International commuting catches on

Most banks, which move people around a lot, have good systems in place to help employees deal with the practicalities of the move and adjust to the new country on arrival. This generally encompasses relocation costs, help with accommodation and schooling if necessary, and assistance in dealing with the extra paperwork involved.

Lesley Lorraine, a senior consultant specialising in expatriate issues at Mercer Human Resources Consulting, says sorting out your tax and pension is one of the occupational hazards of an international life.

In many cases, people have to file tax returns in both countries and there are usually also additional arrangements to be made to make sure pensions are protected in the home country.

Increasingly, there is also the question of a partner's career. The days when an employer could assume that behind every male executive stood a stay-at-home wife are gone. In this respect, a move to the US can be one of the hardest. Partners and spouses have no right to work there, except in very limited circumstances.

In the UK, by contrast, spouses of people coming on a work permit actually have greater flexibility on jobs than their partners, as they are free to take up any employment they wish.

Tom Wilson, a senior vice-president in personnel at Bank of America, himself a US expatriate in London, says the UK is also liberal in allowing people permanent residence after four years. He says: "We've seen a lot of people come to the UK and stay for 10 years."

The implication of moving an employee's whole life to a new country is a delicate one for many employers. On the one hand, it is widely understood that if someone's home life is not working, their work will be affected. On the other hand, employers do not want to interfere.

One way round this is to encourage expatriate support groups for partners and families. The oldest in London is Focus, a group set up 20 years ago by partners of American expatriates, that offers practical help in everything from job-hunting and finding schools, to a forum for whingeing about the small size of British washing machines and fridges.

Katia Colaprico came to London from New York with her partner four years ago and now works at Focus. "Banks are generally generous with benefits, though the degree of support varies. For example, some people get to choose where they live and others just get given a flat," she says.

However much preparation you get, says Colaprico, it can never prepare you fully for the experience of being uprooted.

"It takes eight to 12 months for people to adjust. A lot of times the person making the move has been coming on business trips and thinks they know the place. But it's very different when you're actually living here," she says.

Within the European Union, transfers involve no visa issues and fewer time zones, but cultural, linguistic and tax issues still take their toll. The relatively short distances between European capitals, however, mean that a third way - international commuting - is now being favoured by many European bankers.

Research done at Cranfield School of Management in 2000 showed that international commuters were the fastest growing category of international workers in many multinational organisations. The main reason cited for adopting this form of international work was family commitments, including the partner's career.

Interestingly, says Dr Christine Communal, a lecturer at Cranfield, there is no typical form to an international commuter assignment - they can go on for any length of time and, in most companies, are not covered by a standard policy.

"Most companies have written policies covering international assignments, but hardly any of the 65 companies surveyed had one for international commuters.

"Also, 13% of companies were not sure whether they had such workers or not, and if you don't know, you can't manage," she says.

One of the surprising findings of the Cranfield research was that international commuters cited cultural difficulties as a problem more often than full-blown expatriates or frequent fliers.

"Perhaps it's because they don't tend to get cross-cultural training or perhaps it is harder to adjust if you're living in two places," says Communal.

Martin Reinboth is head of equity capital markets for Germany and Austria for Morgan Stanley and has been a successful international commuter for several years. He spends three days of his working week based in Frankfurt, servicing German and Austrian clients, but he lives in London because he must also keep close to activity in the London headquarters and because that is where his family is.

For him, international commuting is less stressful than being a frequent flier, something he has also done. The answer to making it work, he says, is knowing what is important to you and arranging your life accordingly.

For Reinboth, having a permanent base in the working country is important. "I still have my own books and music to go back to at the end of the day.

"For anyone who spends two or three days a week on the road I would say, 'Is there any way you can make a base, even if it's just the same hotel room, where you can leave some things?'."

As for family life, says Reinboth, it is also a question of priorities and organisation. He avoids working weekends and makes sure he takes his kids to school in London once a week.

"Small things do matter. You just have to decide how you want to do it, and then do it. That way it can be sustainable in the long term," Reinboth says.