are prioritised. Regular review, for example quarterly as in the NatWest case, will be helpful to ensure actions stay on track in the goal-led journey. Use of technology also needs to be part of this review process. These reviews need to be undertaken regularly to see where technology can help improve the employee experience further, as well as reduce any manual actions required.


CHALLENGES & OUTCOMES The NatWest case does identify some challenging areas. These included the pace of change and difficulties prioritising critical issues and ensuring appropriate personnel were aligned to deliver on the goals identified. Second, a cultural shift proved


cross-collaboration to work together, rather than working in silos. The approach to reaching each specific goal draws on multidisciplinary expertise. This is an improvement on the functional expertise category in the Ulrich model. The NatWest Group case study


identifies several enablers to ensure the goal and journey approach is implemented effectively. These include:


• having guardrails and standards, such as clear frameworks and parameters


• translating people strategy into tangible outcomes with a focused HR function through setting annual objectives and key results to guide design choices


• clear prioritisation of activities on a quarterly basis to avoid blockages in the journey and ensure rare skill sets are in the right place at the right time.


PARALLELS & LESSONS FOR GLOBAL MOBILITY There are parallels here for the GM profession. First, demand for talent that has international experience is growing. Second, technology is increasingly underpinning the transfer of personnel globally. Third, demographic change is resulting in a different profile of international assignees – with greater diversity of age, as well


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as other characteristics, not least family circumstances. There is also no doubt that


globally mobile employees today have very different expectations from their predecessors. The days of a relocated senior male executive with an accompanying non-working wife and family are long gone. The younger generation has far more diverse family circumstances and expects both partners to work. Indeed, dual career concerns are a key factor in assignment acceptance. Emphasis has increasingly been


placed in recent years on improving the employee experience. We know that if this is excellent, it helps to attract, motivate and retain key talent. Global mobility cannot stand still. It needs to ensure continuous improvement and achieve an holistic, employee-focused solution to each and every move. International policy design


is becoming more flexible. The global mobility function is already using flexible policy frameworks and guardrails as enablers rather than sticking with rigid policy application. Such flexibility does improve the employee experience and fosters diversity and inclusion. Setting a global mobility strategy


that demonstrates the profession’s focus is a step that global mobility must take if it is to ensure that objectives are set and met and goals


problematic. Changing ways of working, goals and priorities – and how these are addressed – is not straightforward. Traditional methods have to be challenged and new approaches embraced. This cultural shift requires support, potentially through targeted leadership development and interventions such as coaching. The third key challenge identified


was striking the right balance between human activity and digital solutions. While artificial intelligence and technology can provide support to improve the employee experience, they cannot do this alone without some form of human oversight. NatWest reports that its experience has


employee


improved, particularly through the simplification of processes and technology. Employee experience has improved through faster query resolution times. It has become easier and quicker for employees to interact with systems that are in place. For HR, benefits include the reduction of manual approaches. Technology has freed up time for HR to be involved in more strategic operations. This is not the end of the story though; rather it is the beginning of a continuous review process.


FURTHER LESSONS FOR GLOBAL MOBILITY Once again there are lessons here for the global mobility profession. It must focus on increasing the pace


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