Spain, and they’re trying to communicate with the main office back in the UK with their personal data, that can be fraught with difficulties. While employees think they can just work from home wherever they want, it is not that easy for the employer.” Employers may consider using fixed-term contracts


as a solution for flexibility and cost-cutting. However, they need to be aware that after a certain period, fixed- term employees gain employment rights and should be treated fairly. There is legislation that protects fixed-term employees from being paid less or facing less favourable treatment compared to permanent employees.


WORKING ABROAD AND THE EMPLOYER DUTY OF CARE REQUIREMENTS The duty of care of an employer includes providing a safe working environment. When employees work in foreign countries, additional considerations must be taken to ensure their safety, including risk assessments, security measures, and briefings. If an employer fails to provide a safe working


environment and an employee gets injured or experiences harm, the employee can claim negligence against the employer. This can lead to legal repercussions and potential financial liability for the employer. Employers could be liable for negligence if they


do not provide a safe place of work, and they need to ensure they have employee liability insurance. She says employers need to be aware of the concept of vicarious liability, which holds employers responsible for the actions of their employees.


REMOTE WORKING CAN BE A TOOL FOR PURPOSE AND RETENTION Despite the challenges involved in accommodating different employee requests, being able to offer flexible and remote working can set your organisation apart from rivals. Hanna Marie Asmussen, co-founder and CEO


of Localyze, which helps people from more than 100 countries obtain visas, says that flexibility has been a key driver of employee satisfaction, especially after the pandemic-triggered move away from the office. “In my view, flexibility is another word for agency –


people want to have more control of their time and have their work align with their personal goals,” she says. “As travel restrictions have eased, the latest frontier of


flexibility has become the move to a more mobile world of work,” she says. “Not just remote, but global. We see more people wanting to relocate for a better opportunity, pursue a workcation (an extended vacation where they work temporarily from a different country), or take up more business trips. In other words, people want their workplace to give them opportunities to travel more freely outside the traditional vacation trip.” For any type of movement abroad, whether it is a


relocation, a workcation, or a business trip, organisations need to actively communicate their policy on what is safe for both the business and its people, she says. Policies have the bad reputation of limiting flexibility, but in the context of global mobility, they are what turns global working into a sustainable and functioning programme, as long as they establish clear expectations on what both sides need to do. “For example, a good policy should make it clear where employees can move for work, how long the trip can last


“ People want to have more control of their time and have their work align with their personal goals. As travel restrictions have eased, the latest frontier of flexibility has become the move to a more mobile world of work. Not just remote, but global.”


HANNA MARIE ASMUSSEN, CO-FOUNDER & CEO OF LOCALYZE


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before tax and payroll come into the discussion, and what process they should follow to share their request,” she explains. The policy also needs to document the organisation’s


responsibilities. For example, how the HR team will educate employees on health and safety, what support they will provide in case of emergencies, and how (or if) they will support in obtaining visas, insurance, and other details on a case-by-case basis. “Employees trade in a different precious resource:


their time,” she says. “What inspires them to invest it with you is a clear vision of why you do what you do, and how results align with their values. Compensation and benefits are an attractive perk, but one everyone can replicate – a solid identity and company purpose are much harder to copy.”


PROVIDING OPPORTUNITIES FOR EMPLOYEES TO ADVANCE THEIR CAREER WITH OVERSEAS EXPERIENCE While it may be challenging for companies to accommodate myriad requests, research shows that staff really value the opportunity to enhance their career through foreign assignments. Liz Sebag-Montefiore is a coach and the director and


co-founder of 10Eighty, an HR solutions consultancy. She says that employee recognition drives engagement and strengthens connections between people and across the organisation. “Employees who find purpose at work are more


productive than those who don’t,” she says. “You need an employee-centred approach that provides you with a line of sight to employee purpose, perspective and aspiration. The big win is that in encouraging employee purpose, you set up a positive feedback loop and improve outcomes not only in the wellbeing of the workforce, but also organisational performance.” What makes employees feel valued? Recognition,


appreciation, opportunity, being heard, and constructive and timely feedback. In order to balance corporate concerns with flexible working employers need to be reasonable, be seen to be fair and find ways to make accommodations that will work for employer and employee.


THINK GLOBAL PEOPLE REMOTE WORKING


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