The year 2006 has been declared "European Year of Workers' Mobility" with the goal of raising general awareness about workers" rights to free movement between member states and the professional possibilities it offers. The present reality in the European Union requires it: One in three Europeans has moved outside his or her region of origin at least once. Of these, 25 percent have found work in their own country, 4 percent in another European Union country and 3 percent in countries outside the EU. There are no significant differences with regard to gender, though educational backgrounds do matter: the higher the degree, the more likelihood for mobility.
The "White Book on Best Practices in the National and International Geographical Mobility of Workers," published by IESE-CELA, Sagardoy Abogados and CREADE under the leadership of IESE Professor José Ramon Pin, provides a complete overview of the status of worker mobility in Europe and Spain and offers suggestions for spurring on the trend.
The report is based on the results of Eurobarometer poll 64.1 called "Europeans mobility: first results of an EU-wide survey" and compiled by European Comission in September 2005. The results show that Europeans are reluctant to move, especially when it means crossing national borders; most moves are made within the same country. Nevertheless, they have a positive opinion about the effects of the mobility of individuals and the labor market. Most people who have moved feel that their expectations were met. In fact, 59 percent of those changing countries find work, whereas the percentage of those moving without crossing borders drops to 35 percent.
European citizens express a firm belief in the free movement of workers, though they consider that there are some obstacles preventing this freedom from becoming a reality. The list includes such factors as insufficient knowledge of languages, difficulties adapting to a new culture and combining their professional and family lives, access to social services, and problems getting their qualifications recognized abroad. In terms of foreign languages, 44 percent of Europeans consider themselves incapable of holding a conversation in a language other than their native tongue (in Spain, the percentage jumps up to 56 percent). The sectors of the European economy with the highest mobility of workers are agriculture and construction.
Spaniards Stay Home
Despite the positive economic growth indicators - for GDP as well as the number of workers - analysts and public institutions both point out that each year Spain slips down the international competitiveness ranking. In terms of labor, the major outstanding issue is performance (the relationship between real salaries and productivity), in addition to an unemployment rate of nearly 9 percent that is surpassed only by France and Poland.
According to the authors of the white book, "Greater mobility of workers could contribute significantly in terms of productivity and the unemployment rate," given that in Europe there are good opportunities for people willing to change their place of residence, well-paid employment and the added appeal of learning new methods, work cultures and different skills. Despite this, geographical mobility in Spain is far below that of its EU neighbors. In fact, in some cases there are regions where companies look for workers while in other communities or provinces unemployment rates soar.
This trend is far from improving and has actually worsened. In 2005, the interprovincial mobility rate in Spain decreased slightly while movement between its autonomous communities remained unchanged. This immobility has impacted women and less qualified workers most.
The areas in Spain that receive the most workers are Madrid, Barcelona, Málaga, provinces of the Mediterranean arch, the Ebro valley and inland areas. The provinces of departure are primarily in the western part of the country, the Cantabrian coast and the South. Those showing the most negative balances are Cádiz, Seville, Córdoba, Cáceres Pontevedra and Asturias.
To round out the profile on mobility in Spain, it should be noted that the highest mobility of adult males is concentrated between the ages of 25 and 34, whereas women tend to change residence at an earlier age, between 16 and 24. In terms of education levels, a notable polarization exists: the highest rates occur among those with higher education levels and those with less than ESO (secondary education). Both groups nevertheless demonstrate very different trends.
Personal and Business Reasons
When asked about the reasons for moving, workers point out, above all, the possibility of reaching new markets that offer greater chances of success in finding employment. Those already employed tend to move in order to make significant strides professionally, especially in the case of executives. It is not just a question of better salary, but also the effort that a company gives to make things easier for its employees or, in other words, to offer them a higher quality of life. Among their reasons for relocating, transplanted Europeans also cite the possibility of discovering new realities and methods, cultural enrichment and personal knowledge, all of which will help improve their future employment situation.
From the companies' point of view, what are the main reasons for demanding greater mobility? For starters, in an increasingly global environment, companies need more employees who are willing to relocate to another country in order to start up new projects. For a company, starting a venture with personnel that already has a background in its culture and methods means an obviously lower risk.
Mobility can also be a key element in managing knowledge and information within a company, especially when it is of a global nature. A staff willing to relocate is essential for improving flexibility and adapting the workforce to the different needs that a company may have in different geographical locations.
Holdups and Driving Forces
The study led by professor Pin describes the holdups and driving forces for mobility. The first negative factor is cultural, familiar and social uprooting that expatriates experienced, especially when they change countries. Moving can cause separation - and not just physical - from a person's social and family network. Not knowing the country's language of course does not help things either.
Moreover, moving can possibly lead to a worsening of the employment situation of the person's spouse. In the increasingly common scenario of couples moving together, moving can cause a member of the family to quit their job and have to start over again, as well as setting their professional aspirations aside. Similarly, families with children can experience setbacks caused by problems at the educational level brought on by a move.
The employees' uncertainty over their return date is another factor holding up mobility. If conditions are not well laid out, employees are typically more reluctant. It must be kept in mind that in some regions there is a strong general sense of attachment to one's social, cultural and familiar roots.
How can companies and other institutions neutralize or minimize the influence of these holdups? First off, by making an effort to offer the maximum support possible to the expatriates, both in their place of origin as well as their destination: by providing practical information and social contacts, as well as helping them with the move and the necessary arrangements that go along with it. In the medium and long terms, it is important to generate a culture of diversity and a positive attitude regarding mobility. For instance, a company that already has subsidiaries abroad can invite employees from other parts of the world to do exchange visits for periods of time in the country where the headquarters is located. Also, incentive must be given for learning languages.
The conditions of the move must be very clear: nothing must be left up to chance and a return date must be guaranteed along with help in adapting to the new setting. All of this, of course, needs to go along with improved salary and professional situation. Care must be especially taken to ensure clear channels of communication with headquarters in order to avoid the employee feeling isolated from the company. Lastly, public institutions need to improve the information they offer regarding international tax issues and streamline as much as possible the bureaucracy that people abroad must face. Not to mention improvements in the educational system geared toward both the promotion of language learning and the development of a positive attitude towards mobility.