04 Feb 4 Business Trends that Can Impact Global Mobility  

The exit of Great Britain from the European Union and the unexpected victory of Donald Trump in the last presidential elections has signified to the watching world that change could come suddenly and unexpectedly. The rules of the game in the business landscape were equally shifting. With the advent of AI and smart systems, experts warned that many machines would soon take the jobs of humans. The only way to cope is to learn new skills and be adaptable at all times.

Global mobility specialists can expect more from their own seismic shocks in the workplace, which was once solid ground for recruitment which can disappear like sand if foreign policy undergoes some changes. For instance, budgets can be slashed as companies cut cost. Snapchat, Facetime, and Video Skype will soon become the main platforms for candidate screening. To rise above the tides of change and exert mastery in your own sphere, be aware of four business trends that can impact global mobility:

1. You will have to make a lot of effort to keep employees engaged, says Forbes India.

Forget the traditional career path that called on staff to be hardworking and loyal so they can climb to the top of the structure. The younger employees see the workplace as a training ground for skills that they can use to advance themselves. They correctly perceive the job market in flux; but instead of panicking, they are preparing themselves to ride it. They also don’t have a lot of patience; if they accomplish something important, they want to be recognized now, and not tomorrow, or a year from now.

Many of your assignees will come from this generation, and you would always be on your toes to keep them interested and engaged.

2. Subject-matter experts (SMEs) will be trained to support sales efforts, says Forbes.

Customers don’t buy a product because they like the sales pitch. Rather they are persuaded by the content they digest. SME’s or the company’s authoritative experts on a certain subject like IT, computers, or biometrics will be sought after because they give objective, relevant, and helpful data. Companies will capitalize on this to train SMEs to assist sales professionals in their campaigns.

If many of your assignees are marketing and sales specialists, better start looking for talent spots where you can recruit SMEs when the time comes. Many of them are the quiet workers who design your company’s products or deliver service related to them. For example, if your client is a pharmaceutical company, it’s SMEs would be pharmacists and doctors who can talk about the illnesses that its newly launched food supplements are trying to address. Partners like California Corporate Housing can provide SMEs with significant experience in housing, home design, and smart systems.

3. Skill training will focus on specific strengths, instead of one main competence, says Inc.

The evolving landscape will further narrow demographics into niche markets. Your assignee must be able to speak their language and know how to use their tools if he is to connect with them. That is why, in time, your own training strategy will be re-designed to sharpen each and every assignee’s unique strength instead of subjecting all of them to one training subject like a performance-presentation class, for example. A more personalized approach to learning will be a trend in 2017.

4. Be prepared to handle the boomerang workforce, says Vision Critical.

This new breed of employees usually return to their original place of work years after their amicable parting with their superiors. There was a time that this kind of  behavior would have shocked the more senior managers. But boomerang employees or assignees are becoming the norm. Executives are open to their return because they bring new skills, knowledge, and network contacts; at the same time, they need very little training and immersion in the company’s corporate culture.

Global mobility specialists should take advantage of this revolving door ushering in ex-employees. As a rule, never break ties with your valued staff as they leave. At the same time, strengthen your assignee retention system to quell the number of turnovers.