How do you support developmental assignments?
In today’s mobility climate, retaining talent and fostering a positive employee experience is important, but even more so in developmental assignments; should the employee leave the organization shortly after repatriation, the business would receive no return on their investment. Mobility can support their developing talent by understanding that young professionals are in a different stage of their lives than mid-career professionals, and they expect and require different support from their peers.
To better understand the wants and needs of young professionals, we held a discussion with AIRINC employees under 35 to share our personal values and professional perspectives. In this series, we’ll be posting some insights on how Mobility can tailor their policies and practices to better support the talent that the business invests in. In our final instalment of the series, we’ll investigate setting assignment goals.
In our discussion, AIRINC colleagues shared that having a positive personal employee experience was important, but equally important was having a positive professional experience. They discussed that it is important to have clear goals for a developmental assignment, detailing what the employee should accomplish and learn while in the host location. In addition, having a clear career path for the years post-assignment would be extremely valuable, as this provides the employee with transparency, as well as a future purpose within the organization.
Being chosen for a developmental assignment shows the employee that the business values them and sees their growth potential. By clearly communicating exactly how they want the employee to grow, the business sets up both parties for success. Keeping the employee engaged with goals and expectations, as well as a proven interest in their career, helps to ensure that the young professional will continue to develop within the company.
Investing in talent takes time, consideration, and care. In AIRINC’S 2022 Mobility Outlook Survey, we found that 28% of organizations are looking to increase their use of a developmental policy in the upcoming year. Before sending this younger population on assignment, Mobility should take the time to consider what these employees find valuable. As we’ve discussed in this series, considering employee circumstance, increasing flexibility on benefits, and setting clear goals are just three ways that Mobility can focus on helping these assignments to succeed. By developing policies tailored to an emerging population, Mobility can ensure that the business has the talent they need for years to come.
We hope that you’ve enjoyed this series:
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How can Mobility tailor their policies and practices to better support talent?
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What relocation support is needed for developmental assignments?
If you have any questions, please contact Grace Kernohan. You may also download the full whitepaper here.
