Your spouse has accepted a position in a new city and as a result you have to move too. Whether you have been forced to move or have chosen to do so, it will in any case bring you probable questions, and perhaps even fears.
You will have to go through the famous change curve. The mobility of the accompanying spouse can be difficult. We explain...
According to a study by expat communication 92% of accompanying spouses are women. In order to draw up a typical profile of the accompanying spouse in mobility, we can also base ourselves on age. Thus, 59% of accompanying spouses are between 30 and 44 years old. However, one might think that young working people are more likely to be mobile, but only 8% of accompanying spouses are under 30.
Prior to departure, 73% of accompanying spouses have a full-time job. Spouses are mostly looking for a job when their partner starts a new job.
Most of the spouses will return to work in the same line as their previous position. The other part retrain, mostly in teaching-related jobs. 30% decide to take the plunge and become entrepreneurs or self-employed.
In ¼ of the cases, finding a new job is quick, the average being around 5 months.
Regarding the mobility decision, 90% of women state that the mobility decision is a joint one. When the decision to move is more likely to be motivated by one of the couple, 70% of men say they have made the decision to move, compared to 52% of women.
The feeling of sacrifice is still very much present among accompanyingspouses who sometimes put aside their own aspirations at the time of departure, whether they are personal or professional. A total of 33% of accompanying spouses admit to having sacrificed their own career to put their spouse's career first.
Anticipating mobility is an essential element of good preparation. It allows the couple or family members to take mobility into consideration. Thus, they will feel more serene as they approach it. Communication is the key: listen to the different points of view. Indeed, the wishes of the mobile employee may not be those of his or her spouse. You can make a list of pros and cons. Also think of a list of positive things that this mobility can bring to both of you. You should also think about the fact that the partner who follows the other is the one who is most at a loss: how will this affect his or her work?
For example, for some people it will be better to leave their job when their spouse takes up work elsewhere. This way, you will not be separated and can continue your research on the spot. Others prefer to finish their contract from a distance while they find a new job. You also have the option of taking unpaid leave, parental leave or a contractual separation. This will prevent you from resigning, which can complicate the transition between your previous professional life and that of today and tomorrow. For smooth mobility, the couple must listen to each other and support each other: the support of their partner is essential.
Where are you going to live? Perhaps in a big city for a promotion, or on the contrary in a provincial town to move away. But what does your partner want? Make sure you communicate your choice of new region. If your partner is looking for work, the employment area will be an essential criterion for him/her.
In addition, most mobile people are looking for a better quality of life, with a quality of life and an environment environment. You may have to compromise between your different aspirations. It's a long-term project that requires thought, organisation and input from everyone involved if you're moving as a family.
Our Bien Vivre tool allows to value regions on job ads thanks to 11 differentcriteria that are essential in the process of choosing a new region. For example education could be an important factor if you are moving with your children.
Being accompanied in the mobility process is an unavoidable solution for a successful arrival. In the context of the mobility imposed on the accompanying spouse, it allows for a contact person.
Having someone on the spot, a local resident, a contact person, makes it easier to settle in and integrate.
Switch Up offers unique and personalised support through its network of ambassadors. They support you in your mobility on different topics such as housing search, registering your children at school, administrative procedures but also in the job search for the accompanying spouse.
This can be a real advantage: if you get caught up in packing or organising your day-to-day life once you are there, the help of an ambassador will be welcome.
The grieving process is about all losses experienced in the course of life. It also concerns professional mobility, moving and changing jobs.
The different stages of mourning can be compared to the different phases of expatriation, which we can generalise to the phases of changing residence.
The "grief curve" is the natural process that the person in question goes through when faced with a sudden change in their professional and/or personal life. Of course, the process will be different for everyone, and will take a different time, but will also produce different reactions.
Moving house, changing region or city is often a heartbreaker: 76% of French people see it as a major source of stress. These are moments of uncertainty and uncertainty. It is not easy to close the door on your past. There is inevitably a destabilisation of people on the move. "You have to deconstruct one place in order to reconstruct another.
The arrival without a job is also a source of stress because in addition to the search, which can be long, there is also a new environment to get used to, new things to learn depending on the region.
The first stage is shock, or denial of change. Then comes a new situation, awareness.
And it is at this point, usually at the bottom of the curve, and once the fear or discomfort is felt, that the transformation takes place and allows the person to accept and adapt to the change (in this case the move or change of region).
The last stage of the process is involvement, integration, and also serenity. It is the completion of the change process. The accompanying spouse will have achieved mobility and integration.
Here is the audio testimony of Gabrielle R., who accompanied her spouse to New Caledonia for several years. She talks about the phases she went through and how this expatriation experience allowed her to find new aspirations.
By calling on Switch Up, you can make the accompanying spouse's mobility a success. Thanks to our local ambassadors, finding accommodation and social integration will be easier.
