Rotational assignments were once the domain of oil and gas companies, used to ease the burden on employees stationed in remote or high-risk locations. But more recently, this move type has received the glow-up it deserves!

Today, as companies work harder to fuel their talent pipelines with specialized skills and meet the expectations of millennial and Gen Z employees, rotational assignments have become far more widespread and serve a much broader purpose.

What Are Rotational Assignments & Who Are They For?

At their core, rotational assignments are a series of short-term assignments. For example, an employee might spend three weeks to three months in a host country, followed by a return to the home country, or a transfer to another location altogether. These moves are relatively easy to administer and aren’t particularly cost-heavy, making them an attractive option for career development.

What makes rotational assignments especially appealing is the opportunity they give employees to take on a variety of projects, gain exposure to new areas of the business, and acquire new skills. Unsurprisingly, these traits resonate with a younger, experience-hungry workforce.

Much like the millennials before them, Gen Z talent is drawn to employers that invest in their growth and offer opportunities to explore and sharpen their strengths. At this early stage in their careers, they’re eager to learn more about themselves—and the world—while taking on diverse challenges. That makes them a perfect fit for rotational assignments.

Even more importantly, rotational assignments introduce talent to a range of growth opportunities within your company, helping them envision a long-term career path internally instead of looking elsewhere. It’s a compelling reminder that investing in your talent today helps build a stronger retention rate and leadership pipeline tomorrow.

“Since rotational programs are uniquely positioned to give employees broad exposure across your organization, the candidate selection process is an important piece. Focus on identifying candidates who not only show long-term potential with your company, but who also have the curiosity and adaptability to apply what they learn from each rotation.“

Jennifer Connell, VP Advisory Services

The right level of support for these assignments depends on your employee demographic. Early-career professionals often seek challenge and skill-building opportunities and typically have fewer belongings and more flexibility. More experienced employees might have families, mortgages, and other considerations. Aligning the needs of both groups with your budget isn’t easy, but benchmarking can help, and we’re big on that around here.

Commonly Provided Benefits for Rotational Assignments

Among the benefits companies offer to employees on rotational assignments, Weichert’s research from January 2024 reveals that 90% cover travel between the departure and assignment locations, and 31% cover return trips to the departure location (or family visits). To support transitions, 23% of companies polled as part of this study cover both language and cultural training.

The vast majority of programs do not extend benefits to families; 77% of polled clients specify that rotational assignments are unaccompanied. For this reason, it’s common for employees to report “separation from family” as a top challenge with rotational assignments. This makes return trips an important provision for many assignees.

Another top concern in rotational programs is housing, primarily due to the short nature of these assignments. After all, nothing belies the idea of deploying talent swiftly and nimbly than planning to move in and out of a home or apartment. Our most recent research shows that 76% of companies will provide employees with leased apartments/corporate housing on rotational assignments. As for moving stuff, a full shipment of household goods is rarely provided. Most companies (54%) cover excess baggage fees, but only 23% offer an actual HHG shipment, and those are typically small shipments for rotations that exceed 6 months in duration.

As for how costs are covered during a rotational assignment, 46% of companies surveyed provide a per diem typically used to cover meals, lodging and transportation in the assignment location.

What Next?

As the name suggests, rotational assignments require forward planning. Will the employee return to their home office or head to a new location? It’s worth involving them in the conversation. Their new insights, skills, and exposure can help you both determine the next best step.

Pro tip: Pair rotational assignees with mentors from different parts of the company. This not only supports their development but can also inform longer-term career planning aligned with your business needs.

Finally, don’t forget to circle back. Evaluate the program’s impact after a year. Collect feedback from participants and stakeholders to refine your framework, ensure mobility provisions are working effectively, and confirm you’re hitting the right success markers for developing future leaders.