To go beyond equality and make progress towards


equity, positive action may be needed. To promote women’s representation at senior levels, actions might include initiatives such as ensuring interview opportunities for women, encouraging them to apply for senior roles. This action can be monitored and outcomes evaluated. Organisational support to encourage women’s


networks, senior assignees acting as role models, and the provision of mentors and sponsors for women assignees can help to promote their representation at more senior levels. Formal succession planning systems are also valuable in this regard.


WHAT DOES EQUITY LOOK LIKE? While organisations might have a strategic goal to ensure a higher representation of women in leadership positions and to achieve this they may turn their attention to improving their policies and processes to raise the proportion of senior female international assignees, this is only part of the story. They need to consider what success would look like in terms of gender equity being achieved. If the organisationally-assigned senior expatriate profile achieves 50% representation of women is this true equity? It is necessary to recognise the various aspects


IMPLICATIONS FOR PRACTICE While it might be an organisational strategic goal to achieve gender equity and Human Resources, and Global Mobility professionals may do their best to promote and fulfil equality/diversity objectives, research indicates that they can feel powerless to achieve progress due to an overall lack of accountability within their organisations. In essence, while everyone has responsibility, no one is specifically accountable for policy outcomes. Leadership support is critical in this regard with accountability being necessary at the very highest levels in the organisation. When equality/diversity policy is championed at


board level, this can help to ensure that all subsidiaries are held equally accountable for promoting and facilitating these objectives at local level. To ensure accountability throughout the organisation, line and other relevant managers in both home and host countries should be appraised on equality/diversity objectives. Implementing accountability by making this part of individuals’ personal targets means that anyone holding a role that has relevance to women’s international career progression is measured against specific criteria. It is likely though that line and other managers


might not realise that they exhibit bias towards women and other minorities. The provision of unconscious bias training might be needed. This can prove valuable because when managers recognise their responsibilities towards women’s international careers and learn how to support them more effectively, this is likely to improve relationships between women assignees and their employing organisations. If a climate of trust can be built around women’s international career progression, turnover of senior women can be reduced and equity be seen to be becoming a reality. It is important to monitor and evaluate training given.


of discrimination that minorities experience and to recognise that several of these combine to create different levels of disadvantage. Women are not a homogenous group. Personal characteristics such as age, sexuality, race, religion, and disability all play a part in how a woman is viewed and treated. If, after organisational effort to achieve gender equity,


the female profile reflects the current picture for men (namely white and heterosexual), it can be argued that there is still a long way to go.


FURTHER READING


Shortland, S. and Perkins, S.J. (2020) ‘Women’s expatriate careers: losing trust in organisational equality and diversity policy implementation?’ Journal of Global Mobility, Vol. 8 No. 2, pp. 183-208.


GLOBAL MOBILITY MINI FACTSHEET: DIVERSITY & INCLUSION


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Download our Global Mobility Diversity & Inclusion Mini Factsheet series


Diversity & inclusion: Gender diversity


Women comprise around one-third of international assignees. Given that diversity is advantageous for organisations and assignments provide capability building and career opportunities for employees, it is disappointing that women’s participation remains lower than men’s.


GENDERED DIFFERENCES IN ASSIGNMENT TAKE-UP Although women’s participation in international assignments has risen from 3% in the early 1980s, it now seems to have reached a plateau at 34%. Explanations have focused on women’s interest


assignment policies to see how gender diversity (and other forms of diversity) can be facilitated.


SEGREGATED LABOUR MARKETS The labour market is segregated both vertically and horizontally and this disadvantages


women in accessing


international careers Vertical segregation means


women are that concentrated lower down


in organisational hierarchies. The concept of the ‘glass ceiling’ refers to the invisible barrier limiting women’s career progression. Horizontal segregation means that women tend to be concentrated in lower status/paid ‘feminised’ jobs. Global mobility is both vertically and


in international careers, host


country reception to women assignees and employers’ reluctance to send them abroad. However, research has shown that


women are interested in undertaking international


are receptive towards them (even in masculine societies).


WOMEN’S SUCCESS Female


international


expatriates do well on assignments. Research


indicates that women can achieve even more successful assignment outcomes than men. Increasing gender diversity is therefore advantageous to employers’ talent management strategies. Although historically organisations


have been reluctant to send women, recent


focus on extending assignee


diversity has meant that employers are increasingly looking towards their


assignments, and locals


horizontally segregated. International assignments tend to be offered to more senior individuals and masculine industries (such as the extractive industries) tend to use the largest volumes of assignees. A ‘glass border’ effect can help to explain women’s lower participation in global mobility.


