What percentage of your mobile employees give your relocation experience five stars? Employees’ changing expectations are leading companies to reassess and reshape their talent mobility strategies and corporate relocation program design to improve the retention of top talent.

Within talent mobility, relocation stress is extremely common among mobile employees who are unfamiliar with their end-to-end journey and lack expert guidance. Imagine the effect relocation stress has on the productivity of mobile employees. The International edition of Altair Global’s Momentum study found that home-finding and establishing residence in a new country are the two highest productivity impacts to international relocation.

What if you could afford to deliver employer-sponsored relocation guidance to 100% of your mobile employees?

‍Technological innovations are helping global mobility teams create the personalized and flexible self-service relocation experiences with destination support and insights that mobile employees expect from employers.

New relocation management software and advanced technology are alleviating many traditional mobile employee pain points, including:

• Process uncertainty and the related stress. Relocation is traditionally a disjointed process that lasts an average of 90-120 days. Mobile employees face an overwhelming to-do list, and, without a holistic view of the relocation process, they might struggle to manage the stress of not knowing their next step.
• Fragmentation. Because relocation involves multiple providers, mobile employees must login to a staggering number of systems across mobility suppliers and try to manually manage timelines and communications coming from all of them across multiple methods from email to text and phone calls.
• Lack of guidance. Mobile employees might have unrealistic expectations around the timelines of visa applications and household goods shipping, or may struggle to allocate lump sums properly. Without expectation management or expert support, mobile talent can end up disappointed and/or make poor decisions.
• Repetitive information sharing. Because relocation involves multiple providers and little to no automation, mobile employees undergo the hassle of manually supplying the same information either through various online portals or verbally in calls or meetings over and over again.
• Expired access to helpful information. With conventional relocation assistance, destination services and rental assistance support often ends once mobile employees receive one to two days of service and supplemental resources like printed city guides. The problem here is that the relocation and settling in process takes months. Without ongoing resource access, mobile employees might struggle to focus on their new role, reducing their productivity and impact.

As a result of these challenges, mobile talent struggle to acclimate to their new city and neighborhood and spend much more time than necessary on relocation tasks. The subsequent stress ultimately risks productivity loss and mobile employee engagement, among other things. 

Like mobile talent, global mobility teams can reduce frustration by embracing digital transformation. Common headaches for global talent mobility teams include:‍

• Repetitive data entry. Firms can run into repetitive data entry when they perform tasks like changing companywide compensation packages and manually creating or storing assignment documents without the help of automation.
• Lack of data to guide strategy. Historically, technology didn’t exist to help global mobility teams capture data around services rendered, transferee satisfaction, or the true costs of relocation and business assignment. When employers started using technology, other challenges arose: Pertinent data didn’t live in a central location and was often inaccessible when needed to see key trends and results. These issues still exist, depending on the solutions global mobility teams use.
• Difficulty providing Duty of Care. Today, duty of care means a lot more than keeping employees safe. It means supporting employees’ mental health and well-being as those frame the new meaning of duty of care. Also, in a cost-cutting environment, global mobility teams typically struggle to ensure that they are improving the employee experience, while lowering costs and mitigating risks.
• Lack of mobile employee engagement. Factors such as the urgency of work requiring rapid relocation amid a heavy workload, role ambiguity, and the tactical and logistical aspects of global mobility often impact employee engagement. Mobile employees are pulled away from work at times to conduct destination research and perform relocation tasks.
• High mobile employee expectations. Mobile employees, especially those in Generation Z and Millennials, expect personalized, cutting-edge solutions. Mobile talent expect to work with technology that’s as finely tuned to their preferences as platforms like Netflix, YouTube, Instagram, and Spotify. Mobile employee expectations around personalized digital experiences extend to all aspects of work life, including relocation.
• Contributing to corporate sustainability goals. Historically, global mobility is an emission-heavy industry. Global mobility teams have been hard pressed to reduce the emissions that result from the inherent process of moving people and goods from one place to the next.

