When the building consultancy HurleyPalmerFlatt asked Niall Craig to set up an office in Bangalore, his reaction was not “what a great opportunity”. Instead, “the kids will never forgive me” was his first thought about moving his family from Scotland. “Our boys and girl are into local athletics and the sports they really shine at [BMX racing, football and cross-country running] just aren’t big out here,” Mr Craig says. His solution was to become an intercontinental commuter, working six-week stints in India followed by two-week breaks back home in Glasgow.
Expatriation has never been easy on families. But the boom in overseas opportunities combined with a steady rise in dual-career couples has multiplied the pressures, forcing employers to concern themselves with the domestic dilemmas that can knock itinerant highfliers off their stride or trigger resignations.
For Mr Craig, the hardest thing is not seeing his kids after work and not being able to cheer them on at sporting fixtures. He spends evenings hooked up to home via Skype. “When I get back to my hotel, I get out my laptop and call home,” Mr Craig says. “Being able to actually see my wife and kids via video makes a massive difference. If Skype didn’t exist, I don’t think I would be out here. It would be just too tough.” Even so, by the end of each six-week stint, he admits he is itching to make his getaway. “When I get to week six, I just want to be on the plane home,” he says.