The Global Dual-Career Dilemma*
By Charlene Marmer Solomon
Executive Vice President, RW³ (rw-3.com)  

From the beginning, Terry Paule, an administrative law judge, had a plan. Relocating with her husband (a corporate attorney) and children to Hong Kong, she was eager to launch into this new phase of her life and optimistic about the opportunities that awaited her. She was also aware of the statistics showing that accompanying spouses who relocate globally with their partners, rarely get jobs. But, Paule had a strategy and was hopeful that she would be one of the lucky few. She took time to settle her two daughters into school, set up house, make friends, and then she would pursue job options.

However, Paule wasn’t aware how difficult it would be to work overseas, even in Hong Kong, which is one of the few countries where foreigners can obtain work visas. She landed a position in a legal recruiter  firm, but quickly discovered that the typical schedule–ten-hour-days six-days-a-week–was impossible given the fervent pace of her husband’s work schedule and her parenting responsibilities. This, coupled with his travel schedule, the kids’ long school vacations and home leave back to the States for six-to-eight weeks during the summer, made a full-time job impossible to maintain. Surprised, Paule joined the ranks of other global "trailing" partners in dual-career couples who could not work.

"Having worked my way up in the States to an ideal work schedule, I was astounded by the work culture of Hong Kong—long hours are the expectation. I was not prepared for the cultural difference with the work environment and it didn’t mesh well with a dual-career family situation. Someone had to hold down the family fort, and it had to be me. Even in the reverse situation, I knew several men who had to be the house spouse, rather than have a dual career family with its enormous pressures.

The spouse career is becoming more and more an impediment to overseas relocations," says Marjorie Shorrock, president of Cleveland-based Resource Careers, Inc.  "It is more difficult internationally for a spouse to be able to continue a career in the new location, and this is a greater challenge than ever before."

Take a look at the numbers. The 1999 Global Relocation Trends Survey by Windham International GMAC GRS, the National Foreign Trade Council (NFTC) and the International Institute of Human Resources (IIHR) reveals that 69 percent of expatriates are married, with spouses accompanying 77 percent of the time. Of those spouses, 49 percent were employed before an assignment and only 11 percent were employed during an assignment. And, if you don’t think this is a negative factor in relocation, think again. The most common reason listed for assignment failure is lack of partner satisfaction (27 percent), which is directly tied to work.  The situation is only getting worse. 1998 Bureau of Labor Statistics data show that women were 46 percent of the labor force and 53 percent of all married couples with children were dual-earner families. This is * percentage higher than 10 years ago.

Talk to global HR managers, and they’ll tell you this is the top reason first-choice candidates refuse to accept an international assignment. They decline because they can’t afford to lose their spouse’s income or they worry that it may derail the spouse’s career entirely if he or she is out of the workforce for a few years. In most cases, paid work is not available; but as Paule illustrates, it is more complicated than simply the availability of jobs. Relocating dual-career spouses face challenges with cultural differences, lack of support networks to help them with child care needs, language barriers, and even local national supervisors who see expats as transient and don’t want to make the investment in them.

When paid work is not an option, other challenges abound as well. For individuals who want to continue on their career path, it’s tough to follow-through in an unfamiliar place without guidance. Moreover, it’s difficult to unearth volunteer and educational opportunities when you have no network through which to find them.

So, what are companies doing?

Not enough. About 37 percent provide education assistance to spouses; 36 percent establish spouse networks; 21 percent reimburse educational expenses; 20 percent assist with career planning, and 20 percent help to find jobs when possible. Yet 30 percent provide no spouse assistance at all.

However, some companies are taking action. New York-based Pfizer Inc., the pharmaceutical firm is one of them. "We are in such a tight labor market that whatever we can possibly do to ensure a success story, we’ll do." Their program provides a $10,000 allowance to spouses that can be used in many ways. There is also a local person who assists the partner with professional development and locating the types of resources he or she needs. "It is very important to us that the spouse be happy," says Randy Decker Senior Employee Resource Manager for Corporate employee Resources. "You find that if the spouse is not happy, sometimes the assignment itself does not go very well." In countries where the spouse is allowed to work, Pfizer tries to find them a position within the company. Whatever the location, the firm provides career counseling,  and the counselor keeps in touch as needed for a year.

