[ART.] “Profesional Erasmus”

An article written by Marina Martin, Manager of  Future Track

It is impossible to avoid talking about “Erasmus” in order to understand the meaning of a professional exchange.

Marina Martín with the Ganci Partners team in Switzerland

Like so many students, during my time at university I wanted to have the opportunity to live this experience. To have the chance to get to know other ways of doing things, to create links of friendship and knowledge between people from other countries. To promote my own personal growth in terms of autonomy and independency.

What if you could live this experience during your working life? Let’s say you are doing well in your current company, but you would like to continue growing within it. What if you had the opportunity to work from another location for a temporary period of time, would you go to another country…? The Erasmus Grant encourages European mobility for university students, however the word itself has taken on a new meaning. Its origins go back a long way: Erasmus of Rotterdam, a Renaissance theologian and humanist, gave his name to this concept as the first European citizen to study in several European countries: Germany, England, Italy, France and Switzerland.

So, what is a Professional Erasmus? The promotion of a “brain circulation” instead of the current “Talent drain”, through an exchange of knowledge between offices of the same organization for a limited period, in order to grow and acquire best practices from that subsidiary. Hard skills are gained over time, which is generally faster when you have an “abroad” experience, and participation in further training increases. In the current framework, there is certainly a hybrid work mode combining teleworking and face-to-face work, which makes these professional exchanges possible. It sometimes leads to a dilemma for organizations, where the engagement of their employees plays an important role in ensuring their productivity continues to be productive and profitable. In addition, their engagement can be affected, because they are disconnected from their team members, and this is something that needs to be considered.

Therefore, in the case of promoting the employee with a “professional Erasmus”, it will not be difficult to see the bidirectional benefit provided (employee/organization) in their aptitudes and responses, as well as the experience and understanding of new places and cultures. In short, a personal and professional challenge and, ultimately, an organizational enrichment. Therefore, in the case of promoting the employee with a “professional Erasmus”, it will not be difficult to see the bidirectional benefit provided (employee/organization) in their aptitudes and responses, as well as the experience and understanding of new places and cultures. In short, a personal and professional challenge and, ultimately, an organizational enrichment. For this reason and based on my personal experience and my period in Switzerland, where I have been able to understand the change of cultures and the difference in the way of working, which I will talk about in the future.

I encourage other professionals and organizations to live an “abroad” professional experience. Since it is a way to take distance and learn new ways of working, as well as a recognition to the employee for his or her effort, giving the opportunity to get to know a new language and enrich internally the department to which he or she belongs, leading to greater motivation and retention of young talent.

I encourage other professionals and organizations to live an “abroad” professional experience.

Article written by Marina Martín, Manager.