May 2006

Question

I am working on my dissertation in HRD. I am beginning to consider a career transition into consulting. My research interest lies with work-life integration. There is a very big trend for work-life integration in corporations/organizations. Where can I find information on other consultants in this area? Is this an area that is "ripe for the taking?"

Answer

I tried to locate a society or association for work-life balance, but did not find one. What I did learn is that many organizations have been focused in this area for a number of years. The industries that seem to have taken a leadership role in the area are legal, hospitality, health care, and education. That may help you narrow your search for companies who may be implementing work-life balance initiatives. It also appears that Australia and New Zealand are countries that lead the world in this arena. (Just in case you want some international work!) Australia holds an annual work-life balance conference.

Three other resources you may wish to check are these. First, Work-Life Integration: Case Studies of Organizational Change, a book by Suzan Lewis and Cary Cooper, published by John Wiley and Sons in 2005. The book addresses everything from absenteeism to Xerox including sections on consulting and change agents. Second, contact Work/Life Balance Network, a non-profit organization founded in 1993 to exchange ideas and strategies for effecting cultural change within organizations. (www.worklifebalance.org ) Third, St. Mary's University of Minnesota appears to be providing services in this area, http://www2.smumn.edu/deptpages/tcweb/balancingact. Hope this helps. As far as whether I think this area is "ripe for the taking," the answer is no. There is no area that is "easy picking" for a consultant. A consultant must have tangible, original, and practical advice, knowledge, and services to offer. That's the only way consultants are valuable to clients. Also, the work/life balance issues and improvements have been around for a quarter of a century, so I doubt if very many organizations have not already thought about what they could or should be doing in the area.                  

Question

I'm an independent consultant and I deliver training programs for corporate client organizations in the Italian Market. I work as subcontractor on per diem based rates. This past summer I had a new and wonderful experience: I was in Kazakhstan (Ex. Soviet Union) for 5 weeks delivering workshops on "Change Management" and "Leadership" for an oil and gas multinational company. Bridging different cultures, exchanging different points of view, and experiencing a different lifestyle were extremely enriching. I would like to know if you could point out some web sites or any resource where I could look for international assignments for consultants and trainers working as subcontractors. Thanking you in advance.

Answer

I do not know of any specific websites or groups that are dedicated to matching consultants to international assignments. However, I can suggest two things you could do.

First is to tap into your network. Begin asking every consultant and trainer you see if they know of anyone who has conducted work in another country. I know of ten that I could call today. Find out how they obtained those assignments and follow up accordingly. The second thing I would do is to contact the larger consulting firms in your area. Let them know of your interests, provide them with a resume and rationale for why they should use you. Then follow up with them on a regular basis. The best assignments usually do not come without a great deal of work. Readers, you can help. Do you know of other ways to locate international assignments? If yes, write to Ask the Expert Column and we will compile your responses for a future column.