As providers of corporate language training, we have to stay on top of the fast-changing world of global mobility — and we like to pass what we discover on to you. Today we want to share a few things we’ve learned lately about global mobility and younger employees. A few recent articles may cause you to rethink how your company approaches international assignments.
We Need More Global Leaders
First, let’s look at a recent report from Gallup called “The Future of Leadership Development: A Global Mindset.” We all know that business is becoming more global. But Gallup cites a surprising statistic: Only 18 percent of multinational companies say they have a strong global leadership pipeline.
Something has to change to address that shortfall. The solution Gallup points to is more international assignments earlier in the careers of emerging leaders. This isn’t without challenges, of course. But we believe that some of the challenges that Gallup cites can be mitigated when companies offer appropriate relocation assistance. For example, employees may feel more at ease about relocating their families overseas if their relocation package includes language and cultural training for them as well. Language and cultural training can also lessen any anxiety about succeeding in an international assignment.
Millennials and Gen Zers Are Global Citizens
Luckily, companies’ need to send more younger employees on international assignments dovetails with what Millennials and members of Generation Z (who are just starting to enter the workforce) want for themselves.
At the recent Workplace Mobility Interactive conference in Singapore, KPMG executive Jod Gill said that “younger skilled workers are less interested in traditional single-location career paths.” His statement echoes what surveys have found about Millennials and Gen Zers. Millennials see themselves as global citizens, and Generation Z has been called the “first truly global generation.” Millennials’ fondness for travel is also well known. They want to explore the world through authentic experiences, not just as tourists.
10 Secrets to Managing your Multilingual Global Workforce
International Assignments Can Help Recruiting
Responding to those desires can help your company recruit Millennials and members of Generation Z, according to Relocate Global. An opportunity to live and work abroad could be more attractive to them than a pay raise.
In the Relocate Global article, Deloitte executive Bill Docherty goes even further than Gallup, recommending international assignments for younger employees:
Global mobility shouldn’t just be driven by leadership development, as it has been at many companies in the past. It shouldn’t be top-down and reserved for a select few. There are huge benefits for the company and its staff to make these opportunities available to everyone.
Those benefits include helping employees become more collaborative, empathetic, productive and understanding.
Students Prepare for Global Careers
Finally, it’s good to know that younger people are preparing for increasingly global careers. According to University World News, the number of globally mobile students increased 143% from 2000 to 2017, going from 2.1 million to 5.1 million. About two-thirds of globally mobile students come from high and upper middle-income countries, and one-third come from lower middle-income and low-income countries. However, the growth in student mobility is threatened by factors like nationalism and affordability.
We believe all of this information points to the larger need for companies to cultivate a globally minded workforce. And we’re passionate about providing language training for that workforce. To learn more Fluency Corp, contact us for a free consultation: getfluent@fluencycorp.com or (800) 401-3159.