FURTHER BARRIERS Women’s careers are more constrained than men’s by dual careers and family relationships. Women tend to hold greater family responsibilities than men. They also hold lower family power if they are the secondary earner. As such, the lead career (often the man’s) takes precedence.


EMPLOYER ACTIONS Approaches to policy design and implementation can reinforce


used, and


panels representative of diversity, are all beneficial to women’s selection. Women’s family responsibilities they prefer less disruptive


mean that


assignment types. Long-term, accompanied assignments are often preferred as they provide family stability. Organisational support before,


during, and after expatriation is critical for women’s assignment participation. Access to networks, mentors, sponsors and role models are helpful interventions for women.


ASSIGNMENT POLICY Women value particular assignment policy elements and look for these to support their relocation. Emphasis on housing quality and children’s education/childcare


are of particular


value. Medical care and security issues are also of concern. Women also look for an appropriate


work-life balance and flexibility so these are other areas which require consideration. Policy should address home leave, working time, and rest and recreation leave in challenging destinations.


glass


ceilings and borders. Employers should therefore review their selection process, assignment types


provide


assignment support. Open and transparent selection methods such as advertising vacancies, using structured interviews, and selection


To access the Mini Factsheet series visit thinkglobalpeople.com and find out about events, webinars and podcasts. Contact us info@thinkglobalpeople.com


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GLOBAL MOBILITY MINI FACTSHEET: DIVERSITY & INCLUSION


Sexual orientation & global mobility


Sexual minorities include lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, intersex, queer/questioning, and asexual (LGBTIQA+) individuals. Supporting LGBTIQA+ within global mobility is an indicator of effective equality, diversity and inclusion policy and practice.


TALENT IMPLICATIONS Global


mobility provides career


enhancement for individuals and a strong source of talent, creativity and innovation for employers. Research highlights that many LGBTIQA+ people pursue more limiting but safer career options. This reduces their career advancement and the global talent available to employers. It is therefore important to ensure that this minority group is included within the global talent pool. Although research into the experiences


of sexual minority assignees is limited as employers do not always track sexual orientation and assignees may not disclose this, employer support for this minority group is important to ensure diversity, equity and inclusion in global mobility.


ORGANISATIONAL STRATEGY First employers should consider strategic intra-organisational issues. This requires an assessment of the


cultural and


institutional frameworks of subsidiary operations compared with those of the sending operation. There may be strong organisational support for sexual minorities in Western


headquarters, with policies and practices in place to ensure inclusion and equity. However, these may not be mirrored in the


receiving country. In essence,


headquarters policy may not be embraced in host subsidiaries. This may be due to legal and cultural barriers. As far as is practicable


(within the


confines of the law) organisations should disseminate their diversity and inclusion principles and back these up with solid action, including diversity training. A proactive diversity and inclusion policy is needed, supported visibly by top management.


LEGAL & CULTURAL BARRIERS It is important to recognise that global mobility of sexual minorities can involve difficult, perhaps dangerous, legal and cultural


issues. LGBTIQA+ assignees


can face stigmatization and widespread discrimination. Homosexuality is illegal in around


one-third of countries. Conviction for homosexuality can have severe penalties such as imprisonment or even being punishable by death. There may also be implicit, invisible cultural barriers which LGBTIQA+ assignees have to overcome. Even if same-sex relationships are


not illegal, there may be no workplace discrimination protection for sexual minorities. Same-sex couples may be unable to undertake accompanied mobility if their partners are not recognised by the visa regime and are not allowed residency.


SUPPORT ACTIONS The receiving country’s legal and cultural frameworks will influence how an individual is treated. These are linked to LGBTIQA+ individuals’ assessment of their likely reception and willingness to undertake global mobility. Locations receptive


to


sexual minorities can be identified. Organisations have a duty of care in


respect of safety and well-being. It is critical to have knowledge and understanding of real and perceived threats and actions that can mitigate these. LGBTIQA+


assignees and


accompanying family members benefit from support through networking and supportive


information on rights and benefits as well as relevant resources and information. Access to employee


support assistance and programmes for mental well-


being can be particularly valuable. Where families are separated, additional reunification visits can be helpful in reducing stress. These can also help to increase assignee productivity.


allies. These can provide


To access the Mini Factsheet series visit thinkglobalpeople.com and find out about events, webinars and podcasts. Contact us info@thinkglobalpeople.com


For comprehensive information on managing Global Mobility visit our sister website relocateglobal.com


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© 2024: Relocate Global & Think Global People


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