Measuring the difference and setting the allowance – 2008 edition now released!
 

Key features and benefits

To encourage employment mobility and keep abreast of the competition, you need reliable information to help you calculate fair, consistent expatriate allowances. Based on 39 factors within ten categories, Mercer’s Quality-of-Living Reports contain all the key elements you need to calculate hardship allowances for transfers to over 420 cities worldwide. “Hardship allowance” refers to premium compensation paid to expatriates who experience – or should expect to experience – a significant deterioration in living conditions in their new host location .

Our reports are based on annual responses to a questionnaire developed by international Mercer professionals, working closely with major multinational companies and other experts in the field.

• Tangible values for qualitative perceptions to establish an objective assessment of the quality of living for transfers to over 420 cities worldwide

• Carefully selected factors representing the criteria considered most relevant to international executives

• A detailed outline of how we establish quality of living differentials between cities

• A City-to-City Index Comparison that summarises the difference in the quality of living between any two cities

• The final quality of living index and access to the detailed breakdown of the categories that form the resulting index

• An online quality of living calculator allowing you to customise the QOL index to your specific needs

• A score report summarising the quality of living differences for each of the 39 factors

• Mercer’s recommended Quality of Living Allowance Grid that allows you to translate the quality of living index into percentage benefits and define competitive hardship allowances where applicable

Global HRMonitor® – A new dimension of online HR information

Our web-based application contains flexible and powerful tools to let you customise your hardship allowance calculations and access details of the scores used in calculating the index.

The calculator also lets you account for additional factors, such as travel time and communication facilities between home and host country and extreme environmental conditions.

 Learn more about the Quality of Living Calculator  

Mercer advisory services

Mercer’s specialists are available for any advice you might need when managing your employees on international assignments.

Please contact your local Mercer office for further information.

Pricing information

* All prices are subject to additional shipping charges and applicable taxes.

Note: In Australia and Canada your purchase confirmation will show the estimated converted price in local currency, however you will be invoiced at the converted USD price at the time of purchase.