4 smart tips about international secondment

International companies are just discovering some of the possibilities that can be realised through secondment of experienced workers. Consequently, this HR technique is still poorly understood and often misapplied in practice. That’s why we bring you those proven tips that hold true regardless of the industry or geographies.

Because of improved transportation and communication systems, it is now possible for international companies to rotate key staff members in and out of different locations based on current needs. While this human resource management technique can be quite advantageous, it needs to be realised in a diligent and secure manner. To help with this task, we compiled a short list of professional tips that can help companies avoid costly mistakes when sending important workers on international secondment missions:

The company could contractually bind employees into accepting secondment at any point, but this practice can have dangerous consequences. The whole point of international relocation is to make better use of available resources, so motivation of the chosen employee is very important. For some workers, a chance to live in a foreign country is a dream opportunity, and people with this attitude should receive priority during the selection process. Younger employees without families are typically more open towards this kind of business arrangement.

Every job calls for a certain skill set, while personal traits play a big role as well. You don’t want to send an impatient person to a situation that demands diplomatic network building, even if that person appears to be most qualified for the job on paper. Employers are expected to be familiar with strengths and weaknesses of their long-time employees, while interviews and psychological tests can help identify potentially great matches. It’s much better to spend a bit of time searching for the ideal employee than to be forced to send a replacement after just a few months.