In today's global economy, external difficulties connected to employee moves and international relocation are matters that can easily go by unnoticed. After all, if a company must send employees on assignments abroad, the bottom line is what matters.

However, recent studies have confirmed that family adjustments to the international relocation are central to ensure successful employee relocation. The physical aspects of the relocation are important but even more essential are the emotional and social support throughout the overseas assignment.

Further research revealed that the proper support service can have a direct monetary return on the sums invested in the employee move. Moreover, employee productivity is higher if the emotional and other support services are in place.

Support training programs aimed at assignees and spouses to train them on cultural background and skills necessary to adapt to the new culture have met with a great deal of success. In cases where the spouses were not involved in the support training programs the adjustment to the new overseas location developed a host of adjustment problems.

Adjustment problems bring with them a number of unwanted costs: loss of productivity, customer problems, lower morale and increases in stress. However, with proactive involvement by the employer many of the relocation related problems can be minimized.

Human Resource managers are becoming more involved in the lives of the employee's family. Most families appreciate the company's concern and communication when an international relocation is required. The strain of the move to a new and different culture can be stressful on the family which usually reflects on reduced job performance. If the family can count on assistance from the employer when needed goes a long way toward managing the new and different tasks of daily living.

Although the employee and family share some of the responsibility providing support at the time of the move is clearly not enough. The need of support will continue through the length of the overseas assignment. To make the relocation as positive as possible the employers with the best results made repeated contacts with the families and encouraged them to ask for help.

Further, previous experience living abroad does not preclude providing the same support service to an employee's family. Employees appreciate the support at all levels of relocation experience. Also, this group is a source of information and ideas to help develop the support program.

Teenagers seem to adapt well to the relocation. Better results are achieved if the children are involved in the decision making process. Companies that allow employees to take time off to get adjusted at the beginning of their stay with their families can help the family adjust to the new location.

Basically, the offer of pre-departure support (especially language training, if necessary) and a genuine attitude that the family's needs will be considered and met are positive relocation programs. Helping spouses stay in touch with friends and family will pay dividends in keeping the employee focused and productive.

It makes good business sense in developing and implementing programs that assist and support the overseas employee. With a positive support program in place the employer will assure the overseas relocation will be a positive and productive move.