7 Elements of an Effective Global Mobility Strategy

We are entering a new age of business where employees are looking for freedom. They want to work when and where they want, and more importantly, they want to be trusted to get the job done. But what happens when that “where” is halfway across the world and in an opposite time zone? Well, that is when it is time to develop an effective global mobility strategy.

Companies of all sizes are approaching global mobility strategy in unique ways worldwide, depending on the individual needs of their businesses. With that said, there are also points of parity that can help us to hone and improve our own practices. We set out to build our own picture of the most important elements of an effective global mobility strategy by sitting down with seven business leaders – read on for their insights.

Defined Process

Relocating talent to different countries isn’t easy. Global mobility is something that requires a well documented process that can be executed by both the candidate and internal team. By streamlining processes, companies can keep costs down and mitigate frustrations that can be experienced during a relocation.

Brett Farmiloe, Markitors

Culture Considerations

Company cultures differ, and so do the cultures of countries. A sound global mobility strategy needs to consider both. In order to be successful, your company’s culture needs to become acclimated to local business practices and on the ground relationships. By factoring in culture, a company can move seamlessly into a new country and succeed.

Randall Smalley, Cruise America

Make Sure the Trust is There

You need to develop a team in your new area that you trust and trusts you. Instead of sending someone from the US to Australia, I prefer networking and finding the right folks directly in our new region to handle processes and consumer relations. But what is the key here? Communication. Do not operate your regions in bubbles, and consistently have your teams feel included in the overall culture.

Hana Ruzsa Alanis, Solar Breeze

Structure Your Schedule

An effective global mobility strategy comes with a bit of a paradox: you need schedules that are both flexible and structured. For example, as individuals move to different time-zones and adjust to both work and life changes, a flexible schedule will allow them to succeed. However, you also need some structure and reliability for teams to collaborate across time-zones and regions. My recommendation is to set one office or location as the baseline time that all others follow, and then if you need to schedule “9 to 5” you can in that time-zone.

Michael Alexis, Teambuilding

Review All International Requirements

You’ll want to consider various aspects of global mobility, like immigration requirements, alongside procedural challenges, like deployment workflows, to ensure that the process of global deployment is seamless for each of your employees.

Mark Christensen, People & Partnerships

Establish Your Presence Abroad

A significant early goal is to consider what kind of overseas footprint the company will have at its new position and, by implication, the regulatory climate in which the staff will be working. The regulatory framework the organization follows would have tax consequences on the staff – so the corporate migration plan should be given priority attention. The legislative climate can also influence what sort of work your workers abroad will do, which may influence how you deploy them, especially in terms of length.

Eliza Nimmick, Tutor the People

Maintain Employee Satisfaction

We are now in the digital age where the world is at our fingertips. And companies like you and me should have a global mobility strategy in order for our brands to be known not only locally but internationally. And as for my company, a strategy that we do is we maintain employee satisfaction because we know as a company in order to achieve global mobility is we have to take care of our remote teams first. We have to adjust to their time zones and what their remote needs are. And by doing this we are ensuring that our employees cater to the needs of clients globally.

Samantha Moss, Romantific