Professional Documents
Culture Documents
Mobility Strategy
Contents
3–4
Introduction
5–10
11–18
19–42
43
Recommended resources
3 A Guide to Global
Mobility Strategy
Introduction
¹Gallup, February 2022, Global mobility isn’t what it used to be. Workers’ priorities have shifted to
The top 6 things
employees want in
well-being¹, diversity, and flexibility offered by remote work, and global
their next job
4 A Guide to Global
Mobility Strategy
continued
Disclaimer: This guide But embracing global mobility comes with challenges. Not only do you
is for informational use
only and should not be
have to manage the risks and costs of moving your employees abroad,
considered legal, but you also have to ensure your employees are well-supported during
business, or tax advice.
Consult a legal
the process and have a positive experience along the way.
professional
for guidance.
The pandemic also shifted many workers' priorities as they focused more
on mental health and personal safety, which was reflected in their
professional lives. They wanted their employers to provide a more holistic
employee experience that supports their mental health and well-being.
Companies were called to provide flexible work hours, remote work
options, and, once borders opened up, the opportunity to become
globally mobile.
Personal perception of
relocation
Not every employee sees relocation the same way. After being restricted to
working from home for a few years, some employees are more than open to
embracing global mobility and accepting a relocation offer. On the other
hand, some employees (especially those with families) may see global
mobility as another disruption to their life after years of experiencing
uncertainty around their careers, children's education, and schedules.
Immigration changes in
response to crisis
Companies are becoming more socially conscious and aligning their hiring
strategies with their company values, often using global mobility to
accelerate their DEI efforts.
Recruiters often use global mobility to tap into multicultural talent pools
and build more diverse teams with various backgrounds, experiences,
cultures, and market insights. Companies also use global mobility to
relocate marginalized employees to increase their safety and well-being.
For example, relocating LGBTQ+ employees from countries that criminalize
same-sex relationships to countries that have legalized same-sex marriage
and protect their rights.
A focus on environmental
sustainability
²IBM Institute for In 2022, over half of consumers reported² that environmental sustainability
Business Value, April
2022, Balancing
has become more important to them over the past year. But it's not just
sustainability and consumers who are seeking sustainability. The same IBM research states
profitability
that two out of three job seekers are more willing to apply for and accept
a job from a sustainable company.
Defining your primary goal and how global mobility will help you achieve it
will help you set clear expectations around your expansion with your team.
Taking this step ensures everyone knows the motivation behind the
implementation and knows their role in the process, increasing their buy-in
and engagement.
With a specific goal set, you can then consider how current trends will
impact your likelihood of success, for better or for worse. For example,
suppose you want to ensure you're relocating your workers to a region
where remote work is supported (with coworking spaces, a supply of legal
short-term rentals, and strong internet connections). In that case, you'll
want to find the most popular cities for remote workers.
Our State of Global Hiring Report shows us that in 2022, those cities include
A city's perception of remote work will evolve, so keeping up with this trend
will allow you to relocate your employees to regions they’ll thrive in.
Finances
Workforce
If you're not working with an EOR or global mobility expert, you'll likely
need to expand your HR team to include a global mobility manager, a
global payroll manager, and legal experts to advise on international labor
and tax compliance.
Technology
Do you have the proper technology in place for global mobility? This
includes HR technology and collaboration tools that keep your team
connected and engaged across the globe
Including an entry
and exit plan
Political, social, and economic factors will impact where and when your
company should enter and exit a country. Traditionally, hiring an employee
in another country would require opening a legal entity. This is a costly
and time-consuming process, taking anywhere from three to twelve
months to complete and potentially costing your company $100,000 per
entity in set-up and management fees.
The length and costs are due to the complexity of the process. You must
enter a market in compliance with local labor and tax laws, which require
legal expertise and bureaucratic processes.
If you set up a legal entity in another country and decide to exit the
country as a business, you'll also have to pay teardown fees and follow
specific guidelines. Instead, many companies engage, onboard, and pay
foreign employees through an employer of record (EOR) like Deel.
