Employee relocation proceeds with caution

Worldwide survey of human resources executives reveals new focus on contingency planning, employee security and alternative approaches to moving employees internationally
People management professionals responsible for employee relocation and global assignment management do not foresee a halt to future activity in the face of current world events, according to an international survey from the Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development (CIPD) and Cendant Mobility and the National Foreign Trade Council (NFTC). It indicates that companies are focusing on contingency planning, heightened security for employees and alternative approaches to traditional long-term global assignments to deal with the current uncertain political climate.

The 131 human resources executives and practitioners who responded to the study ìWorld Events Survey - Impact on Global Mobility,î represent a wide range of organisations within the Americas, Europe, the Middle East, Africa and Asia Pacific from the financial, professional services, manufacturing, retail and technology industries.
CIPD International Manager, Frances Wilson said, The survey confirms the trend for companies to look at alternative ways of resourcing international assignments through hiring and developing local talent and working remotely across borders. Recent events have emphasised this trend.

Key findings of the study include:
Few drastic changes in international assignment planning. Less than one percent of respondents indicated that their companies had or would be cancelling all future relocations or international transfers. Only six percent of respondents had already imposed temporary holds on new relocations and eight percent of international assignments, with 15 per cent considering doing so.

Plans to recall employees from areas of potential conflict. Twenty-one per cent of respondents have either already evacuated employees (crisis situation involving non-voluntary action to remove employees to another company facility or to a ìsafe harbourî location) from areas of potential conflict or are planning to do so. Eighteen per cent have brought employees home from those areas, or are considering it.

Increased security for employees. Seventeen percent of companies are providing internal and external security to assist assignees and another 11 percent are considering taking these steps.

Alternative approaches to traditional long-term global assignments gain attention. The most frequently considered alternatives to relocation and international assignments include more local hiring (30 percent) and telecommuting (28 percent). But other responses included more short-term assignments (18 percent), increased business travel (12 percent) and more international commuters (eight percent).

ìTodayís world environment means it is critical that organisations make the safety of their workforce a top priority. Itís not surprising to see that as companies go ahead with their mobility plans, there is heightened focus on contingency planning, alternative work options and security,î stated Kevin Kelleher, president and CEO of Cendant Mobility.

Bill Sheridan, senior director of the NFTC, agreed. ìWith the recent underscoring of how quickly geopolitical conditions can impact organisational activity, an increased focus on this type of organisational readiness appears to be ëbusiness as usualí going forward.î
The complete ìWorld Events Survey - Impact on Global Mobilityî is available online at