Global HR News ConferenceOctober 7, 2008Intercontinental Chicago

 International Employee Assistance for Expatriates and Families

 David A. Sharar, PhDManaging DirectorChestnut Global Partners(309) 820-3570dsharar@chestnut.org

Agenda

• Rational for an “EAP like” model for expats and families.

• Determinants of expat family adjustment

• The “intervention” model

• Measuring effectiveness

"Before they relocate, couples tend to focus on the externals like where they will live, what schools their children will attend or where to buy groceries. They understandably ignore the internal challenges, so many of which are key to successfully relocating. They are in denial about the changes which lie ahead for their marriage or family life". --Dixie Wilson, EAP Manager, ConocoPhillips

Why focus on the "internals"?

• There is "risk" in denial (hope for the best but plan for the worst)

• Make "coaching" or even "clinical counseling" available and acceptable

• Counteract the perception of company "indifference" when the "blues" or "stress" kicks-in

• Children "pick up" on parent stress & conflict • "Work-Life" balance is felt more acutely in the expat

world (where the interdependence of work & family is profound) 

Hardships that impact expatriate health & wellness • Isolation and loneliness (lack of social support) • Cross-cultural adjustment and culture shock • Unreliable means of communication/transportation • Difficult living conditions/harsh environments/pollution • Reduced access to medical and professional services • Exposure to suffering, violence, insecurity, poverty • Risk of infectious disease • High expectation of self-sufficiency 

• Unsafe driving (motor vehicle accidents is #1 risk among humanitarian expats)

• Increased alcohol and cigarette consumption • Increased use of prescription sedatives/other

substances  • Unprotected sex • Irritable bowel syndrome/digestive disorders • Intentional violence/threats of violence

Culture shock is a stress-induced reaction.  This stress can increase risky behaviors or situations:

Maintaining a fitness schedule and sensible diet will enhance the body's reaction to the stress of culture shock.

Sources of Expat Failure

Source: ERC 1993/1996 international Survey of 162 companies

Spouse/family’s inability to adjust to cultural/physical environment

0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50% 60% 70%

Lack of technical competence

Inability to adapt to changing businesspriorities or organizational realignment

Inability to integrate job expertise withlarger responsibilities of assignment

Personality or emotional maturity

Lacks skills necessary to conductbusiness in host country culture

Other family related problems

Expat's inability to adjust to culturalenvironment

3.2%

12.7%

7.7%

17.5%

50.8%

3.7% 3.4%

0%

10%

20%

30%

40%

50%

Alcohol use disorders Depression Adjustment disorders Anxiety

U.S. nationals National Comorbidity Study, 2006Expats, Valk, 2002

Rates of mental health problemsU.S. nationals vs. expatriates

GAIN Short Screener (GSS) used with an Expat Population (N=450) 

• A scientifically valid, 20 item (3-5 minute) behavioral health screener for use in general populations to identify who needs a brief intervention or more specialized behavioral health care

• Identifies over 90% of the people with a behavioral health disorder and rules out over 90% of those who do not.

• It can further classify the likely type of problem into one or more of four areas: internalizing disorders, externalizing disorders, substance disorders.

• It can also be used to measure change and document who has had problems in the past but is now in remission.

Website: http://www.chestnut.org/LI/gain/GAIN_SS/index.html 

GAIN SS Data among Expats (n=450)

43%

77%

72%

36%

18%

20%

21%

5%

8%

Internal Disorder

External Disorder

Substance Use Disorder

Low Moderate High

Tried to Hide AOD useFamily/co-workers complain about use

Used AOD weeklyKept using though got you in trouble

spent alot of time getting/using AOD

Hard time paying attentionHard time listening

Threatened other peopleYou lied or conned to get things

Have y ou hit someone

Significant problems sleepingFeeling trapped, lonely sadFeeling anxious, nervouse

Distressed/upset by memories

Source: Collected as part of a health risk assessment; Total Disorderscreener is based on 14 of 20 GSS items (one item n the internal not asked, and the violence and crime screener w ere not asked).

3 determinants of expatriate family adjustment (Alietal, 2003)

1. Personality traits

2. Family characteristics

3. Work-life

Personality Traits

• Cultural Empathy

• Open-mindedness

• Social Imitative

• Flexibility

• Emotional Stability

Family Characteristics

• Family Cohesion

• Family Adaptability

• Family Communication

Work-Life

• Expatriate work satisfaction

• Support from the international company

• Other social supports

Personality Traits- Cultural Empathy- Open-mindedness- Social Initiative- Flexibility- Emotional Stability

Theory of Expatriate and Spousal Adjustment

(adaptation of Caligiuri model)

Family Characteristics- Family Cohesion- Family Adaptability- Family Communication

Work-Life- Expatriate Work Satisfaction- Support from the international company - Other Social Support Networks

Intercultural Adjustment

- Psychological Adjustment- Sociocultural Adjustment

- Work- Family- Culture

Are we doing enough?