Pfizer also provides cross-cultural counseling and language assistance. To help families deal with the social isolation inherent in international relocation, the company also tries to connect the family with the expatriate community in the destination. 

As daunting as the challenge may seem, companies and their global HR managers know it’s critical to tackle these issues. Some organizations are beginning to consider shorter assignments so they are less disruptive, and some European firms are considering international commuter marriages as alternatives.

Others, like Pfizer, are constructing programs that offer a combination of programs and financial assistance. Some of the ways in which they’re providing assistance are: Helping  them identify transferable skills that will assist their adaptation in the destination; encouraging career development discussions before relocation; assisting with resume preparation; paying for visas when work is a possibility; telling them about volunteer and educational opportunities that will further their career; counseling them about possibilities such as taking a leave-of-absence and returning to the job for specified periods of time during the assignment; providing long-term career counseling and development support; providing names of local spouse centers and counseling facilities; and even exploring collaborations with other global firms for job possibilities.

The dual-career dilemma may be a difficult one, but it is clearly not impossible to solve. HR can have a tremendous impact if it recognizes the importance of the spouse issue and appreciates the spouse’s contribution as an ally in the business process. To be sure, it is not simple. Indeed, it may be one of the thorniest aspects of expatriation. But, the needs of the accompanying spouse must be adequately addressed or there may be no assignment at all.

#Adapted from story in Workforce Magazine.

Sidebar 1: Identifying Career Goals
Gina Teague, interculturalist and Director, Client Services Asia Pacific for RW³,  counsels accompanying partners to take time to assess their career goals before they transfer. Designing a plan includes personal, as well as professional issues.
The components of the plan are to envision your life, identify the multiple roles you play, assess your values, determine your interests, identify your career type, and evaluate your skills.


 Start with the assessment (which is helpful if written down). As Teague puts it, "Self assessment involves examining your past professional background, educational qualifications and other significant life experiences."  Self-assessment tools can then help identify your preferred lifestyle, values, interests, skills and job specifications.


 Here are few key suggestions to start:

• Envision your life as you would ideally like it. Include all aspects of your personal and professional life. Ask yourself, what would your family be like, what part of the world would you live in, what type of job would you have?
• Then, focus on the specific career goals for the immediate future. Be as exact and detailed as you can be.
• Next, concentrate on your goals for the next one-year, three years, five years. Again, if you have a particular job in mind, include that; if it is a type of work, that is good, too.
• Think about what you want to achieve in this ideal future. What education and professional development will you need in the near future? What will you need in the next year or three years? Can you find that in the new location or will you need to study from a distance?
• What are some of your personal goals? Would you like to learn the language where you are living? Would you like to learn some of the indigenous art forms or local recipes? Are there interests you’ve always wanted to pursue but have been unable to do before and now have the time?

After you’ve finished this basic assessment, look at the alternatives, including paid work, volunteer positions, part-time work, and educational opportunities.

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Sidebar 2: Resources for Dual-Career Couples
Worldwide Organizations and Websites:

Expat Exchange–One of the largest online communities for English-speaking expatriates provides support for expats during all phases of the expatriation and repatriation process. Extensive bulletin boards and marketplace. http://www.expatexchange.com/

Federation of Women’s Clubs Overseas (FAWCO)–FAWCO, an international network of 73 independent clubs, serves as a support network for American women living and working abroad and is particularly active in the fields of U.S. citizens’ concerns, education, environmental protection, and women’s and children’s rights. http://www.fawco.org/

FOCUS Information Services– FOCUS is a clearinghouse of information and helps expatriates and their partners in the United Kingdom. A non-profit membership organization run by and for international residents of all nations, FOCUS offers a variety of services, publications and programs on living and working in the UK. http://www.focus-info.org/  FOCUS Information Services, 13 Prince of Wales Terrace, London W85PG

www.permitsfoundation.com – Major international companies organized to change the work permit situation
www.partnerjob.com – Non-profit association set up by consortium of companies to help spouse/partners find jobs or develop careers
www.outpostexpat.nl/ — Help for Shell spouse/partners as well as non-Shell employees
www.netexpat.com – Website devoted to expat issues
www.expatica.com – Online newspaper/ newsletter for expats

Books and Guides:

Career Issues
Bastress, Frances. Relocating Spouse’s Guide to Employment.
Bolles, Richard.  The Three Boxes of Life, Ten Speed Press, 1978.

