Browse Topics
Tools
Editor's choice

Berlin noise: November’s hottest concerts

Talking vernissage: New buildings, old buildings

In Focus: Get the story behind the story

English theatre in Germany: The fall edition

Her-stories and she-roes: Of struggle and success

Across the border: The best stories from Greece to Norway

Dancing in Deutschland: German Festivals in 2009

Expat Voices: Graeme Collins on living in Germany

The Klassical Junkie: Paying Tribute to Berlin

Looking back: Remembering World War II

Internaxx Stock Market
Index Last Var.(%)
BEL 20 2119.3 0.50
DAX 5252.45 1.50
IBEX 30 10726.8 0.59
CAC 40 3377.59 1.40
FTSE 100 4564.5 0.79
AEX 276.85 0.95
DJIA 9096.72 -0.13
Nasdaq 1975.51 0.39
FTSE MIB 20341.67 1.65
TSX Composite 10570.54 -1.74
ASX 4148.9 -0.60
Hang seng 20135.5 -2.37
Straits Times 0.00
ISEQ 20 442.48 0.27
You are here: Home Employment Employment Information Fewer expats sent abroad due to crisis

15/06/2009Fewer expats sent abroad due to crisis

For the staff of multinational companies, an overseas posting used to seem like an inevitable step on the career path. But now the world is in the grip of an economic crisis, a spell abroad is no longer something they can take for granted.

According to the findings of a survey of 180 managers by London-based consultants Brookfield, more than two thirds of the major multinationals are expecting to post fewer employees abroad this year.

Nannette Ripmeester of the Dutch consultancy Expertise in Labour Mobility recognises the picture. She sees two possible responses to the crisis: either send fewer employees abroad, or economise on the facilities for expats, by cutting back on housing allowances or air tickets for trips back home.

However, spokespersons for Shell, Philips and Akzo Nobel are keen to stress that they won’t be skimping on perks for expats.
 
“They’re set down in the collective labour agreement – they’re agreed beforehand so you can’t change them,” says a Philips spokesperson.

Critical eye

Companies acknowledge that they are approaching the matter of overseas posting with a critical eye. These days they think more carefully whether it is really necessary to send someone from the Netherlands to an office abroad. Philips policy is already to use local personnel where possible. However, this is a strategy dating from before the economic crisis.

Photo © oscar alexander

Boomerang

A spokesperson for Shell says it would be very unwise to make major cutbacks in the number of expats working in the Netherlands. In this country alone, around 1800 expats work for the company. If you were to send them back, the effect could be like a boomerang, with overseas offices responding in the same way. Posting personnel overseas is long-term policy and not something you should suddenly throw overboard, the Shell spokesperson concludes.

Tim van der Zanden of Akzo Nobel is also cautious about the findings of the survey:

“Posting staff overseas is a well-considered policy and certainly not an area to suddenly make drastic cutbacks.”

Protectionism

The fact remains that the crisis has put the position of expats under pressure. Because of unemployment and more protectionist policy, for example in the United States, it’s harder for expats’ partners to find jobs abroad.

What’s more, it’s no longer so routine for expats to be guaranteed the same job on their return. In times of rising unemployment, this makes an overseas adventure a riskier prospect than it once was.

 

Johan Huizinga
Radio Netherlands

Photo credits: oscar alexander; livepine
 

0 reactions to this article

Inside Expatica
The ABCs of the German school system

The ABCs of the German school system

Trying to size up the education system is one of the hardest things facing those embarking on a foreign posting. We set out what you should know about German schools and daycare.

How to move to Germany legally: visas and citizenship

How to move to Germany legally: visas and citizenship

Want to move to Germany but haven’t figured out the details? Check out Expatica’s overview of the German visa and citizenship system.

Taking your pet on assignment

Taking your pet on assignment

When moving abroad, the owner must make an informed decision as to whether their pet is up to the trip. Here’s an overview of the factors involved.

Looking for work in Germany: The in depth version

Looking for work in Germany: The in depth version

Moving to Germany but still searching for a job? Check out Expatica’s comprehensive overview of the ins and outs of employment in Germany, including information on how to find work, recruitment agencies, employment contracts and labour law.