Annual State of Mobility Report
Global and regional insights from the 2018 insideMOBILITY sessions held in Denver, London, Munich and Singapore.
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BEST PRACTICES
TRENDS
REGIONAL INSIGHTS
FUTURE MOBILITY
Report Methodology and Participant Scope
242
Participants
207
Companies
18
Countries
At the , 242 Mobility professionals from around the world accepted our invitation to discuss the most significant trends and practices driving Mobility programs. In this report, you’ll learn about the participants’ programs and priorities – information they shared during peer-to-peer discussions. We’ve also captured insights from subject matter experts who spoke at the events and you can review high-level results of some of the electronic polls* we conducted during the sessions. Finally, we’ve augmented these findings with links to additional resources that dive even deeper into the topics that were raised.
insideMOBILITY forums
Participation spanned the globe representing companies headquartered in these Countries
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About insideMOBILITY
The insideMOBILITY program provides Mobility professionals an opportunity to meet, share and connect in a spirit of mutual support, with the collective goal of raising the bar for the Mobility profession. insideMOBILITY offers a series of conferences, seminars and forums around the world that provide opportunities for HR, Reward and Mobility professionals to gain strategic planning and implementation tools and enhance their professional development skills — all to enable their company’s workforce to meet and exceed the demands of the business.
United States
India
Ireland
Ghana
United Kingdom
Hungary
Philippines
Austria Belgium France Germany Luxembourg Netherlands Poland Switzerland
Singapore
Hong Kong
8
China
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Best Practices
One of the pillars of the insideMOBILITY program is mutual support. Participants are always eager to share information about successes and learn from each other. In the 2018 sessions, this was especially apparent in discussions about Core-Flex benefit programs, documenting return on investment (ROI) and maintaining a corporate-wide Mobility strategy.
One of the themes that emerged throughout the 2018 sessions was considering Mobility from a broader perspective. shares his thoughts on how to develop that mindset.
Are your immediate goals in sync with those of your peers?
Jörn Wohlrabe of Allianz SE
Top 5 areas that Mobility professionals would like to improve or enhance this year
(n=133)
33%
EMEA
26%
APAC
22%
Americas
27%
Global Total
PROGRAM STRATEGY
EMPLOYEE SATISFACTION
STAKEHOLDER ALIGNMENT
RETURN ON INVESTMENT (ROI)
POLICIES
RESOURCE: Building your Company's Mobility Model Guide
Core-Flex
Cost control plus employee empowerment – these Core-Flex arrangements sound like the best of both worlds, right? At each Summit meeting, we explored the tactical options and tradeoffs that can help optimize the program in both of these areas.
“Do you currently use Core-Flex for any of your policies?”
Core-Flex policy usage
(n=80)
YES
NO
44%
29%
28%
34%
BLOG: Four Things to Consider Before You Adopt a Core-Flex Mobility Benefit Program
WEBINAR REPLAY: Core-Flex, Is it Right for Your Company?
RESOURCE: Designing a Successful Core-Flex Mobility Program
56%
71%
73%
66%
Workshops on Core-Flex were well attended at each regional Summit. Clearly, it's still an emerging strategy around the globe.
The rationales for Core-Flex vary by region
COST SAVINGS
EMPLOYEE DEMAND
GLOBAL/REGIONAL CONDITIONS
MINIMIZE USE OF EXCEPTIONS
EASE OF ADMINISTRATION
Top reasons companies are using Core-Flex policies
(n=85)
OTHER
RELOCATION OR ASSIGNMENT COST
VOLUME
BUSINESS RESULTS
EMPLOYEE PERFORMANCE
Types of data used most often to quantify ROI
Return on Investment
Documenting Mobility's return on investment (ROI) isn't always intuitive and it's never easy. At the insideMOBILITY sessions, we heard that innovative Mobility teams are documenting ROI based on financial data as well as measures related to employee satisfaction, business expansion, employee retention and other business goals.
"Do your internal stakeholders expect your program to deliver a return on investment?"
(n=79)
SM
Mobility Strategy
An integral part of having a solid Mobility strategy is engaging the right stakeholders to drive the program forward. Participants learned how to identify these groups, understand their motivations and design an engagement plan that produces focused results. In workshop settings, participants were led through a strategic exercise to craft their Mobility strategies addressing metrics.
