GLOBAL MOBILITY
AE: Airbnb is a great example of the peer-to-peer model, but even here there are requirements for lock-boxes that historically had the owner waiting to greet you. It is a rapidly emerging opportunity, which might be of value for a significant part of the market, and thereby attract more people to the collaborative economy.
I believe it has yet to be determined just how far relocation services within this economy can get without the personal touch.
Q HR is looking to be more strategic and infl uence decision-making across organisations, but how strategic are relocation management companies (RMCs) and suppliers?
DS: Global mobility leaders want to look good in the eyes of their bosses, so there’s an opportunity for suppliers to advise those GM leaders on how they can position themselves as strategic talent managers and developers, and thus as real contributors to business success. Not many suppliers are taking this opportunity at present.
SH: Some organisations are embracing the opportunity to deliver strategic solutions. In the accommodation sector, BridgeStreet is helping companies understand the full value of the accommodation choices they are making, rather than the simple nightly-rate metrics currently adopted.
This type of analysis and consultation does not always cost extra when the full value of a service is considered. Professional providers must build it into their core proposition. More-sophisticated buyers will demand more- sophisticated solutions.
AE: Being on the outside looking in, the RMC may position itself as a strategic partner. In practice, however, the examples we experience as immigration providers are, more often than not, that the RMC is actually a ‘traffic controller’.
If the organisation requires this level of ‘management’, one can argue that the RMC is a strategic partner. Others may perceive it as a roadblock to successful execution of an assignment, through layering and opacity.
Q Will global mobility be people-focused in 2020?
DS: In a word, yes! Such will be the demand for people who can work internationally that organisations will have to be f lexible and provide mobility opportunities on individuals’ own terms.
LB-S: Global mobility must remain people-focused; we are moving people, not widgets. Having said that, however, organisations will need to provide a broader definition of mobility acknowledging more experiences and requirements of the individual and their families.
Q Are talent programmes ageist, and how prepared are organisations for the four-generation workforce?
LB-S: With Baby Boomers beginning their moves into retirement and Generation Z, the youngest generation, now entering the workforce, the needs and expectations of employees will continue to change. This will impact the global workforce tremendously, and organisations will need to leverage intercultural strategies and practices that engage employees of all ages and the strengths that they bring to the workforce.
SH: Much of the comment in this area seems to be focused on the younger generations and their working preferences. I’m not sure enough focus is being given to the ageing workforce, which ironically could become more critical as companies are slower to react to the various ‘future of work’ theories that are doing the rounds.
Q At a recent European conference, Peggy Smith, president and CEO of Worldwide ERC, predicted that, in the future, winning CVs for HR would not be ‘super soft’, but would demonstrate fi scal and business acumen. Do you agree?
DS: I agree to a point. Organisations want HR people who are business-savvy and comfortable with figures, but the individuals who will really succeed will be those who combine business acumen with intercultural sensitivity and people skills.
For me, the best HR leader is a person who can talk to CEOs and board members and really sell the value the HR function can bring to the business.
AE: Peggy Smith is an astute businesswoman, and we would endorse her position wholeheartedly. That said, we also look for ‘soft’ skills, as cultural fit is more important to us than hard skills. We believe you can’t change someone’s personality, but you can teach them skills.
For details of Worldwide ERC conferences and other global- mobility-related events, visit
relocatemagazine.com/events
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