Bolles, Richard.  What Color Is Your Parachute?  Ten Speed Press, 1999.

Krannich, Ronald.  Change Your Job, Change Your Life.  Impact Publications, 1999.

Landes, Michael.  The Back Door Guide to Short Term Job Adventures: Internships, Extraordinary Experiences, Seasonal Jobs, Volunteering, Work Abroad.  Ten Speed Press, 1997.

Peterson’s.  The Independent Study Catalog.  7th ed., Peterson’s Guides, 1998.

Peterson’s University Continuing Education Association.  Peterson’s Guide to Distance Learning Programs, 2000.  4th ed., Peterson’s Guides, 1999,

Phillips, Vicky, and Cindy Yager.  The Best Distance Learning Graduate Schools: Earning Your Degree Without Leaving Home.  Princeton Review, 1998.

Pybus, Victoria and Whetter, Louise.  The International Directory of Voluntary Work.7th ed.,  Vacation-Work, 2000.

WorldWide Classroom.  International Study Telecom Directory.  WorldWide Classroom, 1999.
Relocation Issues
Kohls, Richard.  Survival Kit for Overseas Living: For Americans Planning to Live and Work Abroad.  Intercultural Press, 1996.

Rabe, Monica.  Culture Shock!: Living and Working Abroad.  Graphic Arts Center Publishing Company, 1997.

Schell, Michael S. and Charlene Marmer Solomon, Capitalizing on the Global Workforce: A Guide to Expatriate Management. McGraw-Hill, 1997.

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Sidebar 3: What can companies do? (Adapted from Capitalizing on the Global Workforce, Michael S. Schell and Charlene Marmer Solomon, McGraw-Hill, 1997.)

• Include the partner in the selection process. Listen to her/his input and concerns.
• Provide as much information as possible about the country, community and company.
• Offer predeparture cross-cultural counseling to the entire family.
• Provide language training — and time for language acquisition.
• Help the partner and family identify community members who will be possible resources.
• Consider company policies regarding the accompanying spouse. How will they further the business objectives and help ensure assignment success?
• Offer professional help with settling into the new location.
• Provide information about local resources and community networks that employee and family and family can access.
• Consider creating a clearinghouse of information and resources for the partners
• Set up a conference room and phone line for spouses or a small room to serve as a resource library with materials on the local community
• Create a directory of expatriates (especially those who would be willing to speak with newly arrived expatriates).
• Consider creating a consortium of companies and pool resources for project-based jobs.
• Assist with acquiring work permits and offering career counseling.
• Finally, take stock of what the company is currently offering and get feedback from expatriates about what is helpful. Review your policies. Do they give the spouse a chance for success?

*Originally published in Workforce Magazine 

Intercultural theorists supported by expat testimony testify to the fact that, regardless of the unique nature of each overseas assignment, there is a predictable cycle of ups and downs that families tend to go through. The four phases of the adjustment cycle, symptoms and suggested coping strategies relating to each, are well documented and are often presented to transferees during a pre-departure cross-cultural orientation. Yet, IHR expat policies and programs rarely reflect the realities of the adjustment lifecycle.

The bottom line is, international transferees and their family members who do not feel supported both professionally and personally by their sponsoring organization throughout the entire assignment may start to feel isolated and resentful. This can lead to failed assignments, early repatriation, high incidents of attrition upon reentry, and bad PR for the company — both at home and overseas.

The financial and emotional ROI at stake for all involved should lead IHR to one conclusion: design policies and programs that support the entire family unit throughout the adjustment lifecycle. An awareness of the specific challenges posed by each distinct phase of the adjustment lifecycle can help HR develop flexible, proactive support programs that anticipate and address specific needs without adding dollars or manpower to the equation.

WHAT IS THE EXPATRIATE ADJUSTMENT CYCLE?

