When the employees of a company are sent abroad, they are usually given an expat package that helps them get used to the new country and environment without any hiccups financially. An expat package is referred to as many different terms such as deployment package, expat package, and deployment benefits.
The size of such a package depends on many different factors that can be classified into the company and the human factors. It collectively includes elements like company culture, company size, industry, the management level of the employee, negotiation skills of the employee, marital status, and children of the employee being sent abroad. In this article, we would particularly focus on how you can efficiently negotiate the terms of your expat package to get a better deal:
Negotiate Upfront
When expatriation is on the cards, it is better to be upfront while negotiating your needs, inspired by the confidence in your value to the company and what you bring to the table. If you do not speak up before moving abroad, it will become challenging to get what you are looking for from another country.
Also, if you do not make some calculations of your own and negotiate based on them beforehand, it will become rather depressing and pointless to leave your country without receiving the benefits you so rightly deserve. As the expat jobs continue to rise, it is important to know how to deal with such situations because you might be next in line to be asked by your company to move abroad.
Research
While you may believe that the HR department has a better idea of what your expat benefits must look like, in most cases, they probably have never settled in another country with their family themselves. Thus, you cannot trust the decision of your HR manager blindly on face value, which is why you must do your own research. Speaking to your colleagues who have had the experience of staying abroad as an expat is a good idea to decide what your own package must look like. Similarly, you can talk to many other expats settled in the country you are moving to and know the package that is sufficient for you.
Package Must Include your Partner
Look for and negotiate on how the employer can support your better half. It can be anything from work permit to language courses as well as from coaching to other marital benefits. The cost for such benefits might not be too much, but it would definitely help your partner’s well-being in a new country.
Family Visibility
It is essential that you be completely clear of your requirements with HR when you are moving to another country with your family for the job. If you are not transparent and thorough, it will lead to painful consequences, later on, hurting your finances and well-being. It’s vital that you conveyyour family situation to the HR. It would be even better if you are able to get your partner to talk to your company’s HR which will help in getting the training fees added to the expat package and offload a considerable financial burden.
Be Logical with Your Demands
Make sure that your demands have reasoning behind it if you want your company to consider them seriously. It would be best if you could provide a small paragraph on why a benefit is essential and what costs you are looking at, making it easier for the HR to understand what you want and why.
Even if you do not get the desired financial support, be persistent but do not allow it to come in the way of taking up that expat job.