Global Mobility Trends: Balancing Sustainable Mobility, Remote Work, and Employee Experience
Global Talent Mobility teams face an ongoing challenge: keeping mobile employees safe and ensuring they have the right skills to succeed in host locations, whilst simultaneously managing the rising costs of relocations and the additional challenges of today’s working environment. This article explores current trends from both the employee and employer experience.
The Employee Experience in Global Talent Mobility
The global talent mobility landscape is rapidly evolving, fuelled by technological innovations and the rise of artificial intelligence. These advancements are transforming the employee experience
Today, employees are playing a larger role in decisions around relocation. Businesses are having to adapt to meet the changing preferences of their mobile workforce, particularly with the widespread adoption of remote work. For some employees, the option to work from home or anywhere else has shifted the calculus of relocation entirely. They may ask the question “Why uproot when the same job can be performed remotely?”.
While many have embraced the flexibility of “work-from-anywhere” policies, others hesitate to relocate when remote work is available.
This raises an important question in Global Mobility: Is the declining interest in international assignments a generational shift, a temporary post-pandemic trend, or a more permanent change in how we approach global mobility? As these trends unfold, businesses must be resourceful and adapt quickly to stay ahead.
Current Global Mobility Employer Challenges
Employers are increasingly aware that employees’ reluctance to relocate is becoming more pronounced. If an employee can thrive remotely, what is the incentive to relocate?
Nevertheless, global mobility remains a vital tool for retaining top talent, fostering career growth, and driving business expansion. To address employees’ hesitations, companies are diving deeper into the reasons behind this resistance. Are employees hesitant to move due to concerns about being away from family amid economic or geopolitical uncertainty? Are financial considerations or the lack of job prospects for a partner in the host country influencing their decisions?
What next for Global Mobility?
By understanding the underlying factors, companies can develop more tailored assignment packages that meet employees’ needs and highlight the benefits of global mobility. Shifting the narrative to position relocations as valuable career development opportunities rather than simply operational necessities will strengthen the employee experience. Additionally, thoughtful repatriation planning—such as offering redeployment opportunities back home—can amplify the long-term value of internationally experienced employees within the organization.
Striking the right balance between sustainable mobility and employee experience is crucial for the future of global talent mobility. In our next edition of Global Mobility Trends, we’ll explore the key drivers expected to shape the global mobility landscape in the coming months.
