“On the other side, you’re building stronger relationships. You’re with the assignees, you’re finding out their processes and the challenges they face first-hand, and when you come back, you think bigger. You think outside the box” – K2 Senior Relocation Manager Natalie Reid, in reflection of her secondment experience.
Six months ago, Natalie temporarily left the K2 Family in pursuit of a secondment experience, having the opportunity to embed herself within the team of one of our clients. Joining their Global Talent Mobility team as a Global Mobility Manager, this was an entirely new job role and setting for Natalie. Now that her secondment has finished, we wanted to catch up on the last half-a-year outside of K2: how she adapted to the change, and why having the chance to go on secondment is so valuable.
“Like anything, when you are going into a new team, it’s like starting a brand-new job. Working in relocation is my comfort blanket – I have known it for nearly fourteen years – but I didn’t know anything about being on the client side of the industry. Now that I have seen their operations, I understand their challenges, needs and preferences in a way I would never have known if I hadn’t said yes to going on secondment.”
Natalie started her secondment with the company whilst they were in their implementation stage (the process of onboarding a client) with K2. It was the combination of a fresh relationship between provider and client, and Natalie’s own aspirations that made the opportunity more and more appealing.
“I have learned so much, from universal skills such as managing spreadsheets, to the niche areas in relocation like taxes and immigration within the Netherlands! It really was a completely new challenge to immerse myself in, as I was managing the team’s HR processes and updating the policies they had been following for quite some time.”
“But seeing relocation from the other side, it’s now really clear to me that our clients have the same challenges as us. They are waiting on approvals, they are waiting on vendors, and so it is invaluable to have the whole picture; now when I’m working with K2’s assignees, we can predict future obstacles for them. By anticipating and preparing for any delays or issues that may arise, we can minimize disruption and keep the assignees focused on their own work and goals. This expertise picked up through secondments allows us to go that extra mile.”
It comes as no surprise then that Natalie recommends saying yes to a secondment opportunity:
“Go for it! It opens your eyes to a more holistic view, and with that comes the confidence that you are delivering the very best service. I would say to anyone starting a secondment to go into the experience without any expectations. Speaking to my other colleagues who have also had secondment opportunities elsewhere, it is great to hear that everyone’s time away from K2 has been different. View the secondment as a chance for growth, and don’t doubt yourself! Whether you are doing the same role that you are used to, or are working in a completely different role as I was, I think what is most important is that you are building that relationship with the other company.”
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