The pandemic has not ended global mobility, but we are entering a new era in mobility — and in mobility management. Global mobility, in the narrow sense of expatriate management, has been traditionally a fractured exercise — i.e. managing a series of individual moves with only limited alignment with talent management practices and the broader, longer-term business strategy. This tactical focus has reduced opportunities for mobility teams to participate in strategic business discussions. Top management is, above all, interested in allocating talent to the right place and addressing skill gaps. Contributing to the global talent brokering and upskilling exercise is a way for mobility teams to position themselves at the heart of the talent process. What can we learn from new business and HR practices to reinvent mobility?

As companies review their mobility approaches to deal with the aftermath of the COVID crisis, we increasingly hear that “mobility should be better connected with talent management.” This debate is not new, but it is becoming more urgent as HR teams seek to justify their mobility approaches and budgets in a new context. Mobility is more than relocation management and needs to be discussed in the context of the talent management cycle.

Topic 1 – International remote working

Initially a temporary response to the COVID crisis, remote working is now here to stay.  At an international level, mobility managers are pondering whether international remote working will be allowed and whether “virtual assignments” might replace traditional expatriate assignments. Even organizations that are not willing to allow remote working going forward need to communicate that choice to their employees about it and justify their decision. Companies that did embrace this solution now need to clarify their work setup and address the question of cross-border working. Guidelines are being implemented and options explored. What can we learn from these experiences?

Topic 2 – Digital mobility: Combining technology and the human touch

Digitalization has moved from being a buzzword to a lifeline for both businesses and employees. Even those people who were initially reluctant to embrace technology have started to adopt new tools in their daily lives, not only to work but also to interact with each other, shop and get things done. This has created more resilience and efficiencies for businesses, but it has also brought new employee expectations that cannot be easily dismissed. On the business side, technology is no longer a “nice to have”: It has become a vital resource for teams trying to collaborate, exchange data, track assignees and assess compliance. Companies need to find the golden mean that combines technology and the human touch in the most efficient and sustainable way for their unique needs.

Topic 3 – Local and local plus compensation

The concept of host-based compensation has grown increasingly popular over the past few years as companies look for a viable alternative to the home-based (balance sheet) compensation approach. The demise of this traditional approach has often been exaggerated, but the growing diversity of the assignee workforce and types of assignments, not to mention cost-containment imperatives, are forcing companies to reconsider their compensation approach or use more than one. When and how could a local or a local plus plan be used effectively?

_{Note: Breakout rooms will be held separately for the attendees on site and virtual attendees.}

Make the most of your time by joining three of the available networking tables, each hosting a 20-minute session dedicated to a specific global mobility topic, for a total of 60 minutes of meaningful thought exchange and relationship building.

Flexibility has dominated HR agendas for several years. It has been used for a variety of positive reasons — to simplify processes, for example, address the legitimate concerns of specific employee groups, and to overcome barriers to mobility in some locations — but not always successfully. The drive for flexibility has also been based on the (alleged) expectations of younger workers and in the hope of reducing costs and workload. The COVID pandemic crisis has added a layer of complexity to the flexibility debate: Different types and degrees of flexible working (including international remote working) have become common during the past two years. Organizations are pondering how to strike the right balance and which approaches to retain going forward.

Topic 1 – International remote working

Initially a temporary response to the COVID crisis, remote working is now here to stay.  At an international level, mobility managers are pondering whether international remote working will be allowed and whether “virtual assignments” might replace traditional expatriate assignments. Even organizations that are not willing to allow remote working going forward need to communicate that choice to their employees about it and justify their decision. Companies that did embrace this solution now need to clarify their work setup and address the question of cross-border working. Guidelines are being implemented and options explored. What can we learn from these experiences?

Topic 2 – Digital mobility: Combining technology and the human touch

Digitalization has moved from being a buzzword to a lifeline for both businesses and employees. Even those people who were initially reluctant to embrace technology have started to adopt new tools in their daily lives, not only to work but also to interact with each other, shop and get things done. This has created more resilience and efficiencies for businesses, but it has also brought new employee expectations that cannot be easily dismissed. On the business side, technology is no longer a “nice to have”: It has become a vital resource for teams trying to collaborate, exchange data, track assignees and assess compliance. Companies need to find the golden mean that combines technology and the human touch in the most efficient and sustainable way for their unique needs.

Topic 3 – Local and local plus compensation

The concept of host-based compensation has grown increasingly popular over the past few years as companies look for a viable alternative to the home-based (balance sheet) compensation approach. The demise of this traditional approach has often been exaggerated, but the growing diversity of the assignee workforce and types of assignments, not to mention cost-containment imperatives, are forcing companies to reconsider their compensation approach or use more than one. When and how could a local or a local plus plan be used effectively?

_{Note: Breakout rooms will be held separately for the attendees on site and virtual attendees.}

Executives are increasingly concerned about how their organizations are perceived on everything from welfare practices to progress on climate and ethical practices. Pressure from management is trickling down to HR and mobility teams, and a variety of key challenges need to be addressed, from environmental issues, to the well-being and diversity of the mobile workforce and even how mobility can contribute to the resilience of the business. What can mobility teams do to make mobility more sustainable and inclusive?

Just as assignees are adapting to such challenges as upskilling, flexible working and new forms of assignments, mobility professionals too must adapt their work practices. They will need to review and rethink their work culture, organization, work setup and tools. They will also have to embrace upskilling and learn to play a greater role in HR issues that were not traditionally part of their purview.