ExpatGPS: A simple solution to the complex problem of expat family support
International assignments are one of the most complex, interdisciplinary, and cross functional activities an organization can undertake, involving senior management, strategy, talent initiatives and HR programs, as well as mobility and relocation professionals.
When you send an expat family on international assignment, you don't just send an employee, you send an entire social system.
Managing expats and international assignments requires that you manage not only a host of things you KNOW about, but also things you CAN'T or SHOULDN'T know about.
Management knows about a candidate's ability, temperament, interests, and motivation for an assignment, but research from the past ten years has consistently confirmed that when assignments fail or are compromised and ineffective, in two-thirds of the cases the cause is the employee and family's inability to adjust to the new location.
Issues that management or HR cannot or should not know about, such as behavioral health concerns, family problems, "back home" parental issues, children's health and education (to mention only a few) impact not only the outcome of the assignment, but often the willingness of an employee to accept an assignment. This is where the ExpatGPS program comes in.
ExpatGPS is an expat family support program offered as part of YOUR expat support, talent mobility, and duty of care program.
The ExpatGPS program CONFIDENTIALLY identifies the key employee and family issues most likely to impact an assignment, and provides focused, experienced coaching and mentoring to prepare the employee and family for their new destination and work-living environment.
How does ExpatGPS fit into global mobility or international talent support programs?
ExpatGPS is designed as an "OPIM: organizational plug in module", or an "organizational function" (or capability) you install or "plug in" an existing organization. It functions as if it were "owned and operated" by the parent organization, appearing to users as of offering or benefit provided by your organization.
It requires no development resources, no "ramp up" (except, of course, to coordinate with other functions), and uses only the management resources and capital-costs allocated to it. It is similar to "outsourcing", but different in one important respect. Outsourcing is frequently done to replace an existing organizational function with one from the outside. An OPIM, on the other hand, is typically a NEW organizational capability which saves the development cost and deployment time needed to install a new functional part of the organization. You get new capabilities and functions instantly, without the associated development, start-up, and personnel expenses.
ExpatGPS starts functioning IMMEDIATELY as a part of the organization and uses only the resources allocated to it for operation, not development. ExpatGPS is rapid, efficient, and effective.
First, our senior organizational expert works with you to make sure that all the important stakeholders (Senior Management, HR, Operations, Talent, Mobility) are "hooked in" and informed about the program. Then, you select the best candidates to get the job done. Once chosen, the ExpatGPS team works confidentially with the employee and family to ensure the business and personal-family success of the assignment.
The ExpatGPS team is composed of highly experienced professionals selected from the best and most experienced in the expat preparation and support business. They are assisted by cutting edge technology (the International Assignment Profile-the IAP) that rapidly gathers the required information and identifies the key issues.
The ExpatGPS coaches and mentors start their work with a prioritized list of key location adjustment issues, family-spouse-children's concerns, behavioral strengths and concerns, and back home considerations that will impact the assignment. Even the pets are included!