The typical phases of adaptation are Preparation, Honeymoon, Culture Shock, and Adaptation. At RW³, we also include Repatriation because it is an important yet often overlooked component of a successful assignment experience. The first step is to understand the stages and the implications of the adjustment lifecycle.

Preparation

The predeparture period is a time of mixed emotions. Usually, there is excitement at the prospect of “starting over” and experiencing a different country, culture, and lifestyle.

This is often tempered by the anxiety produced by moving into unfamiliar territory — both literally and figuratively. Very often, roles and responsibilities tend to be polarized — especially if the employee is expected to assume the new position and be “in-country” immediately, leaving the spouse to organize the logistics of the move.

Compounding this is the fact that, while the spouse is trying to manage the process, the information needed may only be communicated through the employee. The HR department then becomes the faceless “gatekeeper”, the jet-lagged and overwhelmed employee acts as the informational filter, and the spouse is left with all the responsibility but none of the information — and therefore authority — to make decisions and move the process forward. Factor in time zones, an unforgiving bureaucracy, and the assignment experience — and positive regard for HR — has already started to sour for the family.

Honeymoon
Rather like a traditional honeymoon, this is the time when the expatriate family’s relationship to the new environment is viewed through rose-tinted glasses. Everything seems new, exciting, and exotic. However expatriates commonly report that initially they adopt the more temporary and sheltered mindset of a tourist: happy to sample the delights of the local environment to the extent to which they’re comfortable — but not having to interface with the locals directly, at least, not as long as they’re staying in temporary hotel accommodation.

Also, to continue the analogy with the start of married life, after the relocating family has been in the spotlight and been swept along by a wave of support and good wishes — they can suddenly feel isolated, cast adrift, and “stuck”: unable to move their life forward in this new environment.

Culture Shock

Once the family emerges from the cocoon of the honeymoon state, the rosy hue fades and the reality of life in the new environment sets in. The downward slide that this precipitates in the adjustment cycle is usually referred to as “culture shock.” Causes can include feelings of isolation, communication issues, and discomfort with some aspect of the culture or local environment.

These may be the root causes of culture shock, but they can trigger the type of physical or emotional symptoms that are normally associated with stress, or even mild depression. It is important for professionals who support international staff and their family members to be aware that expats can be so overwhelmed by the experience of culture shock that they often fail to recognize the onset or cause of symptoms, or know when and how they should seek help.

In terms of circumventing or at least minimizing Culture Shock, it is also important to note that there is usually a correlation between the amount of realistic information, and informed support received during the phases and the degree of severity with which “culture shock” hits.

Adaptation

Six to twelve months into the assignment, the dramatic “ups and downs” start to diminish and the expatriate family tends to reach a “recovery plateau” in their adjustment experience. This does not look or feel like the euphoric “high” of the honeymoon period, nor is it exempt from some occasional backsliding. Rather, this should be the most comfortable, productive phase of the assignment when the family as a whole should reap the rewards for navigating the cultural and emotional challenges of the previous phases.

However, rather than being a time for everyone to relax, this is the optimal time for HR to remind families of ongoing support resources, support programs or policies that have not yet been utilized, in short, take the pulse of the assignment.

Repatriation

For families who have been overseas for an extended period or on successive international assignments, the process of returning home can be as challenging and traumatic as the initial relocation. Children, in particular, may have spent a significant amount of their lives overseas — or may never have lived in the home country. In short, even though by HR standards the repatriation is to “home base”, the repatriating family may feel culturally, socially and professionally out of sync with their new environment.

OFFER FLEXIBLE POLICIES WHICH ALLOW TRANSFEREES CONTROL
AND CHOICE IN THE PROCESS

Armed with the knowledge of the realities and challenges of each distinct phase of the expatriate lifecycle, how should IHR respond?

Firstly, by designing assignment policies and programs that are flexible and afford transferees and their families control and support throughout the lifetime of an expatriate assignment.

In her article “Myths of Expatriate Life”, Barbara Fitzgerald-Turner advocates providing a budget with a menu of choices rather than an absolute policy that cannot respond to unique family needs. She suggests that this approach is more cost effective and sets the assignment off on a positive footing for all concerned.

