Employees are embracing the ‘cross-border career’, with 93% saying that working internationally would be ‘life-changing’ according to the EY 2023 Mobility Reimagined Survey.
That life-changing experience is seen as the top benefit of an international assignment, followed by career development, and gaining a global mindset.
The survey canvassed the views of over 1,000 human resources (HR) and mobility professionals and mobile employees across 16 countries and six key sectors addressing various forms of cross-border mobility assignments, including the relocation of employees for work, business travel, commuting and hybrid/remote work.
Ninety percent of employees surveyed would accept a short-term assignment without relocating their families to fill a business need, while 88% are open to longer-term cross-border opportunities under the right circumstances.
Meanwhile, 88% of HR professionals say employers consider mobility as an approach to address global talent shortages and 90% plan to sustain or increase the organization’s scope of mobility over the next three years. Organizations are also seeing the value of workplace flexibility and movement in driving their diversity, equality and inclusiveness (DE&I) goals, with six in ten (61%) saying it provides development and succession opportunities for underrepresented groups. While 3 of every 4 employers (74%) consider mobility crucial for business continuity, less than half (47%) say they have a globally consistent mobility policy addressing options like hybrid mobility, relocation, or temporary projects.
Joost Smits, EY Global Mobility Leader, said: “Mobility is increasingly a strategic focus for modern organisations. This research shows a cross-border move can be life-changing for employees and their families, building skills and connections that are both personally and professionally valuable. Similarly, organisations are seeing the transformational impact of offering global exploration opportunities to build individual skills and capabilities. A well-implemented, purpose led mobility policy can be a game-changer ..."
