The influence of support given by the expatriate’s organization on the work life balance and relationship of expatriate couples in Singapore

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2020-07-06
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en
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Over the last decades the interest and need for expatriate management and international assignments has increased. And since two-thirds of all expatriates is accompanied by their partner and/or children, it is important to take their perceptions into account as well. For dual-career couples, where both partners are committed to a career, it is even more challenging to go abroad. Organizational support for the expatriate partner can therefore be very important since the partner has an important role in the adjustment and performance of the expatriate. And when the expatriate partner is employed, has meaningful day activities and is well-adjusted to the host country, this will also positively influence the expatriate who will perform better in his/her assignment. Understanding the perceptions of the expatriate and the expatriate partner concerning the organizational support that they request, may deliver valuable insights into the current challenges that the expatriate couple faces. Singapore, in which this research has been executed, is considered the overall best place for expatriates by HSBC. The aim of this research is to understand the influence of the support given by the expatriate’s organization on the work life balance and marital stress of expatriate couples in Singapore. This research is qualitative and makes use of semi-structured interviews, where both the expatriate and the expatriate partner were interviewed. Results showed that there is a gap between the perceived and needed support by the expatriate couples. The most prominent lack of support concerns housing support, support for the career of the expatriate’s partner and support to reduce marital stress.
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Faculteit der Managementwetenschappen