A woman abroad

Citation

(2000), "A woman abroad", European Business Review, Vol. 12 No. 1. https://doi.org/10.1108/ebr.2000.05412aab.009

A woman abroad

Keywords Women, Expatriates

More women than ever before are being sent on assignment abroad by their companies, according to new research from Cendant International Assignment Services. Women now make up 16 per cent of all employees relocating overseas compared to 12 per cent only two years ago.

The Cendant survey also showed a marked increase in the numbers of single people going on assignment. In 1997, single people accounted for 27 per cent of all assignees, compared to 36 per cent today. Meanwhile, there has been a significant drop in families working abroad, from 48 per cent of the total assignee population in 1997 to just 32 per cent in 1999.

Fewer senior managers are being assigned. Directors made up 20 per cent and senior managers 31 per cent of assignees in 1997. Those figures dropped to 15 per cent and 26 per cent respectively in 1999. Middle managers are going in their place. Over a quarter (28 per cent) of assignees are now middle managers, up from 23 per cent in 1997.

Ian Payne, managing director of Cendant International Services for Europe, the Middle East and Africa, said "These changes in the profile of assignees are part of a trend we have been seeing throughout the 1990s. In the USA, women made up 5 per cent of assignees in 1992, but 15 per cent now. On both sides of the Atlantic, more women are reaching company positions which might require them to take postings abroad.

"The fall in families and growth in singles relocating overseas is interesting. This could be being driven by families being more reluctant to relocate, or companies feeling that fewer personal ties will mean fewer distractions and a better work performance abroad or alternatively by an increase in short-term assignments."

The changing profile of assignees means multinational organisations will need to look carefully at the type of relocation package and support services they offer employees. The rise in women and single assignees raises issues of security and the adequacy of support networks overseas, particularly in some of the emerging market destinations, such as Johannesburg and Beijing.

Cendant International Assignment Services commissioned independent research on assignment policies and practices during the first three months of 1999. Detailed telephone interviews took place with 101 UK based multinational companies. The interviews were with senior staff with primary management responsibility for international assignments, from a wide range of commercial sectors, including finance, IT/telecoms, services, chemical/minerals, manufacturing and engineering/electrical.