How do you plan for global talent mobility and succession?

If you don’t know where you are today, how will you know where you need to go tomorrow? I find many leaders are busy focusing on the “future” but without great knowledge on their current environment. Skills assessments capability models are important to gauge what exists today to help you identify the gaps you need to close for tomorrow. Don’t forget to include in your matrix the interest level of what your talent WANT to learn, not just what you want them to learn. Balancing the employees goals with the organizational goals is a recipe for success with talent retention.

Identify the skills, expertise, and competencies of current employees to understand the strengths and gaps in your talent pool. Identify key priorities, growth areas, and critical roles that will drive success in the future. Evaluate current market trends and assess talent demand-supply prospects both internally & externally. Identify high-potential employees within your organization who have the capability and potential to take on succession roles. Assess their readiness and development needs for succession planning.

Identify Critical Roles: Companies like GE conduct talent audits to identify key roles and potential successors in leadership. Develop Succession Plans: Eg, IBM's robust succession planning process includes identifying high-potential employees to prepare for future leadership roles. Cross-Functional Training: Eg, Cisco Systems offers global talent mobility programs for employees to gain diverse experiences and skills across different regions, for international roles. Talent Pipeline Building: Eg, Unilever focuses on strong internal talent pipeline through initiatives, nurturing potential leaders for future global assignments. Mentorship and Coaching: Eg, Microsoft provides mentorship and coaching programs to support talent mobility

Evaluate the skills, competencies, and potential of your current workforce. Identify high-potential employees who display the capabilities and desire for global mobility or who have the potential to fill critical positions in the future. Consider performance evaluations, 360-degree feedback, and talent assessment tools to assess talent objectively.

Establish clear global talent mobility and succession policies eg, IBM developed a comprehensive talent mobility program to enhance employee development. Ensure alignment with organizational culture and values eg, Coca-Cola's succession planning strategies tailored to different regions' workforce dynamics. Address challenges like compliance, diversity and engagement to mitigate risks eg, Microsoft implemented global talent to promote diversity and inclusivity across its international offices. Emphasize transparent communication and logistical support eg, Apple's succession planning of cross-border training programs for leadership transitions. Monitor and evaluate the effectiveness of global talent mobility initiatives regularly.

As a talent leader, it is crucial to develop robust global talent mobility and succession policies. These policies should clearly define the scope, objectives, criteria, processes, and benefits of such initiatives. They must align with your organizational culture and values while considering legal, regulatory, cultural, and logistical aspects. Address potential challenges and risks such as compliance, diversity, inclusion, retention, engagement, and communication to ensure successful talent mobility and succession on a global scale.

Important to be mindful that many families are dual income. So while developing your global talent mobility policies, it's incredibly attractive to employees if they include & address both the spouse and full family unit. I've included work permits and assistance with job search for the spouse, translation and assistance with school selection and enrolment. Even in-home family language tutoring can be a fun bonding experience and very helpful during a stressful time. Most important - ask your employees what could have made their global move easier and adjust policies from there.

Integrate your talent mobility policies with your broader global HR and business strategies. Foster collaboration between HR and other relevant departments to ensure seamless execution and alignment with organizational goals.

While talent development programs can be beneficial in addressing common development needs, they might not cover all individual requirements. The flexibility to accommodate bespoke development needs and conducting regular career conversations are crucial for success. Think of it as having regular career check-ins to align and provide support for personal development goals.

- Develop Leadership Development Programs: Create programs that groom high-potential employees for future leadership roles. - Offer International Assignments: Provide opportunities for employees to work abroad and gain international experience. - Provide Training and Support: Offer training and support to help employees prepare for international assignments. - Monitor Program Effectiveness: Regularly monitor the effectiveness of your global talent mobility and succession programs. - Adjust Programs as Needed: Adjust your programs based on feedback and changing organizational needs.

I've seen many well-crafted policies fall flat due to poor implementation. The key to successful execution lies in the details—how well you translate your global talent mobility and succession policies into actionable programs. It's crucial to segment your talent based on their needs and the organization's priorities. For instance, high-potential employees might benefit more from international assignments that expose them to different markets, while emerging leaders might need more intensive coaching and mentoring. I've worked with organizations where we've created 'Talent Tracks'—customized pathways that guide different talent segments through a series of developmental experiences tailored to their needs.

We have to consider global talent mobility programs to enable employees to gain international experience and exposure. This can help in building a diverse and globally-minded workforce, as well as addressing skills gaps within different regions.

Communicate the Value of Global Mobility: Clearly communicate the benefits of global mobility to employees, including career advancement opportunities and exposure to diverse cultures. Involve Stakeholders in Decision-Making: Involve stakeholders in decision-making processes to ensure that everyone is aligned and committed to the goals and objectives. Provide Feedback and Recognition: Provide regular feedback and recognition to employees participating in global mobility programs. Foster a Culture of Mobility: Encourage a culture of mobility by promoting international assignments and providing support for employees and their families. Celebrate Successes: Celebrate the successes of employees who have participated in global mobility programs.

Succession planning is not an HR exercise if the companies want to make it meaningful. Every manager who expects growth in an organization should help him/herself to find an internal successor who can make the team better. Only together with HR, this task can be successfully completed, and it may take up to several years for a C-level role. Such an approach will help organizations grow a healthy pipeline of candidates through extensive educational programs, coaching, shadowing and other tools.

