A large-scale survey of the views of spouses and partners of international assignees has recently been conducted by Permits Foundation. It finds that a lack of spouse and partner employment opportunities adversely affects international mobility, and that a few simple improvements, including providing work permits for spouses and partners, can create a 'triple win' for employers, families and host countries. Moreover, the research finds that spouses and partners are a highly-educated, under-utilised talent pool that can contribute to the economy of the host country. Sue Shortland reports.

Going global typically means that employers require employees to live and work abroad. Reasons for this include filling skills gaps and training and developing local staff, as well as providing a source of organisational control and acting as a conduit for the dissemination of organisational policies, practices and culture. Employees may also be asked to work abroad as part of their own development as they are groomed for even higher positions within their own organisations.

Today, though, the scenario of the working expatriate husband and accompanying non-working female spouse is long since a distant memory. Expatriates are, typically, accompanied by a spouse or a partner who works and wishes to continue to do so. For some, this is a matter of financial reality, while for others the desire to remain in employment concerns career aspirations and feelings of social acceptance and self-worth.

Sue Shortland reports on the implications for dual-career policy and practice for internationally mobile employees in the light of the current economic picture.

As the recession bites, it would be predicted that organisations will reduce their corporate spend on supporting mobility as they are obliged to tighten their belts. It might also be predicted that the business case for promoting diversity will begin to crumble as labour markets become less difficult in terms of manpower supply. ORC Worldwide has recently released its 2008 survey on dual careers and international assignments – the latest in a series that was originally launched back in 1990 – and this supports these predictions. One of the main findings concerns the fall in women’s participation as expatriates in their own right. For the first time in almost two decades, women’s increasing share of expatriate opportunities has come to a halt, with their participation down from 17 per cent in 2005 to 13 per cent today. Of course, there are two sides to this coin. Although the worsening economic climate means that employers do not have to look beyond traditional sources of expatriates to fill their positions overseas, it also means that, where dual-career couples are concerned, they are more likely to reject an international assignment if the career of the primary breadwinner (most typically the male partner) is jeopardised to a greater extent through a career break as an accompanying/trailing spouse.

As case studies show, career counselling can help trailing partners buy-in to the move, upgrade their careers and – in doing so – it aids retention.

Career counselling can prove invaluable in ensuring the so-called ‘trailing partner’ doesn’t feel like an also-ran in the relocation process. It gives him or her the chance to consider what they want to get out of the relocation, and how best they can achieve it. A relocation may prove the perfect chance for a reassessment of the direction in which the individual wants it to progress – or, indeed, for an entire change of direction.

If you’re helping a relocating partner who’s looking for work, the Career Wheel, developed to help people identify what they want in their career could prove invaluable. Sue Clarke explains how it works.

“The company wants me to move to Cambridge. It would be a great opportunity for me. What do you think?” As surveys consistently demonstrate, whether a partner’s response is positive or negative increasingly depends on whether that partner believes they will find suitable work in the move.

Work may be necessary simply to earn a second income, or – as is more and more common – the partner has a thriving career and wants the move to promote their career prospects, too. In dual career couples, one partner’s lack of career fulfilment may severely strain a relationship – and derail an otherwise successful relocation.