Benefits for participants
Benefits for the Guest:
- to get know the host organisation's business environment;
- to learn about its daily operations and the main aspects of its business activities;
- gain new skills and experience, as planned in the preparation process of the exchange;
- generate new ideas;
- enhance cooperation.
Benefits for the Host:
- gain knowledge about the region/country of origin of the guest organisation;
- better understand its activities and the features of the markets/countries guests come from;
- generate new ideas;
- enhance cooperation.
In order this exchange programme to benefit all parties fully, it needs careful preparation and active involvement.
Useful tips for staff exchange successful implementation:
1. The host organisation assigns a mentor to work closely with the visiting guest.
2. Where the size of the organisation allows it, the guest might be involved in the daily activities of their host, such as: meetings, negotiations, visits to external partners (like local chambers of commerce, SMEs etc).
3. If the exchange duration is long enough, the guest may be assigned specific tasks within the host organisation, subject to common agreement by the exchange partners. The accomplishment of several tasks will enable guest partners to learn by doing and to acquire new skills more effectively.
4. We strongly recommend that both the guest and the host organisations reflect in advance on the type of exchange that would be most beneficial for them. The exchange partners should discuss and be clear about their expectations.
5. Both potential guest and host organisations should give details of their exchange expectations in their application in order to facilitate the matching process with the most suitable exchange partner.