Workforce mobility and agility have never been as important as they are now in a COVID-19 world, and beyond. Over the last two years in Australia alone, thousands of staff have been asked to transfer temporarily to new jobs, in different parts of the same organisation or to other organisations, to respond to critical operational imperatives brought about by the pandemic.
Research and guidance on successfully designing and executing a secondment have been under-represented in the I/O and HR literature. This systematic review provides:

- A valuable focus on the latest research in relation to secondments
- A comprehensive framework for understanding what underlies the success of a secondment
- The examination of secondments through three different lenses: the secondee, the home organisation/work area and the host organisation/work area
- A discussion of the potential benefits and risk associated with the secondee’s exit and re-entry to their ‘home job’
- Concrete, evidence-based guidelines for successful secondments.

Whether they are used for development purposes or to meet business imperatives, this presentation informs participants about better practice to ensure optimal benefits to individuals and organisations.

Secondments provide a strong opportunity to support professional development, while mutually benefitting organisations affiliated with one another (e.g. providers within health-care networks, education systems, government departments) or organisations that have a common or related interest/focus (e.g. an agricultural products manufacturer and a government environmental agency). At their best, secondment programs facilitate knowledge transfer between organisations, provide rewarding experiences for employees, and strengthen professional networks.
This presentation will provide participants with a systematic review of up-to-date research on initiating and delivering secondments. By taking into account the secondee themselves, the home organisation, and the host organisation, we aim to provide comprehensive, yet practical and effective advice. Industrial-Organisational Psychologists, human resource practitioners, and people managers can expect to learn the benefits of secondment opportunities, as well as guidelines for making a secondment program successful.

West, J A
Hughes, A W