Marvin OnumonuMost firms have not made global mobility a strategic part of their workforce plans, despite talent shortages and changing regulations, Vialto’s 2025 Global Mobility Market Survey found.
Only 23% of firms said their mobility function was either ‘strategic’ or an ‘influencer’ in business matters, with most teams still in an operational or unstructured role.
Nearly half of those surveyed (45%) described their mobility programme as ‘meaningful’, with set processes and compliance.
However, 32% said their mobility function was still unstructured or purely operational and lacked the influence to shape wider business plans.
Cost management was a key challenge for 36%, with many firms under pressure to cut costs but still deliver on employee experience.
The survey reported that 43% of teams did not track core success measures like employee satisfaction or business alignment, and 76% did not monitor what happened to staff after an assignment ended.
Eileen Mullaney, global workforce transformation and managed services leader at Vialto Partners, said: “Global work should be a lever for growth and resilience, not just a support function.
“Today’s talent shortages, geopolitical disruption, mounting regulatory complexity, and speed-to-deploy demands need strategic foresight, not just operational management.
“But most organisations still underuse the one function built for this moment.”
Mullaney added: “Too many teams lack the visibility, metrics, and integration to influence business decisions, and that is the missed opportunity.
“Companies that address this gap are better equipped to align with business strategy, respond faster to disruption, and turn employee experience into a competitive edge.
“Until global mobility is embedded in how we plan, move, and retain talent, companies will continue to leave value on the table.”
The survey also found global work is becoming more targeted and talent-driven, with only 11% of firms using company-wide announcements and just 8% relying on HR or mobility newsletters for mobility opportunities.
Instead, 39% use personal invitations to high-potential staff, while 38% link mobility to talent management or career development schemes.
Key criteria for employee selection included skills needed for the role (75%), strategic business needs (74%), employee interest in relocating (57%), performance and leadership ability (54%) and succession planning (50%).
She said: “It’s promising to see mobility increasingly positioned as a career opportunity; integrated into development conversations and used to grow future leaders.
“As global work becomes more talent-driven, the employee experience must be front and centre to support engagement, retention, and long-term business success.
“To stay competitive, organisations need to benchmark externally and align their mobility policies to real strategic talent needs.”
She added: “This isn’t about offering more; it’s about offering what matters most.
“Those who get it right will build stronger pipelines, faster progression, and a more agile workforce.”