Taking a seat at the table
Key stakeholders Mobility teams work with on a regular basis, ranked in order of engagement frequency
1 – 6
7 – 12
13 – 17
1
2
3
4
5
6
Business Unit Leaders
Payroll
Assignees/Transferees
Senior HR Leadership
HR Business Partner
Staffing/Recruiting
NEXT
Mobility Strategy Resources
BACK TO THE TOP
Five Things You Need to Know to Drive Mobility Forward
Elevating the Role of Mobility
insideMOBILITY Attendees Offer Their Perspective on a Mobility Strategy Workshop Session
11%
18%
19%
16%
20%
15%
21%
24%
39%
25%
0%
5%
8%
23%
9%
17%
4%
78%
54%
68%
46%
32%
(respondents could choose more than one) (n=76)
35%
10%
30%
7%
12%
WEBINAR REPLAY: ROI, The Big Payback
RESOURCE: Graebel Mobility PathBuilder : Return on Mobility Tool
7
Tax
Compensation/Benefits
Finance
Talent Management
Immigration
Risk/Compliance
9
10
11
12
13
Procurement
Accounts Payable
Travel
CFO
CEO
14
15
16
17
(respondents could choose more than one) (n=77)
CLICK EACH ITEM BELOW FOR ADDITIONAL RESULTS
Trends
Does your Mobility program reflect today’s business world? Globalization, a millennial workforce, tight labor markets… Fortunately there are new tools and approaches to help Mobility teams flourish in this environment.
What are the top 10 areas of focus for Mobility programs over the next two years?
(respondents could choose up to three) (n=85)
International assignments
Localization
Extended business travel
Repatriation
Lump sum arrangements
Supplier outsourcing
Insourcing Mobility function
Mobility team staffing levels
Global policy harmonization
Collection/use of data
Mobility Technology
The art of Mobility and the technology tools that support it will evolve together over the next decade.
Hover over arrows to see details
2018/19 status quo
2025 projections
BLOG: How Information and Data can Tell the Mobility Story
BLOG: Find Hidden Value by Unlocking Mobility Data
LONG-TERM ASSIGNMENT
SHORT-TERM ASSIGNMENT
CROSS-BORDER RELOCATION
EXTENDED BUSINESS TRAVEL
67%
48%
45%
53%
13%
3%
2%
Policy Structure Trends
Long-Term Assignments are the most popular form of international relocation (53%). Cross-Border Relocation is slightly on the rise and is being integrated significantly more in the APAC region compared to the Americas and EMEA.
Types of international policies most often used
(n=78)
Consulting, Governance and Operations are almost exclusively carried out by internal and external human labor
Predictive Analytics will make a significant contribution to Consulting and Governance and an even larger contribution in Operations
Robotic and Cognitive Automation will be heavily utilized in Operations
Regional Insights
insideMOBILITY meeting agendas were carefully crafted to address global trends along with regional priorities. Scroll to reveal the key findings from each region.
Mobility touches nearly every part of an organization and it can be one of the most exciting and rewarding functions within an organization.
View this short video for a burst of inspiration.
EMEA Regional Deep Dive
insideMOBILITY Global Mobility Summit - Munich
The Future of Work (and an evening at BMW Welt)
Takeaways:
A new generation of workers calls for tweaking deployment strategies Mobility needs to be engaged in talent alignment, not just deployment Spend more time within your organization supporting strategic objectives
DOWNLOAD REGIONAL REPORT
Mobility executives in EMEA are changing with the times. Here are the biggest changes they identified for their global Mobility programs in the EMEA region in the next five years:
70%
Technology used by our assignees
Structure of our policies
Types of assignments
APAC Regional Deep Dive
insideMOBILITY Global Mobility Summit – Singapore
Accelerating Success in Talent Mobility
In general, APAC-based companies are shifting toward one-way moves and away from Long-Term Assignments
APAC Mobility professionals are focusing much of their attention on internal programmatic/transactional issues. Their areas of greatest concern for their international programs are:
38%
Cost
31%
Flexibility of Benefits
Tax Compliance
WEBINAR REPLAY: China by the Numbers
Americas Regional Deep Dive
insideMOBILITY Global Mobility Summit - Denver
Bridging the Gap between Talent and Mobility
Break down walls and build a strategy that touches every possible area of your organization
Companies will have their hands full managing the impacts of the 2018 U.S. tax cuts
U.S. companies and employees are more eager than ever to make international moves
Home Sale Policies
Tax Law & Mobility
APAC Mobility executives want to spend far more time planning and working with internal stakeholders than they’re able to do now
Core-Flex and other international Mobility program designs often run up against the realities of cultural variations and the need for flexibility
U.K. Deep Dive - Brexit
insideMOBILITY Brexit Consortium - London
Attendees indicated they were more concerned about Brexit policy impacts on skilled labor than on unskilled labor. Emily King, representing BAL Europe, spoke for many when she said, "Employees have been understandably concerned about what their future in the U.K. looks like. Companies need to make more of a case for needing low-skilled migration as well as high-skilled migration."
