Should HR be developing a special policy for assisting single expats?

It was not that long ago when single expats were mostly young graduates eager to see the world and take their first step on the ladder of success. Times have changed. Rather than disrupt a dual-career marriage for a two- or three-year assignment, many couples opt to have the expat go abroad alone. Some European companies estimate that the number of single status assignments is nearing 25 percent.

This raises the question: Do single expatriates require additional assistance and what, if anything, can HR do to make these assignments successful?

 All expatriates need assistance when settling into a foreign country. They are expected to be immediately productive on the job and somehow handle all the issues that go with settling into a flat, obtaining transportation, getting a driving license, etc. “It goes without saying that the magnitude of the problem is greatly reduced when we are dealing with a single person and not a family,” claims the CEO of a European engineering services company.

Is this true? Was I the only single expat who lived in a service apartment for six months because I couldn’t pry myself away from my new job? A quick survey of 35 single expats, five IHR managers, and six line managers shows that the CEO may be only seeing a portion of the picture.

Getting settled

Single expatriates need the same kind of assistance as married couples. If anything, they may need a bit more help in settling into a new location because they are both working and trying to get things set up at the same time.

Wives/families typically get the low-down from other expat families; however, the single relies on work contacts to find out about various activities.

"Working spouses tend not to know how the local scene ticks. They have general types of information, but not the more solid back up type that one needs to be fully effective,” according to a veteran single expatriate of a Dutch financial services company. A female German expatriate maintains that what is needed is “extra and flexible time off to get settled, because you don’t have a ”wife” to do all the legwork.

A British expatriate in the oil and gas industry claims “the biggest problem I faced is actually taking time off to get the domestic stuff sorted out. As a single guy there seems to be an unspoken assumption that you should have unpacked you suitcase minutes after arriving and that you are therefore free to commit totally to work from day-one.”

The settling in process is the easiest to address. By providing destination services at the expatriate location, HR can reduce the time it takes for the expatriate to be fully productive. Some companies have begun to give two or three days at the expat location for expatriates to get settled, adding an extra day for singles in recognition that they will be handling the process alone.

Dealing with loneliness

Overseas assignments are lonely for everyone, yet they can be more so for singles. Unless they are “easy mixers”, it is easy to become a hermit or a bar fly, or some combination. After the first flurry of invitations, singles generally go through a phase of sheer loneliness. You have to get yourself up and out the door and join activities. There’s no one else to rely on and you must do it yourself.

An Australian expatriate in France says, “You don’t want to go home because you are just bored. Also, your only source of companionship is at work and you want to prove yourself successful.” In remote locations, where weekends present special time-filling challenges, staying on the job after hours or weekends is quite common.

Interestingly, older singles (those over the age of 35) admit to spending more time on the job, while younger singles seem to feel they have the right to time off equal to their married co-workers.

“Some singles see this as an equity issue. Employers do tend to take advantage of singles,” claims one veteran IHR manager.

In defence of Generation X, a young British expatriate from a financial services company says, “I’m willing to put in extra time for the first six months to get myself established. After that I want a life.”

Brigitte Hild of Going Global maintains, ”It is more difficult for single expatriates to find the right balance between work and recreation, they tend to concentrate on work only; see it as the only source of self-esteem.”

Catherine Tansey, Principal of ISIS Group International, believes HR can assist with this phase of the relocation cycle by providing intercultural training with a clear focus on the cultural adjustment. “Many HR people think that single expatriates don’t need any training because they will be focusing on their work and they only have themselves to worry about. This is not a good attitude,” she says.

Companies such as British Gas are extremely proactive in dealing with the potential loneliness faced by single expatriates. They allow quarterly trips home or allow the partner/spouse as well as dependent children to fly into the assignment location. Alternatively, the expatriate may choose to rendezvous with their spouse/partner at another location as long as the cost of the plane tickets is equivalent or less than flying to the expat location.

Valerie Scane, British consultant and writer on expatriate issues, says, “Before accepting a posting, you need to know where you are in your life cycle and what your priorities are. If you’re young, ambitious, and eager to get abroad, then your drive for success will probably tide you over any loneliness. If you’re on posting 12 because you’re single and you’re easy to post, perhaps you need to take stock.

"One EAP person told me she sees more problems with experienced expatriates than newbies, and I think the reason is that the glamour wears off and you’re left with the reality.”

The family left behind

When you pack up and leave your family behind, there are adjustment challenges facing both the expatriate and their family. When the family faces problems, this will affect the single expatriates ability to perform as much as having a family on location that cannot adjust.

For expatriates with young families at home, there is often a degree of anguish in being unable to carry their share of home responsibilities and parenting. This impacts greatly on those left at home, who generally receive very little support or consideration.

“At times, the regular phone call home is more heartbreaking than helpful,” according to a young French expatriate.

Even if your company does not want to go the same route as British Gas and authorise four trips per year, it might be beneficial for the company and the families involved if HR were to provide some kind of support. This could be as simple as a regular friendly phone call from someone in HR just to make the family and the expatriate feel recognised and not forgotten,” recommends a veteran single status expatriate in the oil and gas industry.

Most people will put up with the most remarkable hardships provided that they simply feel appreciated.

Conclusion

Single expatriates may not necessarily face different challenges to married expatriates, although the emotional roller coaster may be more dramatic. By providing destination services, pre-departure cross-cultural training, and sufficient contact with family and friends back home, HR can make this a win-win scenario for all concerned.

June 2003