Carrie Shearer, former Manager of International Human Resources at Caltex, agrees with the notion of flexible assignment guidelines. During her tenure at Caltex, they experimented with paying housing and home leave allowances in monthly sums rather than paying specific costs. This allowed the expatriate family control and choice over how to use the money.

As an expat veteran of several hardship postings herself, Ms. Shearer feels strongly that:
“…Exemplary policies never lose sight of what it was that they were meant to do so they can be administered in the best interests of the employee.”

HOMEFINDING TRIPS
A flexible approach may be reflected in a policy of offering the entire family the opportunity to go on a homefinding trip to the destination country early on in the process. The ability to visualize what the new home or school will be like can greatly reduce anxiety levels. Experiencing first-hand the challenges — and perks — of the new lifestyle also allows the family to prepare on both a practical and emotional level for the assignment ahead.

CROSS-CULTURAL PROGRAMS
A cross-cultural program can provide all relocating family members with an opportunity to receive information, have concerns addressed and develop coping strategies to support them through the personal and professional transition ahead.

However, again, timing, together with the perceived value of the service, is critical. The transferee and accompanying family members may not perceive the need — or feel they have the time — to devote an entire day (or days) to a pre-departure cross-cultural orientation.

Flexible alternatives can include dividing the program into 2 halves. The first session can be effective in raising everyone’s comfort level pre-departure by providing country and culture specific information, guidelines on protocol and etiquette, and establishing realistic expectations in terms of both business behaviors and practical daily living challenges.

In the follow-up “post-arrival” session, once the participants have been exposed to the new culture, they have a better sense of “what they don’t know”, and will come armed with specific questions. This session, then, can focus more on analysis, strategy building, and cross cultural skill development.

Web-based interactive tutorials exist as an affordable supplement to traditional face-to-face counseling to provide support for the relocating family through the business and social cultural adjustment process. While this information cannot achieve the degree of personalization of traditional coaching sessions, they raise awareness of the challenges ahead, and allow the family to self-manage the process. With follow-up online coaching options, this is a flexible, affordable option to provide initial learning and ongoing support.

SPOUSE’S CAREER GOALS
In addressing the spouse’s career situation, a flexible approach which offers long term support is preferable. Companies typically offer assistance with career counseling, outplacement, or work permit application as part of the pre-departure program. However, spouses may be too busy coping with logistical arrangements or supporting their family through the transition to focus on their own career or job search plans. Others may defer career-related decisions until they feel settled and have an opportunity to appraise how they feel about working — and the opportunities and challenges that exist in the new locale.

For this reason, shorter interventions (possibly including online or telephone career counseling and job search coaching) starting pre-departure and lasting several months into the assignment will be most effective. This should be preceded pre-departure by a meeting with the HR manager to clarify the spouse’s work visa situation, and to outline other available forms of support such as an education allowance, assistance with work permit application or a job search, career counseling, or a loss of income stipend.

As details can get lost during the pre-departure bombardment of information and priorities will shift throughout the assignment, a quarterly programmed electronic reminder of available support options is a cost effective way of reminding spouses that the support is ongoing, and that they haven’t dropped off of HR’s radar screen! This may be particularly important during the “culture shock” phase when the spouse may be experiencing feelings of isolation, loss of self-worth, or a sense of feeling “stuck” in the adjustment process.

1) SUPPORT THE ENTIRE FAMILY UNIT
In addition to designing flexible assignments tailored to each family’s needs,
Ove Munch Ovesen, former VP of International Human Resources at Novo
Nordisk, a Danish pharmaceutical company, contends that companies should support the whole family throughout the relocation entire process — from their initial consideration of an international assignment through their return.

Many view the life of an expatriate spouse as one with little responsibility and numerous perks. However, while the working partner benefits from the structure, continuity, and sense of purpose provided by the new professional environment, spouses often find themselves cast adrift; struggling to rebuild a sense of direction and confidence as they support their family through adjustment challenges.

The spouse also has to interface directly with the culture to accomplish day to day tasks. While ultimately rewarding, the initial struggles with language, local bureaucracy, and different cultural expectations can be exhausting and demoralizing. It is no surprise that numerous studies indicate spousal and/or family unhappiness is the number one reason for assignment failure .

