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 John O’Connell currently serves as Vice President of International Strategic Solutions for Bristol Global Mobility, a full service boutique-style relocation company based in the United States that has been operating since 1997. John studied international management in college and graduate school and has worked for global companies since the early 1990’s. Over the course of his career, he completed two overseas assignments (both in France) on behalf of different employers. He recalls how the two experiences greatly differed because he received very little relocation support initially and full relocation support during the second assignment while in a senior level position with a large relocation company. John has been involved in the employee mobility industry since 1998.
X-Expats: What types of services do you provide to client companies?
John O’Connell: We provide a full range of US-domestic and international services. We often begin by consulting with a client regarding their policies. We then leverage a series of best practice processes we’ve developed to create a relocation program that meets the specific organizational needs of the client company. We assist with virtually every aspect of employee mobility – including candidate assessment and training, financial management, and all logistical services associated with moving and settling into a new location. We leverage technology quite heavily, which provides a great benefit to our customers. It is critical for relocating employees and client contacts to have real-time information and we are well-positioned to deliver this to them.
X-E: What is the typical profile of companies requiring relocation services (i.e. size, industry)?
JOC: These days, there is truly no typical profile. We work with clients in many different industries. Some of these organizations are start-up companies in the process of relocating their first few employees; others are Fortune 500 companies moving hundreds (or thousands) of people on an annual basis.
X-E: Do you have statistics about the percentage of companies requesting repatriation services for their transferees?
JOC: While I haven’t seen specific statistics on this, I would say that virtually every company requests some form of repatriation services. The breadth and depth of the services requested can vary dramatically. At a minimum, an organization may require assistance in moving an employee’s belongings back to his or her home country. In the best case scenario, a company will have given extensive consideration to repatriation planning and will not only authorize assistance with the logistical aspects of repatriation, but will also offer comprehensive support - including formal repatriation training delivered by an intercultural specialist.
X-E: In your opinion (as a returning expat), what are the benefits of offering expatriation/repatriation assistance to employees?
JOC: I can state without hesitation that receiving an appropriate level of assistance plays a huge role in ensuring the success of the assignment. In my case, I happened to live in the same country on two different occasions. During my second assignment, I was offered full support – including destination services, language training, and cultural training. These services were invaluable. I was able to settle in quickly and the information I learned allowed me to function far more effectively as a manager in the host country. In addition, I was able to work more effectively with clients. Ultimately, I achieved all of the objectives of my assignment and I am confident that the assistance that I received played an integral role in ensuring that this occurred. For years, companies have been talking about the return on investment of an international assignment. I am confident that providing an appropriate level of support goes a very long way to ensuring that a company receives the desired ROI. In addition, because employee attrition following an international assignment is very common, providing an appropriate level of repatriation support can ensure that an employee is successfully reintegrated into the company upon return. This helps ensure that the company does not lose the benefit of all of the knowledge that the employee gained during the assignment.
X-E: In which areas is repatriation assistance mostly needed, and why (i.e. administrative issues, career, reverse culture shock)?
JOC: I believe that each of these areas is very important. The transition back to the home country can be extremely challenging. Unfortunately, this is still not widely recognized. Ideally, repatriation planning should literally begin at the start of an assignment. By focusing on career planning throughout the assignment, a company is more likely to retain the assignee once he or she returns. A training program designed to address reverse culture shock can also go a long way towards helping the employee and family manage through the reintegration process.
X-E: In your experience, out of 100 assignees, how many typically return to their home country (discounting the ones applying for permanent residence in the host country, changing employers)?
JOC: I believe that the vast majority (perhaps in excess of 90%) return to their home country. Years ago, it was not entirely uncommon to see “career expatriates” who moved from one location to another. As companies have become more cost-conscious, we are not seeing this occur nearly as frequently. In addition, given that dual career couples are not uncommon, the accompanying spouse is often eager to return to the home country to continue his or her career.
X-E: What trends do you foresee in the future?
JOC: I think that companies will continue to focus heavily on understanding the total costs associated with an international assignment. Along with this, they will become increasingly diligent about ensuring that there is a sound business case for sending someone overseas. Organizations will continue to evaluate various options – extended business travel, short-term assignments, long-term assignments, etc. My hope is that with an increased understanding of the individual cost components, it will become apparent that some of the critical support services for a long-term assignment represent a very small investment in the context of the total assignment costs. Of course, there will be continued pressure to cut all “soft” costs from the budget, which means that human resource leaders will need to be prepared to present a solid business case for providing comprehensive support.
X-E: Thank you John for sharing these "insider" insights with us. You have demonstrated that relocation support is critical to retain expat/repat employees.
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