Demand for expats on the rise

While the pandemic brought almost all business travel to a standstill, research by AXA Global Healthcare found that HR decision makers are still predicting an increase in all types of future international assignments.  This is encouraging news for those who believe that the pandemic has killed their chance of an expat experience.

Boss up and change your life.

— Lizzo

Professionals confident about expat life abroad

Even in light of travel restrictions and other hurdles brought on by the pandemic, expats are confident that they will be able to continue their way of life.  In fact, Aetna International’s latest survey, states that 75% of expats are “very or fairly confident” to continue living the expat way of life.  The study goes on to state that in comparison to life at home, expats are feeling happier, safer and welcomed in their host countries. The survey also reveals that expats are experiencing improvements in their health and well-being, including eating healthier, drinking less alcohol and exercising more.

As someone living outside their home country, I can say that I agree with the findings from the Aetna survey.  And while it was challenging at the beginning of the pandemic, with a high level of uncertainty around the economy and job security, I feel confident that the global markets and the local Italian economy are turning the corner on the pandemic.

What you need to know about working abroad

Expected changes in expat assignments

While all types of expat assignments are increasing, shorter-term contracts are particularly on the rise. With the changing landscape brought on by the pandemic, virtual assignments are also gaining ground as HR and mobility experts assess how to incorporate online experiences with the overall expat package.  In fact, virtual assignments could be a good first step to introduce potential candidates to multicultural work environments.

Employee experience, especially among Millennials, is still front and center when it comes to recruitment. Look for expat and rotational experiences to get their share of the spotlight when it comes to communicating employee benefits.

Lastly, the pandemic has generated new complexities especially in the area of healthcare, which has never been more important than now.

The impact of COVID-19 on overseas assignments

COVID-19 documentation and travel restrictions

One of the more complicated aspects of your expat assignment, might be just getting there.  With the evolution of COVID-19 and the introduction of COVID-19 variants, many countries have restricted or altogether banned U.S. travelers.

Across the globe there is a mixed stance on the pandemic outlook for Americans.  

• Africa and Middle East: TripSavvy has country-by-country information in Travel to Africa and the Middle East.

• Asia: Condé Nast Traveler provides A Country-by-Country Guide to Asia’s Travel Restrictions.

• Central and South America: TripSavvy offers information for Travel to Central and South America.

• Europe: Forbes Travel To These European Countries Just Got Harder For Americans  provides a breakdown on the limitations across the old continent.

• North America: TripSavvy has country-by-country information for Travel to North America.

One thing holds true across all destinations, you should check the U.S. Embassy, Consulate or Diplomatic Mission of where you intend to travel to learn the latest requirements or restrictions.  You’ll also want to check the health department or ministry for the countries you are visiting.

Healthcare a deal breaker for international assignments

If healthcare isn’t a deal breaker when planning for your expat assignment then it should be.  Don’t just check the box.  Make sure you and your family are covered.  Next, find out what you need to do to activate your health coverage.  You don’t want to be figuring things out in the middle of a global pandemic.  Don’t let documentation or bureaucracy stand in the way of receiving healthcare services. 

I remember when I wanted to schedule my first medical visit.  It took months. I had to find a medico di base, general practitioner, and figure out how the system worked.  I should have done that as soon as I arrived.

The weight of the pandemic on your mental well-being

There is no question that the pandemic took its toll on people of all ages.  Nearly 50% of U.S. adults suffered symptoms of anxiety and depression. Just imagine what it was like for expats who had the added stress of being in a foreign country, far from family and friends. When discussing your healthcare package, be sure that you are covered both physically and mentally.    

Changes in expat spending

The pandemic has influenced how we spend our money.  Spend has shifted to consumer electronics to support working from home, food takeaway due to restaurant closures and subscriptions to streaming or premium television for more free time spent indoors.  This holds true for expat life as well. Regardless of where you are, working from home has most likely increased your electricity bill.  If you are going abroad, you will want to be ready for a hybrid workplace which includes time in the office and remote working.

It’s more than just the money, lifestyle matters

While salary is important and one of the main drivers for professionals who go abroad, lifestyle matters too.  The pandemic reinforced the importance of feeling safe and happy in our surroundings.  Many expats are eager to return to “normal” due to the benefit of a better and healthier lifestyle expat life delivers.