One of the most overlooked aspects of implementing any program is stakeholder engagement. It's not just about informing stakeholders; it's about involving them, making them feel invested in the program, and showing them the value it brings. First, identify who your stakeholders are. In a global talent mobility program, your stakeholders aren't just the employees who might be moving. They're also the managers who will be receiving new team members, and the HR personnel who will be managing the logistics. Each stakeholder group will have a different value proposition. For senior leaders, it might be about filling critical roles and developing future leaders. For employees, it might be about career development and new experiences.

Effective stakeholder engagement in global talent mobility and succession planning hinges on demonstrating tangible benefits and clear career progression paths. It’s crucial to illustrate how these initiatives align with personal aspirations and the organization’s strategic goals. Regular updates and success stories can be shared through internal communication channels to maintain enthusiasm and commitment. Additionally, providing platforms for stakeholder collaboration and idea exchange fosters a sense of ownership and collective achievement. #StakeholderEngagement #CareerGrowth

Think of a succession plan as the beginning of a recipe. But the real test is when you have an open position, and you appoint someone from that plan. Continuous feedback and development are key to their readiness, like adding extra flavor to the dish. Diversity in your plan is essential, just like a variety of flavors in a meal. Measure your progress with metrics, like checking the taste of your pudding. Succession planning is about making it work, improving it, and reflecting the diverse talent in your organization.

Create and implement succession and knowledge transfer programs. After evaluating the capabilities and talents of the candidates and identifying the needs and areas in which progress and change should be made, it is the turn of a development plan that should be created based on the skills and ability gaps identified. These plans should be individually personalized for each succession candidate and designed to help candidates address or improve gaps in their skills or experience and potentially prepare for their new role in the future. progress

For monitoring global talent mobility and succession outcomes, we have to do the followings: 1. Establish Metrics: Define key performance indicators (KPIs) such as employee retention rates, promotion rates, and successful international assignments. 2. Collect Data: Gather relevant data on talent movements, including employee feedback, performance evaluations, and mobility program participation. 3. Analyze Results: Evaluate the collected data to assess the effectiveness of talent mobility and succession initiatives in meeting organizational goals. 4. Identify Trends: Identify trends and patterns in talent mobility, succession planning, and workforce development. 5. Adjust Strategies: Based on the analysis, make necessary adjustments.

Before you even launch your program, define what success looks like and how you'll measure it. This could be quantitative metrics like retention rates or qualitative ones like employee satisfaction. The key is to align these metrics with your program's objectives and your organization's broader goals. While data is crucial, don't underestimate the power of anecdotal evidence. Regular check-ins with participants can provide insights that you won't get from data alone. For example, during a talent mobility program, we found that employees who had recently relocated were struggling with cultural adjustments, something that wasn't reflected in our initial metrics but became apparent through conversations.

- Encourage International Assignments: Encourage employees to participate in international assignments by providing support and resources. - Develop a Global Mindset: Develop a global mindset by promoting cross-cultural understanding and collaboration. - Foster a Culture of Innovation: Foster a culture of innovation by encouraging employees to share their experiences and ideas. - Celebrate Diversity: Celebrate diversity by promoting inclusivity and diversity in the workplace. - Support Employee Well-being: Support employee well-being by providing resources and support for employees and their families.

Internal networking is crucial, in my opinion. In a global environment and with remote work, retaining and developing people requires exposure to senior leaders. To learn from them and to demonstrate abilities they can help improve. It makes a difference in the execution of these plans in the long run.

Global Talent Mobility & Succession Plan: 1. Key Roles: Focus on crucial business roles (leaders, experts). 2. Assess Talent: Identify top internal candidates for global roles. 3. Custom Training: Equip talent with cultural and market skills. 4. Succession Paths: Develop leaders with global exposure. 5. Cross-border Collaboration: Foster international teamwork. 6. Compliance: Align with local laws for smooth mobility.

Talent needs can evolve over time, so it is essential to regularly review and adjust the talent mobility and succession plan. Monitor the progress of potential successors, assess the effectiveness of development initiatives, and make necessary adjustments to ensure alignment with business objectives.

It is very important to provide exposure to different regions to your workforce, when they are in middle management. For example, it will be great idea to send a marketing manager from South Asian nation to an European market on few years deputation. The management trainees must be posted outside their home country for exposure and assimilation of other markets and cultures.

1) Make sure you have a clear talent strategy for global geo movements; and stay consistent over a 3-5 years window. Communicate significantly especially with possible incumbent groups. Dont do frequent significant changes to policy. Incumbent plans get impacted 2) Capture wide variety of voluntary data on possible incumbents : like movement limitations, timing of movements. E.g - someone has a young child and they want to stay put for next 2 yrs. 3) Create a strong development plan for talent - include exposure to international projects / collaboration. Run individual development plans. Engage & Focus on Retention. 4) Share openings with target groups regularly if you prefer voluntary opt-ins. In case of top-down talk to shortlisted names.

While there are nuances to global strategy, don’t get overly focused on treating it like a dynamically different approach. A majority of the underlying principles of a strong mobility strategy apply regardless of whether the employee population is global or not. If anything, be really careful that you don’t over-index on trying to solve the nuances at the expense of nailing the basics. This often happens when the word “global” gets thrown in front of something. If anything, the basics become even more critical as you expand the population footprint because the risks and complexity rise. That rise in complexity and risk will also exacerbate your flaws, so the consequences of mistakes will be felt faster and harder.