Mobility Aligns with Company Goals to Earn Its Seat at the Table

As the HR and mobility landscape continues to evolve, organizations are realizing that a mobility program’s impact is more than a transactional function related to moving employees and teams. When strategically designed, talent mobility programs – and the professionals managing them – play an integral part in setting and achieving mobility objectives that contribute to organizational goals and success. 

Thanks to their specialized knowledge and experience related to global conditions, employer duty of care, and program performance, mobility managers are earning a “seat at the table.” They’re strategically involved in critical discussions with internal stakeholders at the highest levels regarding issues as fundamental as business continuity, business growth, talent management, compliance, employee safety and more. They also offer a wealth of data-driven insights gathered from the mobility population that can support company initiatives. 

Claiming a Seat at the Table 

I’m asked occasionally, what does it mean to “have a seat at the table?” In short, it’s the opportunity to be widely heard across the organization in order to make a positive impact.  

In some cases, the seat is literal – regular participation in upper- or executive-level meetings, for example. In other situations, the seat is more figurative – to a point where mobility managers feel empowered to approach upper-level stakeholders with concerns or opinions. Often times, strong partnerships are forged and senior stakeholders have the confidence to reach out to mobility for their perspective and solutions. Either way, organizations that have welcomed mobility to the table are benefitting from that decision – in areas ranging from increased talent retention and business agility to cost savings and an increased return on mobility.  

 
Traditional Strategic Mobility Services  

Having mobility teams strategically partner with internal stakeholders to support company goals isn’t new; the practice has been steadily evolving in the most successful mobility programs for more than a decade. Graebel specialists in this area have promoted the concept for many years on behalf of our clients.  

Thanks to a highly competitive market, each of these functions is assuming an even higher level of importance and requiring more immediate attention. 

Transforming New Challenges into Additional Mobility Services 

Mobility teams have been addressing the above issues, often while also accounting for global health issues, geo-political crises, and the resulting challenges associated with moving people and their belongings efficiently and safely. These and other recent organizational challenges have emerged in areas where mobility teams have unique perspectives and experience.  

This means mobility’s seat at the table can be even more impactful, as these teams step up to take on additional challenges and provide their organizations additional insight, supporting company goals such as:  

• Enhancing Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI) programs – Mobility has had a unique vantage point regarding how a DEI program can enhance organizational productivity, innovation and employee engagement, because it functions at the intersection of different cultures and global experiences. As a result, mobility professionals are uniquely positioned to understand diverse individuals, their needs, and their realities – and provide input their organizations need regarding talent acquisition, retention and management.   

• Refining healthcare and related benefit offerings – The pandemic exposed gaps in healthcare-and benefit-related offerings for mobile employees. Mobility teams responded by gathering, analyzing and sharing knowledge they gained from the crisis to provide better insights about their employees’ needs to their organization. This strategic thinking is particularly impactful under challenging circumstances in order to strengthen policies and benefits.  

• Designing and implementing remote working policies – Organizations are reviewing options and setting policies related to remote work arrangements and workplace management. Mobility has already addressed the implications of many of the related issues and can contribute informed insights in areas such as remote employee location tracking, regional/destination norms and coordinating with external service providers (e.g. visa and immigration, tax, security and insurance).  

• Emergency preparedness planning during crisis events – Organizations can be upended by natural disasters, instances of geo-political upheaval and other unexpected events. Mobility professionals have stepped up in some of the most complex scenarios imaginable. This gives them unique insights into program and policy changes that can be made now – to be prepared for unexpected events that will likely happen in the future. 
   

Holding Hard-Earned Ground: Preserving Mobility's Strategic Role

It seems hard to imagine after the past two years that all corners of our world will ever be as easily accessible as they were, or that global commerce will ever return to the “normal,” but more desirable levels of complication we were accustomed to before 2019. But many borders are reopening. Pandemic-related healthcare mandates are expiring in some areas, but not all. Supply chains are still strained and will take a while to recover. If this leads to a new version of global business normalcy, with no lessons learned, mobility professionals may need to work hard to avoid once again being relegated to a more transactional focus and losing their hard-earned seat at the table.   

Regardless of what the future holds, mobility managers can take matters into their own hands and remain a strategic voice in their organizations. And as they do, they can rely on their RMC to have their backs and continue to provide exceptional care to their mobile employees. Here are some additional proactive ways mobility can continue to contribute to the conversation,  in support of strategic goals  and to maintain their seat at the table: 

Contact us to find out how we can help you define, develop and deliver forward-thinking mobility strategies and a roadmap to reach your business goals.