Having worked in the industry for over a decade, I’ve often found myself in social settings tackling the most daunting question somebody in Global Mobility can be asked… “so what exactly is your job?”
And the truth is – It’s an almost impossible task to summarise it in a socially acceptable amount of time. Global Mobility as a function is complex because it sits at the crossroads of so many disciplines, and it’s that complexity which makes it essential to understand and get right.
Why is global mobility so hard to define?
At its centre, global mobility is about moving people across borders to meet business needs. However, attempting to put it all into one sentence hides layers of complexity. Global mobility touches:
- Tax and legal compliance
- Immigration and visa processes
- Assignment structures and cost management
- Employee experience and family support
- Long-term workforce and talent development
Each move requires coordination between these elements. As no two moves are the same at any step along the way and what works for one employee in one country may not apply to another - it’s vital to have structured, but flexible policies.
It’s this breadth that makes the function difficult to define and why real expertise takes time. The truth is, understanding global mobility doesn’t come from seeing a handful of moves (or from anything which we can say in response to that dreaded question) - it comes from managing the function over years, across geographies, through shifting policies, world events and with an appreciation for both technical detail and human impact.
When considering what makes the global mobility industry attractive to build a career in, it can be defined by its one constant - change.
The value global mobility delivers for business and talent
Despite its complexity, global mobility plays a clear role in enabling business success and individual growth.
- Strategic deployment: It ensures the right people are in the right place at the right time - whether to deliver a critical project, or lead a global initiative.
- Talent development: International experience accelerates learning and career progression. Many companies use mobility as part of their leadership pipelines.
- Global consistency, local compliance: Mobility ensures businesses can grow globally while staying compliant with local regulations, minimising risk and safeguarding employees.
When done right, mobility becomes more than an operational function - it’s a competitive advantage.
Common challenges
Global mobility professionals regularly face challenges such as:
- Compliance: Staying up to date with immigration, tax, and employment law across multiple jurisdictions
- Cost pressure: Balancing the high cost of assignments with business value.
- Employee well-being: Supporting families through relocation stress, cultural transitions, and long-term adjustment
- Organisational awareness: Managing expectations from stakeholders who often underestimate the complexity or time required for a move
How leading global mobility programmes succeed
Strong mobility functions rely on a few core strategies:
- Clear policy & governance: A structured, transparent approach ensures consistency and supports fair decision-making
- Partnerships & expertise: External specialists (e.g. tax, immigration, relocation vendors) help manage complexity and reduce risk
- Technology: Assignment tracking systems, cost projections, and compliance alerts help chaos control
- Empathy & communication: It's key to recognise that the success of an assignment depends on more than logistics
Defining global mobility
So, what is global mobility? It’s a question without a simple answer.
If we had to define it in that on-the-spot scenario, I’d say that global mobility is the discipline that helps businesses grow internationally, while enabling people to grow personally. It’s about ensuring employees can move across borders legally, smoothly, and successfully. And it’s about balancing the practical with the personal - the data with the nuance.
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Whether reviewing your existing mobility programme or venturing into global mobility for the first time, our Consultancy & Advisory team offers all the expertise and support you need for your international assignment requirements.
Our consultants help clients around the world with a wide range of projects, including policy design or review, benchmark and modelling exercises, calculations and cost estimates, process flows and stakeholder communications.
Please contact us to speak to a member of our team directly.