A report called the ‘Anatomy of an International Business’ has been released by international healthcare insurers, Expacare. The survey of 1,000 international business leaders has revealed that women are considered to be better suited to overseas work, with 26.5% of the respondents favouring female staff over male staff (18.5%). The survey also reported that employees in their late 20s and early 30s are better suited to moving overseas as an expat.
When asked about the specific skills required for an executive employee, the business owners that completed the survey prioritised networking skills (60%), a second language (55%) and the ability to sell (41%). Beverly Cook, Managing Director of Expacare commented that “Language and networking skills continue to come out on top despite the world increasingly becoming a highly globalised and linked-up place“.
The report also found that three fifths (60%) of business owners questioned think SMEs will do business overseas in the future, compared to just over a third (36%) in 2012. Nearly a third (32%) of the businesses that took the survey believe that international markets are more buoyant than those in the UK, up from a quarter (24%) in 2012.
Beverly Cook, commenting on the findings said: “The research has shown that British SMEs are increasingly eyeing up business opportunities overseas, even more so than in 2012. They are seeing overseas ventures as offering better opportunities for growth and the opportunity to get ahead of the competition.”
The news comes just a couple of weeks after HSBC opens its annual survey for entries. Their Expat Explorer Survey is an online report that ranks countries by their popularity amongst expats working there, with particular focus on finances, experience and raising children.
If you are considering moving abroad as an expat, contact us to find out more information about Cadogan Tate’s specialist international removals service.
Information correct at time of publication