Engineering and technology organisation, Sener, has more than 2,500 employees around the world. As well as its head offices in Spain, it also has a presence in regions including the UK, Poland, US, Mexico, Morocco, South Africa, South America and the Middle and Far East.
To ensure the right expertise is available on its projects, some of its employees are posted overseas. Pablo Alonso, head of global mobility at Sener, says: “We have 200 expatriate employees based in 21 countries around the world. On average, they will be based overseas for a couple of years so we provide them with a range of employee benefits to ensure their assignment is successful.”
This includes international medical insurance, which is provided by Cigna Global; a tax advisory service, to help employees comply with the local tax requirements, and moving expenses. “Employees receive relocation assistance to help them search for accommodation in the host country,” adds Alonso. “This is done before they travel so everything is in order when they arrive.”
Alongside the relocation aspects, expatriate employees also receive support to help them settle in when they are on overseas assignments. “Cultural training can help to reduce the gap between the way we do things here and how things should be done in the host country,” explains Alonso. “It can be particularly important when employees are going to countries such as India, Morocco and China, where they need to be aware of the different expectations.”
In addition, and whether they are based in London or Johannesburg, expats can also expect plenty of contact from Alonso and his team. “We speak to our expatriate employees regularly but we also travel to many of the countries they’re based in to make sure they’ve adapted and are happy,” he explains. “Our [organisation] has a family culture so it is important that we treat our employees well, wherever they’re based.”
