a frequent cause of assignment failures, and they were the second most common reason for a failed assignment. “Employees or their families being to adapt to host locations
unable
remains a significant challenge, highlighting the importance of comprehensive support beyond financial packages,” the report said.
HOW CAN THE GLOBAL MOBILITY INDUSTRY RISE TO THE CHALLENGE? Another key finding was that costs were rising for both short and long term assignments, and that it was difficult for organisation to assess the value of sending senior staff abroad. It found that administrative costs for international assignments have increased since ECA’s previous survey, with average annual costs reaching USD 9,800 (EUR 9,200) per long-term assignment and USD 8,700 (EUR 8,200) per short- term assignment. “While larger programmes find efficiencies through technology and cost spreading, measuring return on investment remains problematic,” the survey said. Despite the potential time and
cost savings of implementing new technology and artificial intelligence (AI) into the mobility function, many organisations were not yet taking advantage of tech. In the survey, only 3 per cent of companies reported being fully satisfied with their mobility technology.
“Despite its recognised potential,
AI adoption in global mobility remains tentative, with only a small minority of companies having introduced AI into their processes so far,” the survey said.
WHAT ARE THE PRIORITIES & USES OF MOBILITY PROGRAMMES? “As global mobility continues to evolve, we are seeing organisations struggle to balance transactional and strategic responsibilities,” said Oliver Browne, Head of Content and Insights at ECA International. “With 60 per cent of respondents finding this balance challenging or very challenging, there is a clear need for more efficient processes and better technology integration to free up mobility professionals for more value-added work.”
THE BATTLE FOR GLOBAL TALENT CONTINUES IN 2025 The report shows how mobility teams deal with change on a daily basis, including a shift in organisational structures, new technology and different types of mobility. Yet global mobility is seen in a positive light and as an important solution to a lack of skills, as well as providing vital international experience and driving company growth. “It is no secret that international
Managing mobility – ECA Survey Report 2025 30
mobility is expensive, and cost issues are a significant challenge for global
mobility teams,” the report says. “This is why the corporate view of mobility in most companies focuses on where it can lead to growth and fill key skills gaps, rather than on training and cultural benefits.” The survey also found that
finding suitably skilled candidates for long-term international assignments remains challenging for many organisations. One solution to these difficulties lies in increasing the talent pool, with 42 per cent of companies implementing diversity policies to achieve this. ECA International’s survey
covered finance, engineering and tech. It looked at the challenges of cost management, technology adoption, talent acquisition, and strategic alignment with business objectives.
KEY FINDINGS OF THE ECA INTERNATIONAL REPORT Time pressures are real: Finding a balance between transactional and strategic work is an ongoing issue for GM teams. A trend toward automation: In
recent years, there has been a shift away from transactional work toward a more strategic focus, enabled by an increased usage of automation. Global mobility is increasingly
important for business development: While more companies now report an even split between strategic and transactional work, the future suggests a move further toward strategic work taking precedence.
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