If you want insight on quality of expat life, check out InterNations’ Expat Insider survey.  The survey covers a number of areas including best places to work to cost of living. While I don’t agree with all the findings for Italy, the survey offers a wealth of information for those considering going overseas. 

I’m sure everyone of us remembers where we were prior to lockdown.  For me, my husband had shattered his right forearm and had just come home from the hospital when we went into complete lockdown. And while staying all day and all night at home was difficult at times, if the pandemic taught us anything, it was to respect those around us and to remind us that life is short and should be enjoyed.  Sometimes it feels like the pandemic will never end.  However, we need to appreciate what we have, even if it is not the same as pre-pandemic times. Live life as best you can. Lastly, if expat life is something you desire then don’t give up on it.

Photo by Andrea Piacquadio from Pexels

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Image: iStock.com/AleksandarNakic.

Even with the ongoing pandemic, employees still show interest in expat assignments.  MetLife’s 18th annual U.S. Employee Benefit Trends Study (EBTS) states that roughly 30 percent of American employees are interested in an expat job with Gen Z and Millennials leading the way.  

This is great news, take it from someone who has greatly benefited from an expat experience.  As I’ve mentioned in an earlier blog post, an expat job is worth it.  From personal to professional development, an overseas multi-cultural experience will help you know yourself better and advance your career. 

Expats then and now

A lot has changed since I arrived in Italy 15 years ago.  The most notable change is what we are all living through today, the coronavirus disease COVID-19.  The current pandemic adds a new layer of complexity to how we approach work abroad.

Expats now have an added level of stress to manage.  Aside from the traditional stress factors such as relocation, assimilation, language, etc., today’s expats are coping with working from home (WFH), job uncertainty, severe restrictions on movement, or lockdown scenarios abroad.

As I mentioned in my first blog post, there are many benefits to taking an expat job. However, just as there are benefits, there are also personal and professional questions that you will need to ask yourself before you head overseas.  I address these issues in my survival guides one and four published on Transitions Abroad. 

The new “normal” for expats

Many of us are approaching a third wave of COVID-19 with new lockdowns and limitations on travel.  As we wait for a vaccine, it is important that we learn from this experience and apply that learning to our planning for an expat job.

Once we get COVID-19 under control, and before you step on a plane, you will want to factor in the following.

Five considerations to make before taking an expat job

1. Healthcare

COVID-19 has shown us that we need to protect ourselves.   If you are going to work abroad be sure you understand how the healthcare system works.  Read the fine points of your medical plan.  Trust me, it will not be the same as what you have now.  If you go to a country with socialized medicine, you may be covered under a national healthcare system.  As an employee of a multinational or even a mid-size company, you may have access to private insurance as well.  This is important.  While it is reassuring to know that you will be covered by the national healthcare system, some systems are overloaded and thus basic services may require months of waiting.  If you have access to private insurance you may need to use it.  You should discuss medical coverage in any scenario – pandemic or no pandemic.  Make sure you understand how to access it once you are abroad. Don’t wait for the next health crisis to figure out how your medical coverage works.

2. Financial wellbeing

Financial security is always important. You’ll want to plan for an emergency that could bring about a furlough, the abrupt end to your assignment, or even unemployment.  Employee assistance programs that include financial planning or coaching will not only help you through the good times but also will provide some peace of mind during uncertain times.  Programs that support budgeting and debt management may also be useful for your time away from home. Lastly, know your tax liability at home and in the country where you are doing your expat assignment.  If your company is sending you overseas for an extended period of time, ask about tax preparation support and bilateral tax agreements to avoid double taxation.

3. Semi and full lockdowns

Limitations on movement or being confined to your new home abroad can cause anxiety that leads to stress. Outside of confinement and limited social interaction, travel restrictions may impact your ability to return home. Restrictions on travel may also make your job difficult if you are a frequent traveler. If you require a work permit, you will want to understand the consequences of a late renewal.  Staying longer than your work permit allows, may impact your ability to obtain medical care, get paid, travel, and can even have a negative effect on your taxes.  Be sure that your employer has a plan B should you get stuck abroad. Lastly, will you be able to spend long periods of time indoors or within a short radius of your home?  You probably already know the answer to this question as almost all of us are going through this now.

