interest in undertaking an international assignment via a database kept up to date by the function. Interested individuals can record their potential
availability, family circumstances and their ability to undertake an assignment, and when they need periods in their home location for personal reasons. Contact with potential candidates for talent mobility opportunities can involve international competency discussions that go beyond job role and performance. In this way, global mobility professionals can
advice is given, but someone else undertakes the action – it is strategic in nature. This strength should be recognised by global
mobility professionals and built on going forward. With their deep knowledge and understanding of the international arena in respect of people management, the step from providing advice to enacting it becomes a clear possibility.
TALENT IDENTIFICATION & PLANNING: THE DESIRED STRATEGIC GOAL Various surveys over the past years have indicated that global mobility professionals do not feel they are where they want to be. They recognise the operational nature of what they do, but they want to move to a more strategic approach. In terms of strategic input, surveys appear to suggest
that global mobility professionals want to be involved to a greater extent in the identification of talent who are to be moved globally. They want an input into the choice of who is moved such that they can use their knowledge of relocation suitability and international – as opposed to job-related – competencies to best effect, not simply be on the receiving end of talent identified by others. Yet, this is a tricky issue for the function. In order to be part of the talent identification and
planning process, those involved need to have clear and detailed understanding of the capabilities of the people who could potentially form part of a global talent pool. Traditionally, global mobility has not performed this
role. Those who know the capabilities of individuals tend to be the line managers for whom these people work. As such, talent identification tends to fall within the remit of the home and host line management, potentially with some HR input as part of the performance management process. The question arises as to how global mobility professionals can break into this closed circuit.
THE CHANGE-MAKER The focus of the ‘change-maker’ is on performance and commitment. Global mobility professionals can play a role here through involvement in global talent planning inventories. This is where individuals can register their
input complementary aspects that are highly relevant to the selection process, including international experience and capabilities as well as family needs and backgrounds, that play such a large part in assignment success. A proactive approach, potentially working with the HR function and its performance management activities, can ensure that line managers in both the home and host countries are aware of employee and family circumstances, willingness to undertake global mobility and relevant international capabilities. This is clearly both an interventionary activity and one that adds strategic value in terms of advocating suitability for international relocation. Global mobility professionals recognise that their
dealings with individuals and families must pre-date the selection decision being taken. Playing an active part in the career path process through dialogue with employees and appropriate recording mechanisms that encourage candidates to express their
interest in international
mobility can have a valuable strategic outcome. Global mobility can also be proactive by encouraging
employees and families to consider mobility and widening the talent pool by running awareness sessions and appropriate preparatory training ahead of assignment applications and selection. For example, this might involve using repatriated colleagues in informal dialogue with potential international mobile talent. This interventionary approach will have a strategic outcome in terms of the talent identification process.
LOOKING AHEAD By applying lessons from personnel management’s journey into its current strategic HR function, we can see that global mobility is well-positioned to become more strategic in its activities. The expertise is already in place and the value placed on its advice and regulatory actions, as well as its day-to-day administrative role, is high. The next step is to become an active change-maker. Looking to the future, if global mobility professionals
are serious about wishing to have greater strategic involvement in international mobility, then they must focus on interventionary actions with strategic outcomes alongside the day-to-day tactical and non- interventionary activities that form the bulk of their work. The extra step should not be seen as a major hurdle. The function already has a solid bedrock in place to underpin strategic change-maker activities. The future is clear: global mobility must take the extra step and have a more strategic input into the talent identification and planning process.
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GLOBAL MOBILITY
20TH ANNIVERSARY – THE FUTURE PART 1
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