The ubiquitous Cleaver family (of Leave it to Beaver fame) is becoming more and more of a minority in 21st-century America. And move over, Donna Reed: the American family is changing faster than ever. Americans now embrace a wider variety of family arrangements than ever before. Heterosexual marriage is no longer the only acceptable lifestyle choice, although the 2000 Census revealed that nearly 52% of Americans still pursue this option. Your own company likely reflects the changing face of the American family.

The July 2008 edition of St. Louis CEO magazine includes an article written by Vandover CEO Mary Quigg. In “Continental Adjustment,” Quigg highlights the importance of employee satisfaction to making international work assignments successful.

You’ve got employees you want (or need) to relocate. For your company, it may be a business necessity – either for growth or to reallocate your resources. For your employee, however, it’s a different story: relocating will mean leaving their friends, extended family members, and all the elements of the life they’ve built – all to start over again in the new place. For many people, this is the challenging part of relocation.