Duty of Care for Potentially Dangerous International Assignments

For global organizations, opportunities can emerge almost anywhere. Sometimes, this can be in a well-established part of the world known for its business-friendly, accommodating environment. In other cases, they are in more contentious, less stable regions that require significantly more preparation, care and monitoring, especially for the individuals who will be working on the ground.

For HR professionals, ensuring the safety and well-being of employees on foreign assignments is paramount. This responsibility falls under the umbrella of “duty of care,” a legal and moral obligation that requires employers to anticipate and mitigate risks their employees might face while on assignment.

Understanding Duty of Care

Duty of care refers to an organization’s commitment to prioritizing the health and safety of its employees. For international assignments, this means taking proactive measures to protect employees from potential hazards, whether they are related to political instability, health concerns or natural disasters.

Organizations should help employees understand the risks involved with a dangerous relocation. This ranges from environmental scanning to better understand the political climate, health risks and even crime rates to better predict how an employee’s individual circumstances (whether it be health or demographics) put them at heightened risk.

To help prepare an employee for the transition, organizations can provide contact information for local emergency contacts and medical facilities – with plans for how to access these facilities or even evacuate in the event of a crisis. Providing adequate insurance coverage that is accepted by local hospitals and medical offices is another way to be a duty of care exemplar.

But keep in mind, duty of care doesn’t stop after the employee moves. Duty of care means ongoing training, monitoring and support to ensure your employee has regular touchpoints with your organization outside of their normal work responsibilities. This will allow more thoughtful, empathetic engagement, where your HR teams can ask questions that can better gauge their well-being.

Assessing and Refining Your Duty of Care

Partnering with experienced service providers can offer invaluable support, especially those who’ve worked in unstable parts of the world that routinely face geopolitical conflicts.

Every company’s duty of care plans should include:

• Thorough risk assessments
• Emergency preparedness protocols
• Health and safety best practices
• Pre-assignment and ongoing trainings

Having a trusted, qualified partner to assist with these items can ensure your employees have the support and care they need while giving you full confidence in your duty of care plan.

For Your Employees on International Assignments

If you’re looking for a “starter’s guide” to managing an international move, we have some resources for you and your employees. Whether your organization is a private corporate entity or part of the military or diplomatic foreign services, moving to a potentially dangerous location presents a unique set of challenges.

If a portion of your workforce needs to move to a dangerous international location, here are some pointers for you and your employees.

Before the Move

• Do the research. Have a cultural understanding of customs and practices, read the U.S. Department of State’s Travel Advisories and keep updated on recent news headlines (from both U.S. and international outlets) to develop a comprehensive understanding of the destination and what challenges they may be facing.
• Get your documents in order. This includes all the standard international relocation documents like passports and visas but consider enrolling in programs through the U.S. Department of State, like its STEP program, which helps facilitate connections with U.S. Embassies and Consulates.
• Build an intervention plan. Before you load up the trucks, have an intervention plan in place should a crisis event or emergency evacuation. Know who to call, where to go and how to stay safe.

During the Move

• Create redundancies. Order or print extra copies of important documents, contracts and agreements. Have one set stored with family or friends stateside and keep one set to take to the move destination.
• Know your move team and stay in touch. Not every moving company understands the complexities of moving to a higher risk area of the world, but Hilldrup prides itself on supporting customers relocating internationally every step of the way. Stay in communication with your move team, especially your main point of contact.
• Conduct safety checks of your home. With the support of the move team, check the new home thoroughly to ensure that everything is safe and secure at destination. This includes checking locks, windows, the exterior perimeter and making accommodations for any children or pets who will be relocating as part of the move as well.

After the Move

• Establish a relationship with the U.S. Embassy. Bookmark your local embassy website and subscribe to any of its regular communications. Be sure to have your points of contact written down and listed in your phone.
• Build a network of expats. This is always a great idea when you’re moving internationally, but when you’re moving to a dangerous location, it helps to have a network that may understand procedures or have background information that could be helpful should there be an emergency event.
• Continuously revisit your intervention plan. Environmental and political factors may be changing constantly, which means you should revisit your intervention plan regularly to ensure you have the latest points of contact and evacuation plans identified.

Complex international relocations, especially those to potentially dangerous destinations, demand extensive care and oversight to ensure employees can focus on the opportunities and experiences rather than the risks. If you are looking to relocate an employee to a potentially dangerous area, let us help you tailor a program that meets your unique needs and ensures the safety and well-being of your employees.

Hilldrup provides international relocation services to streamline every step of the process. From move management and documentation to storage capabilities and the full spectrum of relocation considerations, our team is prepped and capable of managing any complex move. Contact us today for more information!

John Warlick Author