Long-term assignment reward (dis)satisfaction outcomes: hearing women’s voices

Abstract

Purpose – Drawing upon compensating differentials, equity theory, and the psychological contract, women’s voices illustrate how organisational policy dissemination, implementation and change can lead to unintended assignee dissatisfaction with reward. Implications arise for organisational justice which can affect women’s future expatriation decisions. The paper aims to discuss these issues. Design/methodology/approach – A qualitative case study methodology was employed. Reward policies for long-term international assignments (IAs) were analysed. In-depth semi-structured interviews were conducted confidentially with 21 female long-term assignees selected using stratified sampling, and with two managers responsible for international reward policy design/implementation. Findings – Policy transparency is required. Women perceive inequity when allowances based on grade are distorted by family status. Women in dual career/co-working couples expect reward to reflect their expatriate status. Reward inequity is reported linked to specific home/host country transfers. Policy change reducing housing and children’s education are major causes of reward dissatisfaction. Research limitations/implications – This case study research was cross-sectional and set within one industry. It addressed reward outcomes only for long-term IAs from the perspectives of women who had accepted expatriation in two oil and gas firms. Practical implications – Reward policy should be transparent. Practitioners might consider the inter-relationship between policy elements depending on grade and accompanied status, location pairings, and the effects of policy content delivery to dual career/co-working couples. Originality/value – This paper advances the field of IA reward by examining compensating differentials, equity and the psychological contract and takes these forward via implications for organisational justice. It identifies reward elements that support women’s expatriation and address their low share of expatriate roles, thereby fostering gender diversity. Future research themes are presented.

Taking a Step Back? Expatriation Consequences on Women in Dual-Career Couples in the Gulf

“…However, Michailova and Hutchings [46] argue that women pursue careers in developing countries which lack the equality frameworks of their home nations because they perceive greater career advancement opportunities facilitated through international experience which is shown to increase career capital [47]. Furthermore, women in dual-career relationships may experience reduced financial remuneration in the form of allowances as their spouse receives the 'family benefits' (e.g., accommodation allowances), resulting in women's international work being devalued [2].…”

“…In the field of global mobility, women have traditionally taken the role of 'trailing spouse', following their husbands' international careers. In recent years, there has been an increase in the number of dual-career couples (DCCs) and, subsequently, female expatriate workers [1], yet overall, women's participation in the labour market remains disproportionately low [2,3]. Progress has been made in the development of our understanding of how gender and family relations affect international career opportunities.…”

Women’s participation in organisationally assigned expatriation: an assignment type effect

“…If women are potentially excluded from the leadership pool because of their lack of international assignment experience, men gain a competitive advantage over them (Lansing & Boonman, 2011). As expatriation becomes of increasing importance in global talent management and in improving firms' performance, low gender diversity is, without doubt, a severe hindrance (Shortland & Perkins, 2016).…”

“…In the oil and gas sector, a major user of expatriates (Air Inc., 2017) and the focus of this study, women comprise at best 15% of the expatriate workforce (Shortland, 2009). This is important and requires further study because a lack of expatriate gender diversity hinders organisations' performance as well as women's ability to reach leadership positions (Shortland & Perkins, 2016). Hence, gaining an understanding of the factors that potentially reduce or block women's participation in organisationally-assigned international mobility is of clear relevance to individuals, businesses and academics.…”

Processing developments in employee performance and reward

“…It also depends on the degree to which the employee senses justice or its absence in the operation of the performance appraisal processexemplified in the degree of control they can exercise, at least in having sufficient information to influence inputs to and outputs from it. And organizational justice theory signifies also the need for an employee to sense fairness in the interpersonal aspects involved: is the quality of relationship with their supervisor (performance appraiser) one they feel confident will lead to reciprocal exchange of benefit so that they will trust the process and the people and then cooperate to help secure organizational priorities (Shortland and Perkins, 2016)?…”