According to the Economist Intelligence Unit (EIU), fewer companies are sending their employees abroad on work placements nowadays, and those who are being relocated for employment assignments are being less well remunerated and rewarded for their relocation.
However, these revelations are really quite unsurprising when you think about the global economic landscape, and the business environment on an international level too. Companies across the globe have had to slash staff, cut costs and rein in spending in an effort to remain in business. Therefore, is it unrealistic to think that you can expect your company to give you an overseas assignment?
In this report we will highlight the very real reasons why companies still require their staff to have international experience, why many companies are itching to get into the emerging markets, and how you can ‘exploit’ your employer’s long-term business desires to enable your move abroad for work. In other words, despite the Economist Intelligence Unit’s findings, you can potentially still get an overseas assignment from your company.
Companies have cut back on the number of staff they send on overseas assignments simply because of monetary reasons. The short-term financial restrictions placed on businesses because of the recession have curbed spending – and this has had a knock on effect on elements of business development such as staff relocation.
However, the recession has not stopped new markets from emerging – what’s more, it has not stopped any business anywhere in the world from wanting to remain competitive. And these are the facts you need to hold on to and use when pushing for relocation abroad.
The survey of executives and companies across 77 nations globally by the EIU revealed that 40% of all companies really wanted to increase their expatriate workforce. This is a positive fact in your favour! However, only 13% of all those surveyed had managed to fulfil this desire for expatriate placement expansion…
Therefore, you can assume that there is a desire to have strong, well -experienced staff relocated overseas to develop new arms of your company’s business abroad. What’s more, it’s a fact that there is demand for expatriate staff, particularly with strong management experience for example, in many business sectors in the likes of China, India, the Middle East, Eastern Europe and Russia…
These facts are in your favour as you seek to find a way to be relocated abroad by your employer. Understanding your company’s ambitions internationally and then aligning yourself with them is key to your being considered for relocation.
So, what else can you do to facilitate your own relocation and enable the positive decision of your boss? Well, you can make it far easier for them to send you overseas…
The number one factor holding companies back from relocating staff according to the EIU is a financial one. And when you look more closely at the report from the Economist Intelligence Unit you discover that the placements that have been given aboard even during the recession have been less well paid than before.
Expatriate staff can no longer expect the likes of hardship payments and to have school fees covered for their children when they are moved abroad for example. And this is where you can begin bargaining with your boss…
If you have a very strong desire to live and work abroad, you have the skills and experience required to really make a difference in your company’s international offices for example, or you believe you could head up expansion in new areas overseas for your boss, you will be a strong candidate to begin with.
Then, if you can clearly prove to your employer that the fact that your relocation package nowadays may not see you any better off financially for having made the move does not hold back your desire for relocation, you may find you’re in a winning position.
If you can explain to your boss that you’re willing to move and will accept a paired down expatriate relocation package, one that simply see your expenses covered for example, you are far more likely to be considered for relocation.
If you really are very keen to move to live and work abroad, and you want to get an assignment from your current company, you have to sell the idea to them and sell yourself as part of the package. To do so you need to understand where their reluctance may come from – i.e., it’s a financial issue – and you need to be able to counter any of their arguments against your move with excellent reasons why you are actually the ideal candidate for the relocation.
Whilst we’re not suggesting that it will be an easy path for you to forge, your strong desire should help you find a way to make the relocation possible…