Beyond Competence: Embracing Intercultural Viability for Business Success

Interview with Dr. Milton J. Bennett

As the Chief Information Security Officer at NetExpat, I oversee the security of our information systems and data. My role also includes managing IT projects to ensure they align with our strategic goals and technological infrastructure. My key responsibilities encompass risk management, developing and implementing security policies, ensuring compliance with these policies, and staying updated on the latest cyber threats to protect NetExpat.

Mary Weaver is a global mobility expert with over 20 years of experience. She has a deep understanding of global mobility trends thanks to her unique blend of corporate global mobility roles and consulting experience supporting companies across all sizes and industries. She has been instrumental in designing and implementing innovative strategies to bridge the gap between global relocation and talent management, ensuring a seamless transition for employees moving across borders. Mary lives in Atlanta, Georgia. She enjoys traveling and exploring new cultures with her husband and three children. She is passionate about leveraging her experiences to create a more supportive environment for globally mobile employees.

The concept of diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) has become a growing topic of conversation in business markets: why it’s important, best practices to consider when designing an effective program, and the benefits to both employees and employers when a DEI program is implemented effectively. This blog post will examine each of these considerations – as well as some areas where DEI and intercultural training intersect with talent acquisition and global talent mobility. Why focus on DEI? As the world becomes increasingly complex and advancements in technology grow at surprisingly exponential rates, global workforces and markets are becoming more diverse across cultures and borders. How can organizations best keep up? By tapping into the rich, diverse experiences, skillsets, and perceptions of the workforce they already have – and keeping DEI in mind when recruiting their employees of the future. After all, what better way to compete in today’s market than to build a diverse , inclusive and engaged workforce that mirrors the varied demographics of the global markets businesses serve? Focusing on DEI benefits employees by making them feel seen, heard, and valued, but all of that increased well-being also translates to increased innovation and productivity for businesses. A recent McKinsey Diversity Matters report showed that companies committed to diversity show “a 39 percent increased likelihood of outperformance for those in the top quartile of ethnic representation versus the bottom quartile.” What’s more, the more diverse and inclusive a company is, the more attractive it becomes to talented job candidates, which expands an organization’s talent pool. Diversity alone isn’t enough Too often, organizations assume that simply having a diverse employee population will be enough. But to reap the benefits mentioned above, employees need to be truly invested at work: they need to feel that their perceptions and skills are both valued and welcome, and to believe that they’ll have every opportunity to reach their greatest potential. To accomplish this, a focus on all three DEI pillars should be prioritized. Put simply, focusing on diversity without also fostering equity and inclusion isn’t just counterproductive, it can also be harmful. According to Forbes , global market spend for DEI is projected to hit USD 15.4 billion by 2026 . Yet with all that investment, 65% of employees don't believe their organizations value diversity and inclusion. When employees don’t feel seen and valued, morale may drop significantly, resulting in workplace burnout, feelings of being undervalued or unsafe, and/or a lack of workplace engagement – reversing the very impacts that the company is hoping to achieve.  We’re all capable of doing great things. Incorporating diversity, equity and inclusion into every aspect of a company just ensures that everyone has an equal opportunity to contribute their best and reach their highest potential. At the end of the day, that benefits employees and their employers. -- Saloni Lakhani, Associate Director, Global Mobility, Kimberly-Clark

