What are the responsibilities of a mobility department?

A mobility department, also known as global mobility services or mobility management, is a specialized human resources department responsible for managing the movement of employees, contractors, and other personnel across different countries, regions, and locations. This department handles various challenges associated with global workforce mobility, such as legal and tax issues, global payroll, benefits administration, and relocation logistics.

Here's why a mobility department is important and how to establish one: Improved Talent Acquisition and Retention: Today's workers seek career mobility and physical mobility, including the ability to travel and relocate with their job. A mobility department supports employees with their professional and personal travel and relocation needs, improving the employee experience and enhancing talent acquisition and retention. Centralized Management: By centralizing management of all aspects of employee mobility under a single department, companies benefit from having a single point of contact for mobility matters, standardized policies and procedures, and consolidated expertise and responsibilities. Organizational Agility: A mobility department comprises HR professionals specialized in assisting with global movements and initiatives. This enables organizations to respond quickly to skill gap shortages, diversify markets, or pursue new market opportunities with logistical, financial, and strategic support. Talent Mobility: Mobility departments help nurture mobile employees with international experience, allowing companies to deploy existing talent for long and short-term international assignments rather than filling new roles or outsourcing talent.

To establish a mobility department:

Outline Goals and Objectives: Define the goals and objectives of the mobility department to justify its need within the organization. Allocate Resources: Determine the resources required to support the department, including personnel, technology, and budgeting. Structure the Department: Decide on the structure of the department, including leadership roles and required skill sets. Develop a Plan: Create a plan for implementing the mobility department, which should include developing a global mobility program, establishing mobility policies and procedures, training personnel, and setting up systems to track progress. By following these steps, organizations can establish a mobility department to effectively manage the movement of their global workforce and support their international business objectives.