Employer Information

The Home Employer

Is the original permanent employer of the candidate, who remains responsible for payrolling the individual - and retains 'ownership' of the candidate.

Advantages to the HOME organisations

• "Job swap"" an individual who will add value to your organisation."


• Part of your talent management and development toolkit.


• Providing exposure to cultures and environments which could not be achieved in-house.


• Less hierarchical management structures are introduced in more organisations - secondment offers career enhancing skills to the individual.


• When the individual returns to your organisation their skills will have been developed and can be utilised in your business.

The Host Employer

Is the organisation who will offer a secondment to an individual. They will not payroll the candidate - and will liaise with the HOME (employer) to agree process for handling disciplinary type issues.

Advantages to the HOST organisations

• Gain specialist skills into their business.
• Obtain expertise that is not currently available.
• Get an independent perspective on processes and organisation.
• Establish strong network of business professionals.

Considerations

• Duration of the secondment.


• Is this subject to notice.


• Although the seconding employer will generally be responsible for basic salary, what are the arrangements for overtime, expenses, training etc?


• What will happen if long-term absence or persistent short-term absence occurs?


• How will supervisory and disciplinary matters be dealt with?


• How will performance and development be managed?


• Does indemnity insurance need to be provided?


• Who will fill the role in the home organisation?


• How will the secondee retain contact with the home organisation?


• How will the end of the secondment be managed?

Considerations for both the HOST and HOME organisation

• Be careful not to treat the secondee as an employee.
  
  
• Whilst the host organisation needs to know when an employee intends to take holiday it should not assume direct responsibility for either authorising or paying holidays. Similarly expenses should form part of the “charge” between the host and seconding employers.
  
  
• The host organisation should not be responsible for disciplining the employee, but will want access to a mechanism.
  
  
• Alternatively, the host employer may wish to define an employee's misconduct, as a “trigger” event allowing it to terminate the agreement with the seconding employer. Trigger events can also include long term sickness of the employee.
  
  

Secondment employees must:

• Ensure that the organisation has an effective secondment procedure that is well publicised to all staff, for example in the staff handbook or on the intranet.


• Ensure there is a clear business need for a secondment, with specific outcomes identified –
  e.g. capabilities and competencies are identified in the performance management process.


• Discuss with senior management the advantages of using secondment as an organisational and staff development tool.


• Advertise secondment opportunity positions effectively to the widest possible audience.


• Provide a tailored induction for both inward and outward secondees.


• Ensure that secondments are carefully monitored throughout.


• Encourage feedback and evaluation from secondees on their return.


• Review how the knowledge and experiences gained by secondee have benefitted the organisation.


• Equal Approach to be the contact point to facilitiate communication and contracted arrangements between the HOME and HOST organisation only.