Advanced technology is helping companies solve for these pain points, disrupting the global mobility industry as a result. Despite the fact that human resources and global mobility tends to lag behind on technology adoption (58% of HR teams haven't undergone digital transformation), McLean & Company found that:

• 93% of HR teams are growing the use of their existing technology.
• 88% of HR teams are examining new technology.

It’s time to learn the steps for using advanced technologies to improve the relocation process for mobile employees and global mobility teams alike.

1. Consolidate the relocation journey into one access point

If you’re looking to invest in global mobility, digital transformation and innovation, the first step is to look for a provider that consolidates the relocation journey into one access point for talent and automates the holistic journey. Forward-thinking providers like Relocity have pioneered this approach, unifying what was traditionally a disjointed and overwhelming process into a simple, tech-led experience — an easy-to-use employee experience housed in a native mobile application. 

By crafting an experience that segments tasks into manageable timelines aligned with the 90- to 120-day relocation journey, relocation management software providers offer a streamlined process and a single source of truth for mobility data analytics. As an example, Relocity provides a holistic view of the end-to-end relocation process for talent (reducing mobile employee stress) and gives flexible, personalized guidance at the appropriate time: origin, transitioning, settling in, and so on. By centralizing all suppliers into one system, Relocity One, the innovative company also makes mobility data analytics and the overall workload for global mobility leaders easier and faster, improving human resources productivity as well as that of mobile talent. 

Additionally, as talent acquisition, total rewards, and talent management teams are either overseeing or partnering with global mobility teams in today’s workforce planning strategies, the broader human resources and corporate results are improved through the digital transformation of the global talent mobility function as it ensures that business needs are more effectively and efficiently met.

2. Automate onboarding, content curation, and repetitive processes

Like native mobile applications, automation is playing a pivotal role in streamlining and enhancing the relocation experience for mobile employees and global mobility teams. One significant transformation is the automated onboarding process. Leading providers have harnessed the power of machine learning to create a more personalized and seamless onboarding experience. By analyzing the mobile employee profile and the work order information provided by the relocation management company (RMC), these systems can understand the unique needs and preferences of each relocating individual — at each leg of the journey. For instance, if a mobile employee is relocating with children, advanced systems automatically curate relevant content, such as kids' activities, into the digital experience. 

Automation doesn't stop at onboarding; innovative providers leverage the information collected during the onboarding process to inform the milestones, goals, guides, and community features displayed for each mobile employee. Additionally, automated notifications can guide mobile employees through each stage of relocation. This level of automation significantly reduces the need for extensive research by mobile employees, ultimately enhancing talent productivity. Simultaneously, global mobility teams benefit from a reduction in repetitive data entry and the time it takes to complete tasks, which frees up time for more strategic and complex initiatives. Automation not only improves the mobile employee experience and aligns with rising talent expectations for personalized, tech-supported experiences, but also enhances global mobility’s efficiency, productivity, and ability to provide Duty of Care.

3. Look for AI-driven solutions and features

Artificial intelligence (AI), including machine learning (ML), plays as much of a role in streamlining the relocation process and creating a positive mobile employee experience as automation. Artificial intelligence can preemptively identify potential issues before the relocation journey commences and refine predictions as time goes on. Additionally, ML can offer tailored suggestions to facilitate a more seamless and self-guided employee relocation experience. While AI cannot supplant the essential role of human interaction in the relocation process, the technology unquestionably enhances operations and elevates the overall experience.

The discovery of housing options is one aspect greatly impacted by the integration of AI and ML. Unlike the traditional method of using generic search engines or real estate platforms, innovative providers like Relocity harness the power of AI to educate mobile employees based on each person’s unique preferences, such as budget, safety concerns, and the desire of walkability. With the support of ML, these providers present recommended places to live on digital maps, offering a more personalized and efficient house-hunting experience. ML, in this guiding capacity, not only significantly improves the mobile employee experience by eliminating the time and stress associated with extensive research, but also enhances talent productivity at work.

