In 2018, millions of professionals relocated to another country, because they were hired by an international employer or sent on a global assignment. Employers pay a considerable amount of money to organize relocations. Yet, companies may pay an even bigger price for neglecting one of the most sensitive aspects of a relocation — the expat’s social integration. InterNations is now launching a solution which fills this gap with a powerful yet cost-efficient innovation. The world’s largest network for professionals working and living abroad, InterNations manages 420 expat communities with 3.3 million members around the world. Today, the company announced the launch of a Corporate Membership for global assignees, international hires and their respective partners. The solution enables companies to foster the social integration of expats across the entire relocation process. “Employers who help with the social integration of their expats are more competitive, because they reach higher productivity levels faster and are less prone to assignment failure or talent loss. With our global network of expat communities, we are in a unique position to provide this missing link to expat support,” says Malte Zeeck, Founder and Co-CEO of InterNations. Prior to the international roll-out, InterNations has been conducting a comprehensive pilot for its new solution, winning the cooperation of Volkswagen, Merck, Cigna and other global employers.
A Solution which Boosts the Social Integration of Expats
Lower assignment risks, higher employer attractiveness and a better retention are the most important benefits which employers gain from incorporating an InterNations Corporate Membership into their expat support programs. Companies are also able to reduce the workload of global mobility and HR teams, who struggle to respond to the myriad individual questions and needs which are tied to a relocation. What are safe areas around town? Which is the best school for my child? What do I need to know about the local culture? How do I rebuild a social life? As members of an InterNations community, the new expats tap into the know-how and experience of other expats and global minds, who help them with up-to-date local information. “We are excited to introduce this peer-to-peer-based model of expat support to corporate clients. Employers and relocation service providers often do not have the infrastructure to offer this rich layer of support to their expats. Also, there are many areas of need where peer-to-peer support is simply more cost-efficient than traditional expat services”, says Malte Zeeck.
Unlike other expat communities, InterNations provides peer-to-peer-based expat support on a local level, yet across a global network of 420 communities and under one central management. In each location, employers benefit from the same proven community concept and high-quality standards, from the business hubs in New York, London and Singapore to more remote destinations.
Volkswagen to use new Solution for Partner Support
Volkswagen is one of the first companies to work with InterNations Business Solutions and commands a global workforce of 642,300 employees. The global mobility team plans to integrate the InterNations Corporate Membership into their support program offered to partners of international assignees. “Moving to another country is an exciting experience, yet most people need help with the social integration at some point. This can be especially true for partners who do not have a work permit while abroad or who take care of the family. With the option to join the local InterNations community, it becomes much easier for them to settle down in their new host country, feel connected and have a richer experience of the new culture,” says Dr. Karen Lange, Head of Global Assignments at Volkswagen.
Consulting Backed by a Long History of Expat Support
Munich-based InterNations is the largest network for global employees worldwide, with 3.2 million professionals in 420 local communities. When the company started its first expat hubs in 2007, global talent mobility was just starting to become a topic. Today, companies are managing even more complex global assignments and fighting hard to position themselves as attractive global employers. InterNations has responded to this need by launching InterNations Business Solutions, a B2B division which will support companies with global assignments and international recruiting worldwide. “Global talent mobility is becoming more complex, more diverse and more competitive. We want to provide employers with up-to-date solutions to these challenges and leverage our expertise to a B2B audience,” says Malte Zeeck. The new division is located at the InterNations headquarters in Munich and is headed by Theresa Häfner and Christoph Zeinecker. Theresa Häfner has played a vital role in building the community management and other key areas of InterNations since joining the company in 2010. She is now in charge of the product development and marketing team of the new business division. Christoph Zeinecker has worked as executive for leading companies of the relocation industry, and he founded his own internet company. At InterNations Business Solutions, he spearheads the global advisor team and acts as consultant to corporate clients across core industries. Both Theresa Häfner and Christoph Zeinecker have lived abroad for long stretches of their careers and know the challenges of relocation first-hand.
InterNations Business Solutions will complement its product development with research-based industry insights, which explore global talent mobility from the viewpoint of expats. On Tuesday, 30 October 2018, the division releases the Expat Insider 2018│Business Edition, a report geared at business leaders, as well as international recruiting and global mobility professionals. The report explores global talent mobility through expat eyes and is based on the InterNations annual Expat Insider survey of 18,100 expats globally.
About InterNations Business Solutions
InterNations Business Solutions was launched by InterNations, the world’s largest network for professionals living and working abroad with 3.3 million members and 420 communities worldwide. The goal of the new division is to develop B2B solutions for global employers. The solutions enable companies to improve the success of global assignments and to boost their employer attractiveness with regards to international top talent. InterNations Business Solutions regularly provides insights about Global Talent Mobility from an expat perspective. In October 2018, the division will publish the first edition of the Expat Insider 2018│Business Edition , which is based on a survey with 18,100 expats worldwide.
To order an advance copy of the Expat Insider 2018│Business Edition, please send an email to birte.pampel@internations.org.
Find more information about InterNations Business Solutions on XING, LinkedIn and on our division website (to be released shortly).
Press Contact
Birte Pampel
Media Spokesperson
InterNations GmbH
Schwanthalerstrasse 39
80336 Munich, Germany
Tel: +49 (0)89 461 3324 86
Email: birte.pampel@internations.org
Homepage: business.internations.org