When visiting with my clients recently I hear a common refrain,

"We are so busy.  We are trying to provide policy options and flexibility to meet business needs but are also trying to improve the mobility experience for the employee by providing high touch service and need-aligned packages.  The combination requires a lot of time consulting with the employee and business, which limits our capacity to work on strategic goals."

Mobility departments are struggling to keep up with a transformed world in which customized, on demand service is expected.  Uber/Lyft pick you up at your door in a moment's notice; a quick Google search can answer almost any question; social media feeds are based on user interests and activities; customized services, from impact investing to personal shopping, all provide tailored services to meet unique individual needs.  It's no wonder that Mobility's stakeholders now expect this type of on-demand, customized service.  

Some companies are making progress by working smart and providing guided, self-service information.  A number of organizations have built interactive decision guides targeted at  human resources business partners (HRBPs)and the business.  Managers use these self-service tools by answering a few questions about an individual move and then they can see what policy options are available, understand expected costs and move/immigration timelines, and determine if a move is actually feasible.  This helps mobility departments screen cases where mobility isn't a realistic option thus lessening the mobility case load.  And in situations where mobility is a realistic option, it helps prime the conversation between mobility and the business which helps reduce the time spent consulting.  

Other organizations have found efficiencies through automation.  Some have invested in technology systems to manage the mobility function, but for many companies those systems are out of budget.  As such, smaller programs have had to be creative about where they can utilize automation to reduce time and expense.  Several of my clients have streamlined administration by utilizing lump sums for home leave, home finding, or the entire move.  Others have automated COLA updates which saved one client roughly 15 days of work each year.  Other clients have automated their cost projections which reduced turnaround time from 1 week to about 10 minutes. 

Finding small wins like some of the items above, can help free up time in your day.  That time can be used to invest in projects to deliver on long term goals and create big wins.  All it takes is a fresh look at your processes, a creative mind, a willingness to try something new, and sometimes a partner to help make it happen. 

I encourage you to reevaluate your current processes and ask, "How could this be done better?"  You might find some easy wins that are within your reach. 

by Jordan Blue, AIRINC