2) ON THE GROUND SUPPORT
HR can support expat families though these initial emotional and physical challenges by making on the ground support available, starting with the homefinding visit and extending well into the lifetime of the assignment. A professional relocation counselor can anticipate the specific challenges the family will face, and provide the information, resources, and support they need. This is essential in helping the spouse to expedite setting up a new home , and sets the tone for the type of ongoing support and response they will receive from HR.

3) SPOUSE SUPPORT NETWORKS
Companies can sponsor — by themselves or in partnership with other multinationals — a spouse support group and/or network. This is a win-win proposition that requires minimal investment of a company’s resources, yet is pays great dividends in terms of providing a lifeline to newcomers and ongoing support to longer term expats.

Spouses who received assistance from a company sponsored support group are usually only too willing to reciprocate and be a “buddy” to a newcomer. Further, serving as a resource on how to navigate the local culture can be a powerful validation of the relocation experience for the spouse, and can translate into material for a reentry resume!

4) HEALTH CARE
Sally Lipscomb, former expat and President of The Rainier Group, an International EAP provider, commenting on the impact of culture shock reports that:

“Higher stress levels often result in the activation of an individual’s physical or emotional “Achilles heel”: For some, it’s their ulcer or headaches, and for others, it’s allergies. Often the new environment can exacerbate a pre-existing condition. An allergy-caused respiratory problem may escalate into asthma, due to the heavy pollution level in the new city.”

Sally underscored that it is vitally important that expat families are fully familiarized with their international health care plans and global network providers, and that they understand how to access the services available to them.

“Emotional support is needed as well”, Sally continues. “A friendly, supportive counselor who speaks the expat’s language may provide the crucial link to support when the 7 year old absolutely refuses to go to the new school or the college-age son has adjustment issues back home. The Global EAP can provide an immediate helpful voice and assistance, 24 hours a day, by telephone, with a referral to a local counselor who speaks the expat’s language.”

5) MAKE THE SPOUSE/PARTNER FEEL INCLUDED AND CONSULTED THROUGHOUT EVERY STEP OF THE ASSIGNMENT

Susan, a spouse whose husband was transferred to London 2 years ago, initially heard that she was not entitled to a work permit in the U.K. Having taken a career hiatus for what she describes as “two, long, frustrating years”, Susan learned that the information she had received was incorrect: she had been entitled to work all along. Her frustration and anger was directed, rightly or wrongly, at the sponsoring organization that had moved them to the U.K.

Given the potential impact that an unhappy spouse or other family members can have on the ultimate success of an assignment, it makes sense for HR to make the spouse/partner feel included and consulted throughout every step of the assignment, starting with initial conversations about a potential move.

This involves ensuring that details of policies and programs are communicated to all family members — and not turning the already overwhelmed and often “in-country” employee into a filter for information for the spouse who oftentimes is managing every aspect of the move.

While the relocating family must bear most of the responsibility for getting the information and support they need — many report that they don’t want to a be a burden on the Human Resource Department, or simply that they “don’t know what they don’t know”.

A simple sit-down meeting involving Susan, her husband, and IHR manager(s) knowledgeable about immigration and work visa issues pertaining to their circumstances could have avoided this unfortunate situation.

6) REPATRIATION
An organization that wishes to retain its returned expats should not underestimate the impact of repatriation. A flexible range of support options should be offered to support all family members through the reentry adjustment process — which can last up to one year after repatriation. This should mirror the type of support offered to outward bound employees, and should include a repatriation orientation, career reentry support for the spouse, and on-the-ground-support (particularly for families who are not returning to their city of departure).

Finally, as a constant grievance articulated by returned expats in exit interviews is that their experiences and international and cultural experience were neither validated nor utilized by the company, an enlightened IHR department will develop creative strategies for utilizing their skills and knowledge, in international projects, preparation or mentoring of future expatriates.

The overall benefit to providing more flexible IHR support programs, staggered throughout the entire duration an overseas assignment–and in particular linking them to the specific stages of the adjustment lifecycle (including repatriation)–will be a more rational use of HR resources, more effective, strategic interventions for expat families. More importantly, such policies should lead to improved morale and retention of valued international staff and an acknowledgement of the supportive role family members play in ensuring a successful overseas assignment.