- 70% of companies believe offering expat assignments increases loyalty
- Support for families a top priority
- Continual support both before and during assignment also crucial
HR teams looking for creative ways to retain staff should consider adding international assignments to their staff packages.
A recent survey of corporate clients by Allianz Care showed that seven in ten companies believe that offering expat assignments increases staff loyalty. It’s an important consideration for HR teams looking at the best ways to motivate staff, bearing in mind that the biggest workforce-related concern highlighted by 65% of organisations was how to keep staff engaged.
Employers reported that the two most important factors to get right when it comes to a successful assignment abroad are the happiness of the accompanying spouse and children, and pre-relocation support—both a top priority for 97% of the respondents. According to the survey, the top destination that employers are planning to send staff to in the future is Asia-Pacific.
Claire Cusack, Director of Human Resources for International Health, Allianz Partners commented, “A huge chunk of people’s lives is spent at work so it is important that it’s a pleasant place to be and that they and their family get the support they need. Our research found that the top three reasons for the failure of expatriate assignments were: the employee’s family members did not settle in or were unhappy, cultural issues and lack of flexibility, and insufficient support either before, during or after the assignment. Companies who get this right will simply be ahead of the curve.”
Paul Arkwright
Publisher