Understanding the
local market
When expanding into a new region, you have to consider whether hiring
locally or relocating your current workforce is more appropriate. Hiring
local talent provides your company with a more organic cultural
integration, new perspectives, and bespoke market knowledge. But does
the local talent pool have the quality of talent and salary expectations
you require to hire within budget and achieve your business objectives?
You must also consider how the local market will perceive your product.
Some markets may not have a need for your business or may not
understand its use. Or, the market may be oversaturated with similar
products or businesses. If your company creates marketing campaigns to
judge audience resonance in new markets, you can then modify your
brand message as needed and alter your products to fit local demand.
Navigating cultural
differences
As your company becomes more globally dispersed, your team will need
to navigate cultural differences and language barriers. Your global
mobility strategy should prepare your team for this, whether you're
bringing on employees from one foreign country or ten. Consider
introducing training on culture and inclusion, bringing a translator on
board, or offering foreign language classes to employees.
19 How to implement
your global mobility
strategy in 8 steps
20 How to implement
your global mobility
strategy in 8 steps
Offering global mobility to employees can help attract and retain workers,
but is it moving your company closer to its business objectives? Your
strategy should align with your organization's growth ambitions, global
expansion goals, and talent management strategy. To ensure alignment,
gather information and insights from internal and external sources.
External: Conduct research into how companies like yours are achieving
global mobility to determine what's challenging them and propelling
them forward. Are they partnering with specific legal or tax experts? How
are they mitigating the risk involved with moving employees abroad?
21 How to implement
your global mobility
strategy in 8 steps
22 How to implement
your global mobility
strategy in 8 steps
Host countr
Nationality of the applicant’s passpor
Length of sta
Nature or purpose of the tri
Point of entr
Destination
23 How to implement
your global mobility
strategy in 8 steps
A visa can be valid for a single trip or multiple visits, depending on where
the employee travels. Travelers may need to file a visa application before
entering a country, while some countries grant visas upon arrival. Before
they apply for a visa, travelers may need to complete an interview or
medical screening, depending on the country.
Identify the visas and permits your company will support or sponsor for
your employees, which can include
Assignments
26 How to implement
your global mobility
strategy in 8 steps
September 2022,
How do I request Some companies include a waiting period for employee visa
premium processing?
Some visa applications are open year-round, while others have strict
deadlines, depending on the visa type and country. Identify critical dates
for deadlines and include them in your global mobility strategy, and
consider budgeting for premium processing³ (in the United States) to
expedite processing and meet your deadlines.
At Deel, we can handle the entire visa process in-house, taking the burden
off your HR team. We assess your employee's visa eligibility and engage
them via our EOR solution before starting the visa application process.
27 How to implement
your global mobility
strategy in 8 steps
28 How to implement
your global mobility
strategy in 8 steps
These fees will vary by country and are covered by either the employer
or employee, depending on your company's policy. Employers commonly
cover costs for visa application filing and associated legal fees unless
the employee works with an independent law firm
29 How to implement
your global mobility
strategy in 8 steps
Additional costs
When you have a global workforce, you’re responsible for complying with
the legal and tax regulations in every country your workers occupy. Here’s
what you need to know.
Employment agreements
31 How to implement
your global mobility
strategy in 8 steps
Misclassification
32 How to implement
your global mobility
strategy in 8 steps
Immigration
The employee seeking relocation must acquire the proper visa and work
permits before moving abroad. Visa violations may lead to government
audits, penalties, and employee deployment restrictions. In some
countries, the individual must have an employer with a sponsor license,
which needs to be acquired before immigration.
33 Luka Besling
HR Manager
Revolut
34 How to implement
your global mobility
strategy in 8 steps
There are several activities a business might carry out that place them at
an increased risk of being deemed as a permanent establishment
37 How to implement
your global mobility
strategy in 8 steps
DEEL
40 How to implement
your global mobility
strategy in 8 steps
41
42
Masha Sutherlin
DEEL
43 Recommended
resources
by requesting a demo