A growing number of companies that operate in various countries are introducing common and coherent career and succession plans for all geographical areas in which they are present. This is a trend we had already detected in our Report on Career and Succession Management and which we noticed again during a recent workshop in which 10 Top Employers companies in Spain shared their good practices in this area.
Our figures show the growing internationalisation of the career plans of certified companies in our country: 90% include international mobility.
A good example of the introduction of a common career plan for the entire company is that of engineering consultancy firm Altran, designed with the aim to increase development and internationalisation through promotion at all levels: vertical, horizontal and diagonal. Moreover, this process is consistent throughout the entire organisation, as all countries forming part of the group use the same model.
Schindler also has a career centre at the corporate level to generate opportunities for international development. In this way, the lift and escalator manufacturing group has managed to improve the commitment, retention and productivity of its employees.
The engineering and construction services company Technip is another organisation with a system that approaches a global career. In their case, they pay particular attention to diversity.
Vodafone, for its part, has introduced a global career acceleration programme aimed at young talents. Those selected for this programme are offered a two-year international placement in any of the countries where the telecommunications company is present.
Another trend that became apparent in the workshop on good practices is that companies are increasingly involving their employees in their own development, allowing them to take control of their careers. In fact, in 98% of all Top Employers companies in Spain career talks take place between managers and employees to decide what the next step will be.
Various companies explained how they involve employees in their careers. One example was that of the biomedical company Abbott, which sets up an annual meeting for each employee with their manager in order to dialogue about the development plan. This company believes in moving its employees between different departments, which means lateral movements in addition to vertical ones.
JTI, a leading company in the manufacture and marketing of tobacco products, has introduced a series of workshops based on Japanese martial arts aimed at helping employees adapt to a new, more dynamic and flexible organisation model.
Orange, for its part, provides a development consultant to counsel employees in their professional careers using the coaching method. Through this coaching, the company tries to help employees reflect on their individual situation so that they can be the motor of their own development and create their own career.
Finally, PepsiCo also involves its employees in their development through twice-yearly career talks with their managers. This way, the company wants to help them reflect about themselves in depth so that they can take the main responsibility for their careers and can, in this way, contribute to ensuring the long-term growth of the company.
The leading best practices demonstrated by all of these companies during the workshop organised by Top Employers Institute show that career and succession management is undergoing a major change. It is no longer a process to guarantee the replacement of companies' key positions, but one that is evolving towards a wider focus: that of employee retention, development and commitment at every level of the organisation.
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