4. WFH abroad

As mentioned above, being confined to your home can cause anxiety and stress.  Sometimes we take it for granted, but having reliable internet at home will be crucial for work and personal time. Make sure it is easily accessible from your new home.  On a professional front, working remotely is not for everyone.  Be sure to set up regular touch points with your supervisor and team.  Additionally, find a local buddy who can help you navigate the rules and regulations in your host country should you not be able to reach your company sponsor.  You’ll also want to set boundaries between work and personal time. When you don’t yet have a social network, it is easy to be “always on” at work.  This will only lead to burnout and health problems. Lastly, be sure to have what you need should you get stuck indoors.

5. Visiting family

There’s no substitute for family.  One of the toughest parts of being abroad is not seeing family and friends from home on a regular basis.  Prior to the pandemic, I visited with family in Italy or in the States several times per year.  With the pandemic, it will be more than one year since seeing my family in person. This has been tough, but I am thankful for the numerous ways in which I can connect with my family in the meantime.  If you decide to travel, follow to a T the rules – quarantine where it is required. Trying to go around the rules by flying through other countries to mask where you are coming from is part of the reason we are where we are today.  If it’s too difficult to get home, and if you don’t need to be there, don’t go.  The risk is too high. You could catch and spread the disease.

The expat job will live on

Given that a majority of employees still want to work abroad and the business case for employers is still strong, I’m confident that the new “normal” will include international experiences in some degree.  These are undoubtedly challenging times. Once we have turned the page on COVID-19, we can build our learnings into future plans for successful business travel or work abroad.

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Earlier this year, I was all ready to start writing again with a new article titled, “Why not now?  There is no time better than the present for an expat assignment.” And then it happened — coronavirus disease (COVID-19). Just like that…

Life in lockdown with nowhere to go.

I have spent roughly five months working from home with the majority of that time in lockdown.  During lockdown, my routine became the following: waking up and having breakfast, watching the news, switching on my laptop and working, breaking for lunch, getting back to work, and stopping for dinner and personal time. 

Of course, there were the trips to the market, catching up on the latest Netflix series, reading historical fiction, and online workouts.  Throw in some virtual happy hours and video calls, and that pretty much sums up my life in lockdown.

When the COVID-19 news was really bad, the stress of the unknown made me think about my family, my community and my job.  Life abroad is such a big part of who I am. So it is only natural that I also wondered about that too.  Would COVID-19 deprive other business professionals of the expat experience?

Time to reflect on your next career move.

Given the state of the global job market, I am thankful to be employed and doing the work that I love.  However, I know that this is not the case for everyone. The reality for many is daunting. There are now millions of individuals who are out of work, on furloughs or soon to be laid off.  We all know someone living through this nightmare. 

I have been made redundant more than once in my career. So, I am familiar with that feeling of uncertainty. It can be overwhelming.  That said, jumping on a plane for an expat assignment may not be your number one priority today. However, it can be within your next one-to-two career moves.

From a career standpoint, one thing this pandemic has given us is time to assess what we want to do. If it is still your dream to work abroad, don’t stop planning.  Maybe now is not the time to travel, but it is certainly the time to take action.

Workplace trends pre COVID-19.

On a positive note, prior to the pandemic, talent management professionals were expecting short-term assignments to be one of the top workforce mobility trends for 2020. Another important trend we were expecting to see was the return to internal hiring, which can also be seen as positive for overseas assignments.  Per a report from LinkedIn Talent Solutions, LinkedIn Global Talent Trends 2020, 73 percent of the talent professionals surveyed stated that internal recruiting is becoming more important to their organizations. 

In the same report, 96 percent of HR/talent professionals stated that employee experience is becoming more important too.   While economists are struggling to understand the impact of the pandemic, companies are realizing that it is a two-way street. If you want to keep top talent, you will need to meet employee needs. Hiring from the outside takes time and ends up becoming more expensive for your organization. 

Why work abroad as an expat?

For me, my time abroad has enriched my life in so many ways. Here is how my life has been positively impacted.

• Regularly introduced to people from all over the globe who I never would have met.
  
  
• Exposed to opportunities to work throughout Europe that would not have come my way.
  
  
• Discovered, in depth, a new culture something one can only grasp by living in that place.
  
  
• Created a new life in a new country from scratch.
  

I’ve also traveled extensively, learned a new language, tested myself in ways never possible before, obtained dual citizenship, and purchased a house in another country. I could go on here, but I hope you get the point – an expat assignment opens the doors to life-changing opportunities and experiences.  So, if your company offers it, go for it! 

Employee benefits and expat opportunities.

