacardi-Martini
BASF
Bayer
BD Biosciences Europe
BMW
BNP Paribas
Boehringer Ingelheim
Bosch
BP
Bristol-Myers Squibb
BSH
Capgemini
Cargill
Caterpillar
CGG Veritas
Colgate Palmolive
Continental AG
Corus Group plc
Credit Suisse
Danisco
Deloitte Touche Tohmatsu
Dexia
Diageo
Deutsche Bank
DuPont
EDF
Egis
Essilor
Euroclear Bank
ExxonMobil
GDF Suez
General Motors
Givaudan
GlaxoSmithKline
Glion IHE
Goodyear
Honeywell
ING
INSEAD
International Paper
Johnson & Johnson
Jungheinrich
Kraft Foods
Logica
L’Oréal
LVMH
Mars
MasterCard
MBDA France
Merck KGaA
Merck Sharp & Dohme
Methanex
Munich Re
Nestlé
Newell Rubbermaid
Nissan Europe
Nyrstar
NYSE-Euronext
PerkinElmer
Pfizer
Philip Morris International
PricewaterhouseCoopers
Procter & Gamble
PSA Peugeot Citroen
Puratos
Reckitt Benckiser
Roche
Rolls-Royce
Saint Gobain
Sanofi-Aventis
Schlumberger
Solvay
Sony
Standard Life
SWIFT
Tchibo
Thales
The Body Shop
TOTAL
UBS
UCB
Umicore
Unilever
UPS
Vallourec
Voith
Whirlpool
…
SURVEY
Are women benefiting from global mobility?1
Jonathan Dunlea, Partner, PricewaterhouseCoopers Australia
Bias ‘hotspots’
Assumptions about female candidates
Managers appear to expect a lack of availability,
suitability and willingness from women to take
international assignments. These assumptions
may result in women being overlooked
before the selection process has even begun.
Seven out of 10 female employees want to
work outside their home country yet only 1 in
4 expatriates are female.
Interestingly, these assumptions do not stand up
to scrutiny – research shows women are no less
interested than men in international assignments.
Lack of formality in international assignments
management
The use of formal or structured candidate
recruitment and selection in global mobility is
surprisingly low. 55% of respondents said they
initiated the opportunity themselves or found the
opportunity through personal networks and/or
informal communication.
This closed and informal approach to candidate
selection negatively impacts female candidates.
Furthermore, when there is a pressing need
to fill an overseas role, managers will typically
select someone on their immediate radar, and
someone similar to them. Given the imbalance
between males and females in both expatriate and
leadership positions, this approach to candidate
selection will perpetuate the gender imbalance via
the selection of a “mini-me”.
4
Some solutions
•
Work on governance - International
assignments should no longer be isolated projects
assigned in a hurry and should be factored into the
career plans of workers with high potential.
•
Timing is everything - Women are more
likely to take up assignments earlier in their
career, before the age of 40. Organizations should
identify high performing females at junior levels,
to increase their likelihood of accepting a longer
term, more strategic role later on.
•
Increase engagement - The more committed
a female employee is to her employer, the more
willing she will be to accept an international
assignment. The opposite is true for men. Making
accelerated development programs available to
female employees early in their career can increase
commitment, and improve both the quantity and
quality of female assignees.
•
Focus on location, not duration - The level
of development in the host country, cultural
differences, and political risk are of greater
concern to female assignees than males.
Working with candidates to identify suitable host
locations will have a greater impact on female
participation than focusing on short-term mobility.
Tackle the dual-career issue: look to
include spousal support as a core, nonnegotiable benefit in assignment policy
•
Champion your role models and social
networks - High profile, successful female leaders
with international experience should be made
available to play mentoring roles to potential and
current female assignees.
•
Tackle the dual-career issue – Look to include
spousal support (e.g. help to find jobs and learn
the local language) as a core, non-negotiable
benefit in assignment policy. Fixing the gender
pay gap could also give women more leverage
when negotiating with their partners potential
international assignments.
(1) PwC Australia and Melbourne University’s Centre for Ethical
Leadership joined forces to research this issue in depth. Data from
interviews with HR leaders, online surveys, academic literature and
PwC’s expatriate tax client base explored the potential barriers and
bias behind the low female participation rate in global mobility.
Supported by
NetExpat is a global leader in
assessing, training and coaching
expatriates and their partners. We
provide expat partner support,
expat
coaching,
intercultural
training and expat assessment to
over 200 multinational corporations
in 70 countries where we have
a local presence. Our ultimate
goal is to assist corporations and
expats in achieving successful
international
assignments,
whether the move is for three
months, three years or on a
permanent basis.
Web site: www.netexpat.com
e-mail:
info@netexpat.com
Spring 2015 – ISSUE 47- Responsible editor: Alain Verstandig, Avenue Louise 287/11, B 1050 Brussels - Office of deposal: Brussels X - P2A9744
International experience can be crucial for
attaining senior leadership roles in multinational
organizations, yet only one in four outbound
expatriates from Australia are women. This lack
of international exposure at critical points in their
career may be unintentionally limiting women in
their career progression.