There’s an opportunity for U.K. businesses to emerge globally strong Employee education about post-Brexit conditions is critical Business needs to educate the Government about what interests to safeguard
BLOG: Brexit Consortium Sheds Light on Mobility Challenges and Opportunities
VIDEO: Brexit Consortium Key Takeaways
Home sale remains a major relocation benefit for U.S. companies. BVO is still the most preferred policy.
Types of U.S. Home Sale policies provided (respondents could select more than one) (n=45)
Buyer Value Option (BVO)
Guaranteed Buyout Option (GBO)
Direct Reimbursement (DR)
We don’t offer home sale benefits
In February, there were still major questions about how certain provisions of the Tax Cuts & Jobs Act of 2017 would be implemented.
Here’s how the attendees felt the adjustments regarding rates and moving expense deductibility would affect Mobility programs. (n=43)
It will not drive changes in our Mobility program
We’re likely to reduce transfers and assignments
37%
We’re unsure
We’re not a U.S. corporate taxpayer
6%
Immigration Compliance
Other
(respondents could choose up to two) (n=31)
BLOG: Every Touch-Point Impacts the Experience
Developments continue to unfold, including the introduction of “Tax Reform 2.0” and that the IRS Says Benefits Paid in 2018 for 2017 Employee Relocations will not be Taxable.
Future Mobility
As issues we explored in 2018 continue to evolve, they will no doubt be accompanied by new challenges — regional and global, foreseen and unforeseen. insideMOBILITY will continue to offer a forum for Mobility leaders to learn, share and succeed.
What are your priorities for relocation programs between 2019 and 2020?
Top priorities for relocation programs between 2019 and 2020
Hover over each region to learn more
Blogs that will help you prepare for the future
2019 insideMOBILITY Lineup
Make plans to join us in 2019 for the insideMOBILITY sessions nearest you.
Miami | February 19-21
Geneva | May 14-15
Singapore | September 4
insideMOBILITY events, presented by Graebel, offer a substantive forum for professionals to meet, share and connect on all things Mobility. Take a look at these videos to learn more.
This Report represents a small sampling of the global and regional topics that were explored in depth at the insideMOBILITY conferences around the world in 2018. We hope you’ll join your peers at one of our Summit meetings in 2019 to not only learn about trends and best practices, but help define the future of Mobility.
Professional Gig Workers Create New Mobility Dynamics for Global Companies
Adapting to the Future of Work
How to Navigate China’s Growing Mobility Market
U.S. Domestic Relocations tops the list
15% 14% 14% 13% 12% 11% 8% 5% 4% 4% 0%
Extended Business Travel tops the list
27% 23% 18% 14% 9% 9% 5% 5% 0%
Localization Extended Business Travel Collection/Use of Data Mobility Team Staffing Levels Global Policy Harmonization Repatriation Insourcing Mobility function Lump Sum Arrangements
25% 19% 17% 13% 11% 10% 3% 2% 0%
U.S. Domestic Relocations
International Assignments Extended Business Travel Localization Collection/Use of Data Repatriation Mobility Team Staffing Levels Lump Sum Arrangements Global Policy Harmonization Supplier outsourcing Insourcing Mobility function
Extended Business Travel
International Assignments Repatriation Collection/Use of Data Insourcing Mobility function Mobility Team Staffing Levels Global Policy Harmonization Lump Sum Arrangments Localization
International Assignments tops the list
International Assignments
Top Priorities
