Growth has no borders

Job moves within a company, whether to a new location or to a different function, are rewarding for individuals and organizations, who both benefit from skill building. As well as gaining a fresh perspective on the business, they often provide the chance for employees to experience new cultures. Short-term assignments (STAs) are one way Volvo CE supports employees to travel, move and experience the real diversity of its business.

Tracy Xiang, Head of People and Culture for Volvo CE Sales Asia, moved from her hometown of Shanghai in China to Eskilstuna in Sweden for a six month STA with Volvo CE. While initially a professional move, it ended up being a much more personal adventure too.

“Any change requires a lot of courage, so it’s best just to go for it. For the first two weeks I was a bit nervous about the practicalities and discovering new places and new assignments. But I quickly felt relaxed once I got to understand more about my environment.

”If you invest time and curiosity, you will find the place opens up to you I love being out in nature and some of my happiest times have been swimming in the lake, eating local fresh food and enjoying the relaxed lifestyle. You learn a lot about a culture through their food and their history.”

When Pauline Miguet embarked on a similar adventure, travelling to Shippensburg, USA, from Belley, France, it was to broaden her horizons and gain new experience beyond her role in communications. A big move for anyone, but even bigger when it involves communicating in another language.

“I wanted to become more comfortable with the English language, to discover a different way of working and to learn from another colleague. I achieved this and so much more!

“Every day was challenging, but most of all, it was an opportunity to learn and grow. I feel lucky to have worked alongside some great colleagues, who had a lot to teach me from other past experiences. I returned to Belley with many lessons learned and new ideas on how to improve communication at the site.”

Sometimes a short-term assignment doesn’t involve crossing borders, but instead provides a new perspective and opens doors to new areas of the business. For Daniel Kalfholm, this was the leap from Purchasing to Technology.

“I had been working in Purchasing my whole career. The STA allowed me to gain experience in technology and grow my internal network.

“I bring a different perspective to the Technology team. The way the two functions are structured, and the ways of working can be quite different. I can help to bridge this gap. By understanding one another better, we can work more effectively together to help deliver on our ambitions.”

Hyunah Kim’s move from Changwon, South Korea to Belley, France involved a new role, a change of culture and a new language. But it also provided an opportunity to build deeper connections with her husband’s family, as well as across the organization.

“Initially I was worried that it would be a difficult transition because my French wasn’t great, but actually it turned out to be a fast and reciprocal learning curve for both me and my French colleagues. It is a good opportunity for us all to use English during our meetings, but it also challenges me to speak French when we meet in the hallway or chat over a coffee.

“I already see a significant improvement and that is also great when it comes to communicating with my husband’s family.”