TRANSITION INTELLIGENCE (TQ)

The Hidden Costs of Neglecting Wellbeing

Welcome to our latest edition of the Transition Intelligence Series. This month, we’re diving into a critical topic that often flies under the radar: the opportunity cost of not providing wellbeing support for your international hires and their families.

Let’s face it - moving abroad for work isn’t just about packing boxes and booking flights. It’s a massive life change that affects every aspect of an employee’s life, and more importantly, their family’s life too. When organisations overlook the emotional wellbeing of these families, they’re not just risking the success of the move - they’re potentially setting themselves up for significant losses.

Did you know that between 10% and 45% of all international assignments fail? That’s a staggering number! And the most common reason? It’s not poor performance or lack of skills - it’s family dissatisfaction.

Now, let’s talk about money. The estimated cost of a failed assignment is around US$400,000. That’s not pocket change, is it? But the real kicker is that many of these failures could be prevented with the right support.

But let’s not forget the human side of this equation. When an assignment fails, it’s not just the organisation that suffers. Families can experience:

1. Career setbacks for both the assignee and their partner
2. Disrupted education for children
3. Emotional stress and potential mental health issues
4. Financial strain
5. Damaged relationships within the family

These costs are harder to quantify, but they’re just as real and often long-lasting.

Here’s the good news: it doesn’t have to be this way. By investing in wellbeing support for international hires and their families, organisations can:

1. Increase assignment success rates
2. Improve employee satisfaction and retention
3. Enhance their reputation as an employer of choice
4. Boost productivity as assignees can focus on their work without family concerns

For families, proper support can turn a challenging move into an opportunity for growth, cultural enrichment, and stronger family bonds.

If you’re in charge of global mobility or HR in your organisation, it’s time to take a hard look at your assignee support programs. Are you truly addressing the emotional and psychological needs of your assignees and their families?

Remember, investing in wellbeing support isn’t just a cost - it’s a strategic move that can save your organisation money and help your people thrive.

Let’s work together to create a world where international moves are opportunities for growth and success, not sources of stress and failure.

Until next time, keep prioritising the human side of global mobility!

Warm regards, 

Emily 

Emily Rogers is an award winning Transition and Leadership coach. Having lived abroad for over 20 years, her family has spent 12 years moving around Asia, relocating to Auckland, New Zealand at the end of 2019. Both her daughters were born in India, and raising a family in a foreign context has literally transformed their lives.

Emily has experienced first hand what it feels like to move your family and settle into a new country. Dealing with the variety of challenges that living abroad presents, she has developed systems and processes that allow her to settle her family faster and easier. She now uses these systems and processes to support her clients.

With The Leap To Lead, Emily combines her personal experience and professional career in Human Resources to provide support for assignee partners. Working with Emily is your opportunity to provide the care and support that your assignee and their family needs. Whether it's their first move, fifth move or repatriating, you can prevent the potential failure of their assignment.