Recent interviews with mobility managers operating within several global companies has revealed that companies are increasingly recognizing the importance of implementing flexibility into their international relocation packages.
Research completed by international mobility experts Brookfield Global Relocation Services has revealed that the once popular “one-size-fits-all” approach to employee assignments overseas is no longer deemed to be capable of meeting the needs of the employee and the organization.
In a recent report entitled Flexible Policy in Practice, Brookfield feature case studies that describe a number of companies’ success with the use of more flexible international assignment practices. Discussing the research in a press release, Scott Sullivan, executive vice president of Brookfield Global Relocation Services said: “In the past, a single assignment policy was all a company often needed to fulfill long-term assignments that were typically offered to one type of assignee – a senior executive from company headquarters.
Today, the topic among mobility managers has shifted to ‘show me a flexible international assignment policy that works.’”
Brookfield’s research report was compiled during the first quarter 2011 after a number of detailed interviews with mobility personnel from several global companies, within which it was revealed that many mobility leaders are aware of the need to develop flexible relocation packages but are unsure as to the best practices and processes to adopt. The case studies shared by Brookfield aim to assist with this and to answer some prominent questions including:
- What is it like to implement a new approach and what obstacles can an organization expect to face?
- What drove companies to adopt more flexible relocation approaches and how significantly do they differ from those that were already in existence?
- What lessons and best practices can companies share with those who may consider a similar move in the future?
A complimentary copy of Brookfield Global Relocation Services 2011 Global Relocation Trends Survey is available online.
