Tailoring International Assignments to working mothers
The offer of an expatriate position can raise a number of questions for women with children. If mothers’ concerns are addressed and communicated effectively by their employer, this can help to increase expatriate gender diversity.
Housing, commuting and the school-run
Expatriation is often presumed to involve a workload that can result in a poor work-life balance. Although expatriate duties are demanding, it is important to remember that there are a number of positive aspects of the expatriate lifestyle that can be beneficial to families. Generally, expatriate housing is of good quality and, where possible, is close to the worksite and/or close to international schools.Where expatriate housing is close to the office, this means that commuting times can actually be lower than in the employee’s home country, which enables increased levels of family time. Expatriate housing may also be close to international schools, allowing easier drop-off and collection of children by working parents. Expatriates also report more favourable school hours in some countries, which will allow them to combine school-runs with their work duties more easily, again giving parents more input into their children’s lives than might have been possible in their home country.The location of the assignment can also be in host areas with very family-friendly cultures. In some countries, excellent quality childcare, nannies and maids are available at a very affordable cost. These mean that mothers are able to utilise childcare services easily, helping them to combine motherhood with their international career. Family-friendly cultures also tend to promote a good work- life balance and are exceptionally supportive of working parents.Health, welfare and family stability
Another issue, of course, concerns the health and welfare of children. Once again, the location of the assignment plays an important part in any decisions made by relocating parents. Health facilities and medical care, as well as safety and security issues, should all be carefully explained, as these will be crucial factors in moving abroad with children.The assignment type is a further important consideration for working mothers. Long-term assignments are offered on an accompanied basis, which enables family unity and stability. Research has shown that women with children prefer long-term assignments over unaccompanied, short-term or more flexible mobility, such as international commuting. Employers might, therefore, wish to consider the objectives of the international role and, if these suit a long-term posting, spell out the benefits of long-term assignments for family life. If short-term assignments can be undertaken on an accompanied basis, this should also be communicated.Not all places in the world will be best suited to mothers relocating with children. However, many destinations do offer excellent opportunities for youngsters to gain an international outlook and obtain excellent schooling, while their mothers benefit from the career advantages of expatriation. Employers can widen the diversity of their international assignee profiles by highlighting the compatibility of motherhood with an expatriate career. Going beyond a focus on school support can pay dividends in helping mothers to gain awareness of how they can pursue an international career, while also best supporting their children in growing up.Subscribe to Relocate Extra, our monthly newsletter, to get all the latest international assignments and global mobility news.Relocate’s Global Mobility Toolkit provides free information, practical advice and support for HR, global mobility managers and global teams operating overseas.Access hundreds of global services and suppliers in our Online Directory ©2019. This article first appeared in the Summer 2019 edition of Relocate magazine, published by Profile Locations, Spray Hill, Hastings Road, Lamberhurst, Kent TN3 8JB. All rights reserved. This publication (or any part thereof) may not be reproduced in any form without the prior written permission of Profile Locations. Profile Locations accepts no liability for the accuracy of the contents or any opinions expressed herein.