EUROPE CONFERENCE
Against a global backdrop of volatility, uncertainty, complexity and ambiguity, the 2017 EuRA Congress, held in Warsaw, reflected the changing face of relocation and the continuing drive for growth, providing useful insights for destination services providers and mobility teams. Relocate’s Fiona Murchie was there.
T
hose who could tear themselves away from the round of quick-fire meetings at this year’s EuRa conference, or who were already au fait with the basics of marketing
their businesses and engaging clients across social media, which were covered during the same time slot, were in for a treat if they attended Jon Harman’s session on the power of attention. The basic premise of this enlightening session, which put our
frenetic work and personal lifestyles in perspective, was ‘Enough is enough. Let’s concentrate on one thing at a time and take back control of our inboxes and social media interruptions’. Pointing out that the brain tired easily and humans were easily
distracted, Jon Harman, of furniture and relocation provider CORT, highlighted research showing that we were hardwired to want treats and our working memory was limited, but thankfully the brain had the ability to change itself, and therefore there was hope on the horizon, both for ourselves and for future generations.
Takeaways for DSPs and mobility teams Across the Relocate media, we have, for some years, been exploring the importance of neuroscience. This an area that the Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development (CIPD) has been championing for its 40,000-plus members as the route to supporting so many areas of HR – from engagement to workplace planning, talent, diversity, motivation, change management, and, of course, international HRM. The Worldwide Employee Relocation Council (WERC) and
the Canadian Employee Relocation Council (CERC) have also been promoting the understanding of neuroscience to support global mobility and the strategic nature of modern HR roles as business partners. So it was good for destination services providers (DSP) to
have the opportunity to get up to speed with the latest thinking and start to explore how a better understanding of neuroscience could help them in their day-to-day jobs, not only to manage an increasingly complex and fast-paced organisational role but also to empathise with their clients. This is not least because the global
talent they support every day are probably stressed, overstretched, time pressed, and overwhelmed by endless demands on their time from all sorts of mobile devices and the conflicting pressure from office, home and employees as they prepare for their assignments. There were some practical takeaways
that DSPs and mobility teams could use to make life easier for assignees and relocating families. Because the brain tires easily, don’t forget to look after that harassed couple in your car or the hyped-up Millennial who seems intent on doing your job for you by searching online for properties in dubious locations. Research shows that physical exercise,
Leigh Goodsell, EuRA 2017
or simply moving the body, makes a real difference and gets oxygen to the brain.
42 | Re:locate | Summer 2017
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