In the past, companies would often set up international business trips in order to spread their business and grow on a global scale. Their employees would spend weeks or even up to a few years in a different country. However, nowadays, companies like IBM are trying something new. Instead of send their employees to developed cities like Paris, they may send them to a city in Africa on a mission trip.
IBM, an extremely large technology and consulting firm, now sends up to 500 employees a year to Africa in order to see how they can adapt in unknown places, work with all different types of people, and even build relationships that can help create new business in the future.
Tom Vines, vice president of business and technology leadership for IBM states, “This is part of operating a global enterprise, leadership has to be more than just a class and more than just a webinar.” IBM sends a large group of employees to Africa for a month. Prior to their journey, they spend roughly three months preparing, and when they return, they spend about two months blogging, sharing stories, and going over what they did while they were away. In addition to IBM, another large company that has begun sending employees on charitable trips is FedEx.
While this is a rather unique “business trip”, some companies seem to think it makes a positive difference, whereas others view it as a costly, unnecessary risk. Interestingly, Brookfield Global Relocation Services’ annual trends survey for 2010 conducted a survey with surprising results. Nearly 38% of executives left their jobs within just a year of coming back from their trip abroad.
It is up to each individual company to decide whether they think the risk is or is not worth taking. However, one thing is for certain, the more work being done in high-need places such as Africa, the better.