The number of ‘split families’ is on the rise, a recent survey has concluded. Split families are those where one of the parents has been posted on an assignment abroad leaving other members of the family at home or living in a different location.
Significant rise
According to the 2014 Trends in Global Relocation survey carried out by Cartus Corporation, there has been a significant rise in the number of split families.
Fewer expats can take family abroad
Companies that took part in the survey indicated that extended business travel and commuter policies are becoming more popular options. These trends go some way towards explaining the rise in the number of split families. An even more significant indicator is that fewer companies today allow staff posted on long-term assignments to be accompanied by their family as a matter of course. In the Cartus 2012 survey, 90 per cent of respondents said that families could always accompany an employee posted on a long-term assignment abroad. In their latest survey, this figure has dropped by 14 percentage points to 76 per cent.
Concerns about emerging markets
There are two possible reasons for the drop, the survey claims. One is costs. The other is a growing concern about the suitability of emerging markets as a destination for expatriate families.
