RELOCATION SUPPORT According to IMPACT Group research, 30 per cent of relocating spouses change careers and 36 per cent change industries during a relocation. Take Thomas Story, for example, who is using his wife’s corporate relocation from Calgary to Toronto to reassess his own professional aspirations. Given the wait time required for his teaching papers to transfer to Ontario, Story is examining new career possibilities. “This move opens up options for me because as an elementary school teacher I have to wait for my teaching credentials to transfer to Ontario,” says the accompanying spouse. This isn’t easy to do when you’re in an unfamiliar city where you have no professional contacts and need to start networking – a key for any job search. “The hardest part for me is networking,” says Story. “This is a brand-new city where I don’t know anyone.” IMPACT research shows 70 per cent of job seekers find new opportunities through networking, but it takes guidance and practice to master the skill. This is where expert career coaching can help, by providing the networking expertise accompanying part- ners need to help them find new employment. CASE STUDY: BUILDING A NETWORK - Ed Marshall, Practice Leader, Global Mobility, with IMPACT Group of the most valuable career support services is career counselling. Harvard Business Review’s recent Effectiveness of Job Search Interven- tions report indicates job seekers are 2.67 times more likely to find a job when they partner with a career coach. “ This means their job search can be cut in half,” offers Ed Marshall, practice leader, Global Mobility, IMPACT Group. “Considering the U.S.’s Bureau of Labor Statistics states the average salary is $71,500 and that the national U.S. average for a job search is 30 weeks, that’s a potential savings of $20,624 when the job search is minimized to 15 weeks. So for a small investment of $2,500 for spousal job search support as part of the relocation benefit, families are able to put thousands of dollars back in their pockets – relieving stress and keeping the family whole.” Certainly, it is offerings like these that go a long way towards protecting an assignee’s finances and morale, says Mendelsohn. As she explains, “Partner Support programs can coach them through that adjustment process and so ensure they remain motiv- ated and confident to stay. They can also highlight the benefits of career alternatives and a life-changing experience.” When dealing with international assignments, the solutions may need to be slightly more inventive. In situations where spouses/ partners are simply not permitted to work, some employers have had to come up with alternative ways to keep those careers intact. “That’s where some companies are getting creative,” says Connell. “With immigration rules in the way, we see a lot of employers offering to help fill those resume gaps by connecting spouses and partners to volunteer positions, professional training or re-certifica- tion courses. We’ve seen this be a very successful approach when recruiting employees for international assignments, and a better alternative to negotiating a shorter assignment.” No matter the scenario, hands-on career support can be a positive factor in an assignment’s success. For Marshall, this is evident in both employee studies and anecdotal industry evidence. Drawing from IMPACT’s latest study, he says, “It’s critical for families to secure that second income as soon as possible after a relocation, since going without it has a dramatic effect on the family.” Conversely, continues Marshall, simply throwing money at the solution will rarely achieve the same results: “Organizations often attempt to offer a monetary allowance instead of profes- sional career support. Once the money is spent, the spouse is not engaged in meaningful employment and the risk of having a successful relocation is in jeopardy.” Career support for spouses and partners is table stakes for today’s employers. Not only have such incentives proven key to relocation success, but they can serve as a strong attractor for talent. “We’re seeing spousal and partner support programs appear more and more in relocation packages because they’re a very effective communi- cation tool for employers,” says Connell. “They are something recruiters can point to and say, ‘We’re here to take care of your entire family,’ which is a big thing for many of today’s workers.” For these reasons and more, it simply makes sense to make the spouse or partner a priority and provide the necessary career support during a relocation. 36 PERSPECTIVES Fall 2018