Issue link: https://www.e-digitaleditions.com/i/149047
Relocation Figure 1 programs are a newer, but now typical, offering of long-term relocation solutions that help supplement the cost associated with a homeowner's loss on house sale. This type of solution helps encourage employees to move since the threat of money lost on a home is softened, but it can cost an organization between $16,000 and $100,000. Jessica Regenold, senior vice president of international operations for Graebel, says many factors contribute to the decrease in overall costs. "The advantages of a short-term assignment include the ease of relocation, since the majority of these people relocate unaccompanied, and therefore a large household goods shipment, settling-in services, and school decisions are not factors. Nor are services like home sale or lease cancellation assistance needed in most cases. With fewer services required, this contributes to lower costs overall for the client." Knowledge transfer and tackling a skills shortage are additional benefits. "Short-term assignments allow for quick talent deployment to locations including difficult to reach remote regions," says Regenold. "For instance, companies in the energy sector often employ a variation of the shortterm assignment called a rotational assignment. Here, the employee spends a certain amount of time at the work site than rotates off. Companies in other industries such as aerospace and information and technology services use short-term assignments which require technicians and highly specialized experts to spend a few months at a customer's site to implement a program or trouble-shoot issues." Short-term assignments are attractive to employees since they offer the opportunity to grow new skills and enhance career [48] HRO TODAY MAGAZINE | JULY/AUGUST 2013 development. The chance to work in a new business unit in a new location is an excellent development opportunity for employees. The setting allows for a strong knowledge exchange that can occur between several locations. A sense of loyalty and belonging is likely to grow on the employee side, since the short-term assignment can be seen as an investment and personal commitment from their organization. "They are a great tool for retaining talent, as well as bringing people on board," says Paragon's Graham. "It gives an opportunity for companies to move people around a little bit more, increase their training, and get more hands-on experience. You look to be an employer of choice." Sports apparel company Adidas believes the opportunities short-term assignments provide for employees are vast. "We've used them for rotational learning to get people experienced in different areas, learn new cultures, experience different process flow, and see how different teams work together," reports Stephanie Nowicki, mobility manager for the Americas for adidas. "It can be used as a tool for retaining employees. After the short-term assignment, if a position comes up in that location, they have been there and have a chance to stay. It's a huge win in maintaining our international culture." It boosts both skills development for new and seasoned employees. "Short-term assignments are viewed as a way to develop talent within an organization, whether the employees are new hires on a rotational track working in different global locations as they learn the business, or for technically proficient employees whose skills are needed for projects managed outside the headquarters," says Graebel's Nemer.