For global mobility teams, the benefits of leveraging AI and ML are manifold. These technologies lead to substantial cost savings on temporary housing by enabling talent to find suitable accommodations quickly. Furthermore, these technologies enable global mobility teams to align with the growing expectations of talent for personalized, tech-supported experiences, ensuring higher engagement and satisfaction. Additionally, AI and ML play a vital role in fulfilling the Duty of Care obligations by making the relocation process smoother and more informative. Notably, adopting AI-driven solutions also enables global mobility teams to contribute to corporate sustainability goals by reducing the need to fly or drive for neighborhood exploration, ultimately sparking transformation and improved environmental sustainability on an industrywide scale.

4. Leverage predictive analytics

Predictive analytics, leveraging AL and ML, is a game-changer in the ongoing digital transformation of global mobility. By harnessing the power of predictive analytics engines, employers can now provide highly customizable packages to mobile employees, offering a level of personalization and efficiency that was previously unattainable. Solutions like Relocity utilize enhanced data and analytics to make program recommendations that not only streamline the relocation process, but also result in significant cost savings. These predictive insights empower global mobility teams to craft tailored packages that meet the unique needs and preferences of each mobile employee, ultimately improving the overall experience.

Additionally, incorporating predictive analytics enhances global mobility teams’ strategic decision-making capabilities. By leveraging data-driven insights, global mobility teams can make more informed decisions around policies and the overall program, leading not only to better resource allocation, but also a cost- and an efficiency-optimized mobility program. In essence, predictive analytics is a key driver of the digital revolution in global mobility, offering substantial benefits to both mobile employees and employers alike.

5. Manage lump sums digitally

Digital lump sum solutions are top of mind in today’s cost-cutting environment. Innovative solutions like Relocity Guide equip mobile employees with the information needed to properly utilize stipends, preventing costly mistakes. As a result of this enhanced guidance, the mobile employee experience is significantly improved.

From the perspective of global mobility teams, digital lump sum solutions provide a cost-effective means for companies to enhance Duty of Care. Because part of Duty of Care is sharing the knowledge around proper lump sum spend to support financial wellness, innovative solutions that offer this type of education are extremely valuable. These solutions can provide data around engagement and the areas mobile employees are focusing lump sum spend, including service preferences. As a result, global mobility teams can assess whether their lump sum amounts are sufficient and make data-driven adjustments as necessary. For employers, this level of transparency can translate into cost savings, exceeded employee expectations around tech-supported experiences, improved engagement, and enhanced Duty of Care. The integration of digital lump sum management solutions is a testament to the industry's technological evolution, offering a win-win scenario for all stakeholders.

Embracing digital innovation in global mobility: a bright future for all

In conclusion, the ongoing digital transformation of the global mobility industry is ushering in a new era of efficiency, personalization, and cost-effectiveness. With the incorporation of relocation management software, lump sum management solutions, and advanced technologies like native mobile apps, automation, artificial intelligence, and predictive analytics, the process of relocating employees across the globe is becoming increasingly streamlined and user-centric. 

Mobile employees now have access to personalized guidance and tools that not only make relocation smoother, but also boost productivity and job satisfaction. Meanwhile, global mobility teams, and the broader human resources function, benefit from making data-backed decisions, reducing day-to-day management and enhancing Duty of Care. Moreover, these advancements align with mobile employees’ rising expectations around tech-supported experiences, leading to increased engagement. 

Global mobility digital transformation and innovation isn't just about technology; it's about enhancing the overall relocation experience, promoting sustainability, and driving cost savings, ultimately benefiting employees and employers alike. As the industry continues to evolve, embracing these digital innovations is a necessity to thrive in an increasingly interconnected world.

Learn more about Relocity’s ability to digitally transform your global mobility program.