HUMANITARIAN ORGANIZATIONS & INTERNATIONAL COMPANIES

Most companies provide support to their expatriate employees in terms of administration (visa, insurance), logistics (moving, plane tickets, relocation), finance (contribution to accommodation, travel, schooling), security (rules, briefing), health (access to care, repatriation), and sometimes also by providing accommodation and/or a vehicle.

However, there are many other challenges facing expatriate employees: successful life and career transitions, managing the stress inherent in the nature of their work and their international mobility, adapting to change, coping with phases of uncertainty, successfully adapting and integrating a new culture, cultivating links with loved ones back home, creating a solid professional, personal and family social network in the host country, culture shock (and reverse culture shock when returning from expatriation), managing communication with Headquarters, managing multicultural teams, etc.

These are important issues which have a major impact on employees' professional fulfilment, as well as on their motivation, commitment and well-being at work.

In short, an employee is not only facing a professional transition and a change of environment. His or her international professional mobility also has a strong impact on all other areas of life (social, leisure, family, personal, health, energy, professional, physical environment, financial) and involves a major identity reshaping.

As such, it is extremely beneficial for the organization to support expatriates in their life and career transitions, their professional and personal development, the strengthening of their resilience and adaptability, as well as in the prevention of burnout.

International mobile employees are often well supported during their departure abroad. However, two crucial stages of expatriation are often neglected: the stay abroad and the inpatriation (return from expatriation).

The need for support during a stay abroad and on return from expatriation is just as crucial to retaining your talent and keeping your international employees motivated, committed and efficient in their work.

L’impatriation se prépare le plus en amont possible. Inpatriation needs to be prepared as far in advance as possible. It involves special challenges that require, at the very least, awareness-raising and, at best, personalized support.

Each phase of expatriation has its own challenges. Employers should offer support to their expatriate employees or aid workers in each of these phases.

The type of support depends on needs, preferences and possibilities. It can take different forms, either face-to-face or online:

• Individual and group coaching
• Group workshops on specific topics
• Séances de sensibilisation pour les salariés et autres acteurs de l’organisation.
• Facilitation of exchanges and experiences.
• Consultancy: assessments and recommendations.
• Written information and awareness kits.

Would you like to clarify which type of support would be most appropriate for your situation? Book an appointment with Nancy.

International mobility impacts not only the employee, but also the whole family.

When an employee is accompanied, expatriation also becomes a family project, to which all family members must adhere if integration is to be successful.

When we look at the key factors in the success of an expatriation, the importance of supporting the transitions and professional and personal development of accompanying spouses becomes obvious!

This support is generally minimalist, or even non-existent. What's more, unfortunately, expatriate spouses are all too often perceived primarily as additional costs (schools, housing) and sources of problems (logistical and other).

And yet, accompanying spouses face a profound identity reshape (i.e. break-up of professional, financial and social identities) and major life and career transitions.

They must be able to reinvent themselves (often), despite the limiting label of “husband of...” or “wife of...”! 

These perceptions and stereotypes are linked to a lack of understanding of what is at stake in this status, among the various players, at different levels, within the same organization or company.

Society has evolved, and companies are keen to develop a policy of equal opportunity for their employees. However, it is striking to see that in the case of accompanying spouses, in the field, on assignment and under the pretext of being on expatriation, the old pattern of “stay-at-home spouse” continues to be the norm and perceived as such.

What's more, to ensure equal opportunities in international mobility, it's essential to also address the issue of fulfilment for accompanying spouses, whether male or female.

For all these reasons, supporting accompanying spouses is absolutely essential.

When a company or organization sends employees on an expatriate assignment, a support policy for this international mobility is determined.

This policy establishes a framework to govern employee departures, stays and returns.

It is crucial to the success of an expatriation, yet it often focuses primarily on the logistical and administrative aspects of expatriation.

We need to think more broadly about support that also touches on the professional and personal development of employees and their families.

This is crucial if we are to have a relevant global approach and retain international mobile talents.

One of the main problems facing accompanying spouses is the general lack of understanding of their issues, challenges and special needs.

Unfortunately, they are often perceived negatively by the various players and departments in an organization... essentially as a source of problems and additional costs!

This has major implications for accompanying spouses, and in turn for the employees themselves.

Raising the awareness of the various players within your humanitarian organization or international company helps to change mentalities and the organisation culture.

Often, all it takes is a few small adjustments to support the well-being of expatriate spouses.

This favours their integration and fulfilment, with a positive impact on employees and the retention of talent in your company.

Expatriate aid workers face two considerable challenges: those linked to their international mobility and those linked to the nature of their humanitarian work.

Here are a few examples:

• Volatile contexts with major security constraints.
• Geographical celibacy (when living away from one’s family).
• Stress management in emergency situations.
• Increased risk of burnout.
• Short assignments (compared to the private sector) involving recurrent changes.
• Rapid career progression or, on the contrary, stagnation, lack of visibility for the next stage of one's career: often linked to operational needs taking precedence over career planning.
• Limited leisure activities and access to healthcare, depending on the context.
• Difficulty in “translating” skills acquired in the humanitarian field.

As such, it is essential to offer targeted support to humanitarian workers during their career path and when making a professional transition within or outside the humanitarian sector.