Effective workforce mobility has the power to give organizations a competitive global edge, but it’s no longer just about how quickly the function runs.
Increasingly, successful mobility strategies are contingent on employee trust, according to a new study from EY, which explores how HR can maximize the business impact of the organization’s workforce mobility function. Based on interviews with about 500 HR and mobility professionals and 500 employees who recently undertook an international assignment, the report suggests mobility units need to move “beyond the largely transaction legacy of the function,” an aim realized through intentional efforts to build trust.
See also: Geopolitical instability highlights need for agile global strategies
The mobility function should be viewed as a “trusted strategic adviser to the business and employees that enables the realization of talent and business goals,” says Tyler Huff, head of global mobility at Novartis, in the report. When teams trust the function, it can “amplify impact,” he says, and become a “strategic differentiator.”
How do HR and mobility professionals drive trust? The survey respondents identified four factors:
- strategic integration across functions and the wider business;
- operational effectiveness;
- assignee experience; and
- data integrity and technology platform stability.
Those who are able to build trust through these avenues are finding a payoff. According to the report, mobility functions deemed as “high-trust” are nearly twice as likely as others to report deploying to new markets with speed, 1.7 times more likely to make policy decisions quickly and 1.6 times more likely to generate significantly positive ROI from their investments in mobility.
“Trust is ultimately a performance driver, underpinning credibility,” researchers write. “When it is embedded into processes and decisions, organizations move faster with fewer delays, fewer reworks and far more confidence. This contributes to the ability of mobility functions to transform with confidence, supported by reliable data systems and technology stability.”
However, nearly two-thirds don’t have the capacity to invest in the high-value work of building trust because they’re spending most of their time on “reactive tasks.”
“Trust is what enables speed in delivery,” researchers say, which will require organizations to “move past old operating models to embrace a new systems mindset.”
Technology will play a critical role in this shift: Currently, less than half of HR and mobility pros surveyed believe their mobility tech platforms are reliable, and three-quarters are looking for upgrades—nearly 10 percentage points higher than last year. AI will be a significant player.
“Paired with its role as a lever for managing cost and increasing speed,” researchers write, “AI is a key piece of the digital backbone helping modern mobility functions thrive.”
Credit: Source link