After reading the findings from MetLife’s 17th annual U.S. Employee Benefit Trends Study published last summer, I was both pleased and perplexed.  Pleased to see that Americans are, in fact, still interested in working abroad.  Sixty-seven percent of American employees are interested in taking an expatriate (expat) assignment through their employer. This is encouraging given the times we are living in – economic uncertainty, and the rise in nationalistic and anti-immigration sentiment.  Yet, I was confused when I read that only 15 percent of American employees stated that they have taken an expat assignment.  So, what’s going on here?  Employees are interested, but unaware that an overseas assignment is within their reach with their current employer.

Rewards of an expat assignment.

Expat assignments can range from extended business travel of a few months to multiple years abroad.  Whether it is a short stint or a long one, expat opportunities provide a win-win scenario for both the employer and employee.  So, where’s the disconnect and why the miss on both sides of the fence? 

For the employer, it’s obvious.  Companies need to do a better job at pitching overseas opportunities as a company benefit for top performers. If this is, in fact, a benefit why would a company hide it? With the shortage of qualified candidates for open positions and the increasing competition for top talent, you would think that companies would do a better job at communicating these types of company perks as part of their retention strategy. 

Accelerate career development.

Expat assignments not only help retain top talent but also help create a bond between the employer and the employee.  On top of building loyalty, expat assignments help develop both professional and soft skills.

Learn a new language.

Expat opportunities provide the ideal environment to learn a new language. The expat will need to learn the basics of the new language quickly. Fluency will depend on how intrenched the expat is and how much he or she works at it.

Understand and manage cultural differences.

Often overlooked, awareness and sensitivity to differences in culture will be critical to success abroad. What worked at home won’t necessarily work overseas. The sooner the expat is open to new ideas, the better he or she will be at fitting in and achieving success. In late August, around the globe, people witnessed the most recent episode of civil unrest in America, demonstrating just how important cultural awareness and acceptance of others is. 

Problem solve for new challenges.

Working abroad typically places the expat outside their comfort zone. Unknown scenarios will require a new way of thinking for everything from small everyday issues to complex work problems. 

Develop teamwork skills.

Success on an expat assignment depends on multiple factors including collaboration and relationship building skills. Understanding the local culture, fitting in and being open to new ideas will be essential to success abroad. Flexibility and patience will also play an important role. For potential leaders, success on an overseas assignment will be important for future jobs that require the management of teams spanning multiple geographies. 

Get to know yourself better.

If anything, an expat will walk away from their time abroad with a deeper understanding of who they are, what they want to do, and where they want to go.

Build confidence from day 1.

An overseas project can build confidence in one’s ability to tackle and succeed in unknown circumstances. The expat will be tested in ways that weren’t possible at home – from everyday communications, adapting to the local culture, building relationships, to getting the job done.  

Millennials are interested in expat jobs.

Furthermore, wooing millennials, who are expected to make up 75% of the global workforce by 2025, will require a shift in thinking when it comes to workplace benefits. Per the MetLife survey, 75 percent of millennials are interested in an expat experience among other things. That puts companies with no expat or rotational program at a huge disadvantage when recruiting this generation of workers.   

Find expat opportunities.

For the employee, if your company doesn’t openly advertise expat assignments, you may need to be more proactive.  Ask around, check in with HR or your career development department.  Consult your mentor or boss, network and explore your options which can include:

• Applying for an open job in another corporate office
  
  
• Being part of an M&A team that is onboarding the latest acquired business
  
  
• Opening a new office, and training and/or hiring staff
  
  
• Rolling out a new product or service in new geographies
  
  
• Introducing new internal tools or a software platform across multiple locations
  
  
• Onboarding a third-party vendor or strategic partner
  

Listed above are just a few of the many ways that you can find yourself in an overseas opportunity with your current employer.  It could be as big as a posted position on a job board or an informal project that requires you to be close to the source of the work.

Plan for your expat assignment.

Unless there is an immediate need, your assignment overseas will take time to plan even if it is through your company, pandemic or no pandemic.  Sorting out paperwork and getting overseas can take several months or more.

Accepting a job or short-term assignment overseas is a huge commitment for you and your family, if you have one.  It requires planning, flexibility, patience, and openness to the unknown, but the payoff can be big both personally and professionally. 

While it is easy to find excuses not to go abroad, my experience tells me the benefits far outweigh the costs.  There will never be a perfect time to take the plunge – just like publishing this article. So, do your homework and if everything checks out, follow Nike’s slogan and just do it! 

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