Assumptions about professional women being the trailing spouse can seriously hinder an international career. So why should women and companies bother?

Assumptions at corporate HQ are often women's biggest obstacles

"What do you do all day?" was probably the most frequently asked question I encountered when I was enjoying my expat assignment as Regional Director of ING in Asia. The question came up at different occasions, such as business functions, activities at the expatriate club and receptions – regardless of whether I was attending with my spouse or not. Many expat women have experienced that the conversations at those occasions are initially directed at their spouse. Eventually you might get asked "So, what do you do all day?" which is a sign of common courtesy.

The always well-intended question is based on two assumptions: that your spouse is the one working on an international contract – therefore he is interesting to know and share information and experiences with; that you are not working in a professional job. How do you react in these situations? Here are some facts and figures.

Why are there fewer women expats?

Most Western companies are currently decreasing the number of expat contracts. The main reasons are labour cost pressures at headquarters and the increased availability of a skilled and well-educated local workforce. The number of women expats is still disproportionably low compared to male expats but is growing steadily; from only 3 percent in the early 1980s (Adler), 11 percent in the early 1990s to 18 percent in 2002 (GMAC Relocation Survey).

Foreign assignments still form an integral part of career development for potential senior managers in multinational companies, next to line management experience. The under-representation of women in the higher managerial ranks, from which expats are typically recruited, is one explanation for the low number of female expats. Another explanation can be found in HR managers' complaints about the lack of female candidates that actively pursue an international assignment.

Many professional women still underestimate the added value of a foreign assignment for their career and do not strategically plan for it in their careers. Also family issues can play a role in explaining the low number of women expats. According to GMAC, 80 percent of male expats are married — or with a significant other — compared to only half of the expat women. Recent research by Selmer and Leung shows that careers of female expats seem less appreciated by their companies than those of their male counterparts. The reported lack of corporate support — like the absence of mentoring, skills development and positive role models — does not encourage women to pursue an international assignment.

Travelling back in time

Expat communities all over the world share a unique quality. The cultural ties that bind people become stronger the further away from the roots. Women expats have experienced that the conservative elements of their home culture becomes more explicit in their expat community. It is almost like 'travelling back in time'.

While working the proverbial 24/7 for their company, female expats are often expected to also fill the role of the traditional female in their culture. Organising dinner parties, attending the coffee mornings for spouses at the Embassy and devoting time to charities, to name but a few. The penalty for not performing those tasks is often a limited social life, which is already affected by work pressure and frequent travel. Because you are invisible at the traditional activities, you risk becoming invisible in your social life in the expat community as well.

Impact of assumptions

The main obstacle expat women report is not the business environment in which they have to operate. The set of assumptions at corporate headquarters about the likelihood of their success as an expat forms the main stumbling block. Commonly cited reasons for selecting males over females for international assignments are related to risk management. Women are perceived to have a higher risk of non-acceptance in the business environment than men because of the aggressive culture in the male-dominated international business arena.

Why should companies bother?

Extensive research supports the claim that women can be very successful as expats. Results frequently suggest that women are more likely to possess the essential characteristics of a successful expat, for instance flexibility and cultural empathy.

Expat women are aware that their status makes them highly visible and use that to secure deals and become part of wider business networks to the benefit of their company. International corporations with women expats are doing very well, especially in Asia, where there are more women in top management positions.

Finally, companies that exclude women from the selection process use only half of the available talent pool; this reduces their chances of recruiting the right person for the job.

Reacting effectively to the question

Paradoxically, the most accurate and professional answer you give to the question 'why should you bother?' often causes embarrassment to the one posing it. The person suddenly becomes aware of the assumptions they hold. That might not be the best start of a successful business relationship. However, a vague answer will prevent embarrassment but will perpetuate the assumption. This could result in marginalisation of your role in the conversation and ultimately in the network of (business) contacts altogether. Your chances of success as an expat can be seriously compromised if you do not handle these situations effectively.

Creating a sustainable competitive advantage

Companies that are serious in stimulating women to work as expats will develop a distinct competitive advantage in two areas of strategic importance.

Firstly, they will receive a premium in doing business overseas when they appoint a woman. Especially in Asia, women expats have the advantage of being highly regarded as professionals and are able to integrate into sometimes even larger business networks than their male counterparts. This will lead to increased business results.

Secondly, by stimulating and actively supporting female expat careers, the pool of talent for top management positions gets filled with a larger number of qualified individuals. This increases the chance of appointing the right person for the right top job. With more women becoming expats it can be expected that traditional assumptions and the related questions will gradually disappear.

July 2005

Mirella Visser has 16 years of international management experience and is an independent advisor on joint venture management in Asia and gender diversity (www.mv-imc.com). She played a key role in helping to develop the Amsterdam branch of the Women's International Network (www.womensinternational.net; www.EuropeanPWN.net).

Reprinted from the XPat Journal, Spring 2005 Issue

Subject: Expatriate selection, Women expats