When senior leaders take on a global assignment, one of their main concerns . . . and perhaps their #1 concern . . . is their family’s wellbeing. They wonder, “While I do my work, will my family be OK?” Many global assignments fail, in fact, not because of problems with the executive themselves, but because their family couldn’t adjust.
Make no mistake: An unhappy family can sink a global relocation assignment. Confused and angry family members can exert such pressure, that the executive’s work suffers and they demand to be sent back to their native country, or they quit the company outright.
The company winds up losing hundreds of thousands of dollars in original relocation costs. What’s more, there’s a huge cost in repatriation and talent replacement. In addition, the organization may never recover the millions of dollars in delayed operational costs and lost business contacts.
Candida once met an executive who, after two years of living in a foreign location, still hadn’t obtained a local driver’s license. When asked why, he said he and his wife tried, but the process was too daunting and they gave up.
Within the first day of meeting with Candida, both the executive and his wife had their local driver’s licenses.
Jim Carroll,
BASF
On another assignment, Candida discovered that the executive who had been working overseas for 18 months was still living with his wife and baby out of a small hotel room. When asked why, he said they did not know how to find local housing and no one was available to assist them.
Within a week, Candida helped them find a house they loved, that reminded them of the house they left back home.
To have a better understanding of what usually happens when you move to a new location, be sure to review: Culture Shock Phases
Read the following case study to learn more about how Candida prevented a global assignment from failing: How Friendship or Lack Thereof, Can Sink a Global Assignment.
Learn how Candida may be able to help you and your family:
Contact Candida >
Sreenivas Rao Nandigam,
Regional Supply Director at Reckitt Benckiser
Watch Candida’s Videos:
Culture Shock is Not as Shocking as You Think
Want Happy Families? Inject Some Upfront Caring
Family a Few Ideas to Help You Help Them
Three Things To Know Before Accepting An Overseas Assignment
Children Struggle with Culture Too
