Dive Brief:

• The New York Times reports that the new sharing economy includes things like house and apartment swaps, car transportation, and co-working spaces. Now, the same kind of philosophy is gaining traction in the corporate world, at least for some overseas employees.
• Talent swaps, which typically last less than a year, can involve less paperwork and expense than traditional expatriate assignments, in which companies have the added cost of moving a family and dealing with schools and costly housing.
• A recent PwC report predicted a 49% increase in talent swaps in the next two years, with more than one in five global businesses planning to introduce the concept.

Dive Insight:

In the NYT article, Peter Clarke, leader of the Global Mobility Services practice at PricewaterhouseCoopers, called the concept "shorter term, lower risk and easier to administrate.” He told the Times that the "swaps are also effective for career development, to promote cross-border mobility earlier and to attract and retain employees who are seen as having high potential."

PwC said that many companies are engaged in the practice on an ad hoc basis and are looking to formalize and expand their programs. Also, a recent survey by the PwC found that 71% of younger workers wanted to work internationally and considered it essential to career growth, according to the Times.