The Foreign Service Journal, April 2012

34 F O R E I G N S E R V I C E J O U R N A L / A P R I L 2 0 1 2 tailments of assignments and broken families. (If anyone undertook an analysis of divorce rates within the Foreign Service community, they would probably find them shockingly high.) How Uncle Sam Can Help What can State and the other foreign affairs agencies do to improve the outlook for EFMs seeking meaning- ful employment? While it’s up to spouses to define their career goals and find jobs, federal agencies can create a robust framework to enable as many spouses as possible to work outside the embassy or consulate. Specifically, they should: • Negotiate more bilateral work agreements to ex- pand the list of potential countries where diplomatic spouses and partners can work, and press host govern- ments to ensure reciprocal issuance of work visas. • Provide more job-hunting resources for spouses at embassies and consulates, ideally staffed by headhunting professionals with substantial contacts in multiple indus- tries. Additionally, they can expand existing resources by contracting with headhunting services. • Enact more generous policies regarding a leave of absence for a Foreign Service employee whose spouse has specific professional needs (particularly in regard to tandem couples). • Give the same consideration to spouses’ profes- sional goals during the assignments process that tandem spouses receive. Happy, fulfilled spouses and partners enhance the outreach of the U.S. mission, for they serve as tremen- dous public outreach models in their local communities. To retain talent and encourage diversity at all levels, es- pecially in the senior ranks, management in the various Foreign Services agencies must pay greater attention to spousal employment needs. When family members thrive in the local economy, that conveys a positive message to our partners and allies around the world — just like the successful launch of the “Husbands of Chennai” calendar. F OCUS