Secondment

Sometimes the best way to grow is not by leaving your role, but by stepping into a different one for a while.

A secondment gives employees the chance to take on a temporary role in another team, department or organisation, while staying employed by their original employer. It can help businesses fill short-term gaps, support projects and develop people without making a permanent move.

Done well, secondment gives everyone something useful: employees build new skills, and employers make better use of the talent they already have.

What is secondment?

Secondment is a temporary work arrangement where an employee moves into a different role for a fixed period of time.

That temporary move might happen:

• in another team within the same business

• in a different department or location

• in a partner or external organisation

At the end of the secondment, the employee will usually return to their original role, or move into another agreed position depending on the arrangement.

You can think of it as a temporary move with a clear purpose, rather than a permanent job change.

Why is secondment important?

If development only happens through training sessions or online courses, employees can miss out on practical experience.

Secondment matters because it helps businesses develop people in a more hands-on way. It can help you:

• Build skills faster by giving employees real experience in a new role or environment

• Support career development by creating opportunities for internal mobility and progression

• Share knowledge across teams, departments or organisations

• Improve engagement by giving people fresh challenges and new perspectives

• Cover short-term business needs such as parental leave, project work or temporary gaps in the team

In short, secondment can be a practical way to support both business continuity and employee growth at the same time.

How does a secondment work?

A successful secondment needs clear structure from the start.

That usually means agreeing:

• how long the secondment will last

• what the temporary role involves

• who the employee reports to during the placement

• how pay and benefits will be handled

• what happens when the secondment ends

Without that clarity, a temporary move can quickly become confusing for everyone involved.

This is why many organisations use a secondment agreement to set expectations and make sure the arrangement is fair, practical and properly documented.

What should a secondment agreement include?

A good secondment agreement should clearly set out the terms of the arrangement.

That often includes:

• the start and end date of the secondment

• the role title and responsibilities

• reporting lines and day-to-day management

• pay, benefits and working hours

• what happens at the end of the placement

• any confidentiality or compliance requirements

The goal is to make the arrangement clear enough that the employee, their original employer and the host team all know what to expect.

Who benefits from secondment?

The short answer: everyone.

Employees get new experience, broader skills and more visibility across the business.
Employers get to retain talent, fill temporary gaps and support development without always hiring externally.
Partner organisations or host teams can benefit from fresh ideas and extra support where it is needed most.

When secondments are planned well, they are not just a temporary fix. They are a practical way to build capability across the organisation.

Get your development planning together

Secondment can be a smart way to solve short-term challenges while investing in long-term growth.

With clear expectations, the right support and a well-structured agreement, secondments can help employees build confidence, help teams stay covered and help businesses make better use of internal talent.