• Relocation

• Policy

• Vendor Mgt.

• Exception Mgt.

• Spousal career support and resume writing – US Domestic only

• Some destination services

• Housing

• Schooling

• Settling- in

• Referrals

•Orientation to local area

• Cultural training

•Language Trg

• Follow up training

• Personal Support

• Assessment, counseling, referrals

• Proactive outreach and support – pre, during and post assignment

Relocation Vendor

Spouse career consultation

Destination services

Training Family Support

Historically, we have not focused heavily on the “softer,” personal side of an Expat assignment.

Why are traditional EAPs inadequate to serve expatriate populations?

1. Most EAPs are U.S. centric and do not fully account for local and cultural needs.

2. Expatriates & families tend not to use traditional EAPs.

3. Many EAPs are passive.

4. Delivering consistent EAP services globally has proven complicated.

5. Traditional EAP alone is not sufficient to meet the complex needs at each stage of an expatriate assignment assignment.

4 key elements in Expatriate EAP

1. Proactive Outreach (by phone and e-mail) to all new & existing expats and spouses to lend support and identify any issues

2. Intervention (face-to-face or phone) with "in-country" professional coach or counselor (up to six visits)

3. Educational Support  facilitated teleconferences, webinars, and web site 

4.4. Pre-Departure MeetingPre-Departure Meeting Meet with new expats and spouses prior to departure to prevent or anticipate problems

 

EA

PExpatriate Employee Assistance Program (EAP)

The EAP is. . .

Confidential

Proactive and strategic

Free of charge to the expatriate families

Ultimately voluntary

Case examples

1. Spouse - isolated and afraid to leave the house in Mexico

2. Child - not fitting in at school in the U.K.

3. Expat employee - extramarital affair in China

4. Expat employee - drinking excessively in Brazil

Delivery Model Options for Expatriate Support

1. U.S. based telecounseling and online services

2. Home country professional- periodic expat “check ups”

3. Placement of home country professional in host-country

4. Face-to-face with local provider

Global PartnershipsMulti-local Approach

Local, in-country providers have an

intimate knowledge of the host country

“High touch,” local presence with quick responses

Greater acceptance and integration by local management

Local providers can blend cultural issues with “personal problems”

“ThinkLocalAct

Local”

“ThinkGlobal

ActLocal”

Social support is a buffer against extreme stress 

Ann Copeland's research  (Boston University) indicates that expat spouses who interact with host country nationals "seem to be more content and satisfied than spouses with no such contact".

 

 

Try to avoid living exclusively in the

Survey Data“How has your personal life been affected while living abroad?” Percent reporting a “negative” impact.

Pre IAP 1 year follow up

49% decrease

Considered early repatdue to personal problem

Considered early repatdue to work problem

Family considered earlyrepatriation

Pre IAP

1-yearfollow up

Survey DataPercent who have considered early repatriation

Survey DataPercent reporting dissatisfaction with . . .

Emotional state Socialrelationships

Maritalrelationships

Familyrelationships

Job Kids'educationalexperience

Pre IAP After first year of IAP

Support withpolicy

Overall HRsupport

Support findinghealthcare

Level ofpersonal support

Prior to IAP After first year of IAP

Survey DataPercent reporting dissatisfaction with . . .

Survey DataPercentage reporting more than 4 days absent “due to a personal or emotional problem.”

Pre IAP 1 year follow up

39% decrease

Program Bantuan Pekerja Malay

Program Wspierania Pracowników Polish

Werknemer ondersteuningsprogram Afrikaans

Programa Internacional de Assistencia Portuguese

Programme d’Assistance International French

psykologisk krisehjælp Danish

Programa de Astistencia Internacional Spanish

Mitarbeiter-Beratungs-Programm German

medewerkers ondersteunings- programma or reïntegratietraject Holland/Dutch

雇员协助节目 orYuan Gong Fu Zhu Ji Hua Chinese

종업원 지원 프로그램 or Jik Won Ji Won Program Korean

Questions?Thank you.

Programma di Assistenza Internazionale Italian