Secondment

A secondment is a temporary work arrangement in which an employee is moved from their usual role and employer to work for a different team, department, or partner organization for a defined period, while typically maintaining their formal employment relationship with their original employer throughout the assignment. Secondments are often used to facilitate knowledge sharing, provide employees with new experience, or support a strategic partnership or joint venture between organizations. During a secondment, the employee generally continues to be paid and formally employed by their original organization, even though they are performing work for and often being supervised by the host organization during the assignment period. Clear agreements between the original employer, the host organization, and the employee typically outline the specific terms of the secondment, including its duration, the employee's responsibilities during the assignment, and the arrangements for their return to their original role once it concludes. Secondments can be particularly valuable for companies with international operations, allowing an employee to gain experience in a different country or business unit while typically avoiding some of the complexity associated with a full, permanent international transfer, since the arrangement is understood to be temporary from the outset.