As the global economy challenges households around the world, the needs of relocating employees are changing – and mobility programs will need to shift to support them. This has become especially important when developing robust policies and programs, both domestic and international, for accompanying spouses/partners who work. Two-Income Families Have Become the Norm As financial pressures grow for employees around the world, two incomes have become crucial to a family’s well-being. This is especially true for mobile talent, thanks to inflation and reductions in compensation packages offered by employers. These same reductions often impact the kinds of services and programs that would support accompanying spouses and partners which, in turn, negatively impacts the employee experience and household. Why should this matter to organizations as they develop their talent mobility programs? The 2023 NetExpat Relocating Partner Survey revealed that over 50 percent of participants cited a partner's potential career disruption as a primary reason for not accepting an international assignment – and another 32 percent said the package being offered wasn’t attractive enough.¹ In today’s global economy, two incomes are often a requirement if a family hopes to thrive. For mobile families, the implications are amplified: Not only does a family suffer a loss of a second income when an accompanying spouse/partner is unable to work, the break in their career trajectory can also cause other downstream negative impacts – from interrupted career progression and a reduction of job market relevance to a reduction in future social security benefits due to lost income. If organizations hope to attract, relocate, and retain key talent; meet their diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) initiatives; and achieve business goals and objectives, it’s now crucial to support partners and spouses before, during, and after a relocation. Immigration Regulations are Supporting Dual-Income Relocations Once a more challenging undertaking, today, a more receptive work permit market is making it easier for spouses and partners to work abroad when accompanying a relocating employee. Our Relocating Partner Work Permit Monitoring records show that, out of the top host locations accounting for 80 percent of global mobility in 2024, 90 percent grant work permits to legally married relocating partners. There are still, unfortunately, a few notable nuances linked to marital status: non-married partners from opposite sexes are recognized by 65 percent of these top locations, while same-sex partners experience the most challenging situation (less than 40 percent of these top locations grant access to work permits in these scenarios). Supporting Accompanying Partners is Now a Part of Global Workforce Management A successful assignment doesn’t just depend on the successful transition of an employee, but also on the ability of an accompanying spouse and family to adapt and integrate into a new location. If an employee’s partner is unhappy, resentful, or feels lost without a job, this will put a strain on the couple’s relationship. That stress can have downstream impacts on an employee’s ability to do their job effectively. Whether to support the accompanying spouse/partner’s sense of identity, happiness, and career growth — or the family’s financial well-being — partner support has become an essential step toward effective global workforce management and a proven ally in supporting DE&I agendas in Talent Mobility. Additional ways to provide a supportive spouse/partner experience include making intercultural training available and providing access to a network of other accompanying partners living in the new location, like the NetExpat Community (NEC) . Working with an experienced mobility services provider will enhance this type of support. Without it, organizations run the risk of losing their top-choice candidates and having to move on to second- or third-tier options. Reducing Talent Mobility Costs by Addressing Dual Income Support Supporting dual-income relocations doesn’t just benefit employees and their families. When organizations support dual-income relocations, they can decrease the overall cost of their mobility programs in areas such as mobility premiums, spendable income and, in some cases, hardship allowances. And because supported spouses/partners feel engaged and valued, employees spend less time worrying about them and can focus on their new roles faster and with greater productivity. Providing a positive employee experience also bolsters employee retention – and fosters the company’s mobility and talent management brand reputation as a caring employer in a competitive market. There are, of course, nuances and specifications regarding dual-income relocations, depending on the industry, origin/host country combination, and skillset of the accompanying spouse/partner involved.

“For over 25 years, NetExpat has provided intercultural coaching and training services to mobile employees and their families – in ways that have evolved as often and as quickly as the global marketplace has. We’re thrilled to have won a FEM EMMA award that recognizes our CultureSnap platform; it’s bridging cultural gaps, making a tangible difference in the ways global teams collaborate, and providing organizations with a competitive advantage in a global market that’s demanding agile technology that connects people in very meaningful, human ways.” -- Des McKell, SVP Advisory & Global Partnerships

Key takeaways from the Global HR Think Tank

In today’s demanding global market, organizations go to great lengths to ensure their compliance with a variety of laws, regulations, and ethical standards. But since all three of these vary from country to country, have you ever considered the value of intercultural dexterity on an employee’s ability to ‘be’ compliant in countries other than the ones they were raised in? Or an organization’s ability to truly understand the reasons behind negative outcomes when something has gone wrong? Miscommunication and misunderstandings during intercultural exchanges can be costly, resulting in lost sales and business opportunities, hefty fines, sanctions, or being banned from doing business in critical markets altogether. Conversely, being culturally compliant saves businesses time, money, valuable resources and, in extreme cases, even lives. Developing cultural agility — the ability to understand different cultural perspectives and adapt one’s behavior to various scenarios to navigate smoothly across diverse cultural landscapes — is often overlooked, but it’s as crucial to being compliant as knowing and understanding each country’s rules and regulations themselves. Incorporating cultural agility into compliance training and readiness — what we call “cultural compliance” — has therefore become mandatory when it comes to the success and sustainability of global organizations, worldwide. In this topic paper, we discuss why cultural compliance, which addresses training in cultural agility, should be a mandatory component of every organization’s compliance plan. Thanks to technology and a wealth of experience, NetExpat is able to provide this training easily, on a variety of platforms, with as little commitment as half a day for expats and an hour for global business travelers/employees who interface with individuals from cultures other than their own. Why should cultural compliance matter to organizations?

The Great Resignation was both a symptom - and evidence - of the world’s changing views on the way we live and work. And the evolution isn’t limited to Millennials; while employees of every age are seeking deeper meaning in their lives and a greater work-life balance, organizations are wondering how to position themselves for growth, while adapting to rapidly changing global trends and technological advancement. What does it all mean for companies that want to be successful now and scale for the future? They’ll need to change and clarify their definition of mobility, making it a strategic partner in their overall talent management programs and business goals. 4 Ways Mobility is Changing In a recent Global HR Think Tank webinar, NetExpat spoke with International Experiences Director, Louise Brailsford and Mark Nieuwendijk, Global Mobility Director of Danone, to discuss workforce management, ways mobility be a strategic partner to businesses, and why it’s important to consider mobility an investment, rather than a budget line item. Key takeaways included: