SUBMISSION DATE – AUGUST 7, 2021

INDIVIUAL ASSIGNMENT

CASE STUDY #4

HRM SOCIAL

Online Communities Support Expats’ Spouses

A common reason cited for the failure of an international assignment is that the expatriate’s
spouse was dissatisfied. The role of an accompanying spouse is difficult; often this person is not legally
allowed to work in the host country, so it is more difficult to find new friends and meaningful activities.

Employers can help the accompanying spouse make connections. An employer, especially one
with a lot of expatriate employees, might set up its own network for spouses. In The Netherlands,
Eindhoven University of Technology recruits one-third of its employees from other countries but found
that many left after a short period because spouses were unhappy there. It began offering spouses a
“Get in Touch” program of weekly meetings to exchange information and visit places of interest.
Between meetings, the spouses can keep in contact by joining the group’s Facebook community. After
the three-month program ended, many of the participants didn’t want to stop participating, so the
university added a “Stay in Touch” program.

Another approach is to provide information about non-company-related social networks for

expatriate spouses. Spouses may appreciate the chance to build their own circle of friends. One
example is the Trailing Spouse Network, a LinkedIn group where people can share ideas, advice and
support. The Trailing Spouse Network also has a Facebook page.

Increasingly often, the accompanying spouse is male. Some men have had an especially hard
time making connections, because support services have been geared to women. Male spouses might
especially welcome information about social networks. In Belgium, for instance, a group of men set up a
group called STUDS (for Spouses Trailing under Duress Successfully), which offers activities and keeps
members connected online with a blog. Even after leaving Belgium, friends who met in STUDS can keep
in touch by posting news and questions on the blog’s website.

Questions.

1. What pros and cons do you see in having an organization set up its own social network for
accompanying spouses and partners?

2. What pros and cons do you see in referring an accompanying spouse or partner to an outside
social network?

Question 1
Pros:

1. Because the spouses and partners have a network to make connections, and find new
friends, they may not stay dissatisfied. Thus, the expats can focus on work better without
having to worry about their spouses.
2. Having connections makes the spouses feel engaged and therefore the expats can
choose to stay and work, for longer duration rather than leaving as compared to before.
Thus, retaining expats becomes easier for the organization.
3. Spouses and partners may be able to find suitable jobs for themselves through such
social networks.
Cons:

1. Such social networking programs need resources from the organization for supervision,
which results in unproductive working hours of such employee.
2. Monetary cost may be involved in conducting these programs, which may not yield any
financial benefit to the organization itself.
3. While there are a number of individuals attending the networking session, it also occupies
space, that could possibly be used in something productive for the organization.
4. Some spouses may not be able to gel with others even with the help of such program,
owing to different social and cultural backgrounds that expats come from. This would not
decrease the dissatisfaction of the expat, and will not result in his retention for which the
organization was making an effort.
5. As an addition to the mentioned issues, when the spouse or partner connect within the
same social network, it may lead to discussion about the expats they are accompanying,
which further may lead to informal grapevine communication.
Question 2
Pros:

1. The informal grapevine communication, which may have been formed otherwise, would
not be an issue anymore for the organization that hired the expats.
2. When outside the social network, the accompanying spouses or partners may feel more
relaxed and free to choose the activities of their choice.
3. Having different social circles enables the spouse to preserve their identity, personality
and thus, preferences.
Cons:

1. The accompanying spouses or partners may not have any common points to start off their
discussion with each other, like the work background of the ones they are accompanying, or
even the nationalities and cultures.
2. Having same social circle for both the partners, would prove beneficial to the organization,
which may not the remain the case when both have different social circles.