On the move with Komax

Natalie Bold, Komax has been offering its employees the opportunity to work abroad for decades. Why?
Many global companies do this. It promotes global competitiveness and know-how transfer, aids the personal and professional development of employees, builds a uniform corporate culture, promotes strategic personnel planning and succession development, as well as flexibility and the ability to respond to market needs. This represents a mutual benefit for the company and employees.

So anyone who would like to travel abroad can simply contact you?
No, that’s not how it works. An international deployment at Komax is not a travel program, but a strategic tool for corporate and personnel development. Anyone interested in a deployment abroad should discuss this with their manager and HR team as part of their career planning. International deployments are not based on an individual’s desire to travel, but on clear business and development-related objectives.

What basic requirements must be met for a deployment abroad to be approved?
There must be a business need or a vacancy, because deployment abroad is always linked to a specific need in the company. This can be project-related, for example when introducing new systems or for know-how transfer. If an open position abroad cannot be filled locally, it is possible to fill it with a person from another location. Or the deployment abroad may take place as a development measure as part of an individual career plan.

Is there a minimum length for stays abroad?
Yes, Komax’s guidelines define clear minimum durations for stays abroad – depending on the type of deployment. We have a total of three programs with different minimum requirements. There is the Short-Term Assignment for assignments of 3 to 12 months, the Development Assignment, which lasts between 12 and 36 months, and the Long-Term Assignment for assignments over 12 months up to a maximum of 5 years. However, there are also assignments in the form of business trips or project visits. These can last a few days, but also up to a few weeks. They are not part of the formal international assignment programs, but a very common form of international mobility and must be considered depending on the country combination, nationality of the traveler or specific local conditions. I also provide support in this field.

How many people within the entire Komax Group are currently working at a different location than their original base?
We currently have four colleagues working abroad on Long-Term Assignments. Then there are four more who are considered permanent transfers. These are employees who will remain at the new location. However, the largest group is remote workers. Although they are also working at a different location than originally planned, they are not part of an official program. Their assignments are decided on an ad hoc basis by the line, for example during a targeted search for skills required at another location. This happens in the Research and Development division, for example, in Operations, but also in other areas.

What feedback do you get from the people who have had this experience?
The feedback from employees after an assignment abroad at Komax is mainly positive. Employees appreciate the opportunity to have been given an assignment abroad. It is also a sign of trust and appreciation.

You are responsible for the entire organization of these trips abroad within the Global HR department of the Komax Group. What does this entail?
As the person responsible for Global Mobility within the Komax Group, my role includes the complete organization and overseeing of international assignments – from planning to returning or staying permanently at the new location. The tasks are varied and involve both administrative, legal, logistical and personal aspects. But it’s very important to say that I could never do it alone. The local HR teams in the home and destination countries are equal partners. Together with the line, we form a mini-project team with the aim of sending employees where they are needed.

How does the recruitment process work?
The host company, i.e. the host country, leads the selection process. It checks whether internal or external candidates are suitable. The home company, the previous employer, is consulted, in particular to check availability and suitability. If the employee is available, the final decision is made by the host company, in coordination with Group HR. The selection is based on expertise, experience and matching with the position. Cost aspects such as salary, benefits, etc. also play a role. Language skills are also part of the suitability check.

How much does an international assignment cost the Komax Group?
An assignment abroad tends to – but does not necessarily have to – incur considerable costs. Those depend heavily on the type of assignment. It makes a big difference whether someone is traveling abroad for three months for a project or moving to a new location with the whole family. In all cases, the costs are budgeted and must be approved. There have been transfers in the past that have not gone ahead because the costs were too high.

What experience do you bring to the field of Global Mobility?
Although my main area of expertise at Komax is Total Rewards, I have extensive experience in Global Mobility. I have supported international assignments both strategically and operationally over many years – from policy development and cost calculation to individual support for employees and their families. I had been responsible for this area of expertise with a previous employer for over ten years in a managerial position with 1,000 transfers per year. Previously, I was also self-employed for ten years and advised SMEs in this area.

What excites you about your job?
It is the combination of structure and the human element. I work at the interface between international HR management, payment systems, intercultural collaboration and individual reality – and it’s precisely this variety that is the appeal for me. I love working with people from different countries, cultures and disciplines. An assignment abroad is like a puzzle: legal, tax, social and personal aspects must align. I also appreciate that I can contribute my expertise in aspects of remuneration, benefits and international comparability – and at the same time help shape how attractive and fair Komax is perceived as an employer worldwide.