As mobility activity in Australia becomes more deliberate, organisations are also reassessing the role Global Mobility can play in supporting broader business and workforce goals. Building on the survey conducted by AIRINC and Grace Corporate Mobility, this blog looks at how Mobility is positioned today and where the function may be heading next.
AIRINC and Grace bring complementary perspectives to this conversation: AIRINC through global mobility data, advisory, and benchmarking expertise, and Grace through more than a century of experience supporting relocation logistics, household moving, commercial project logistics, and records management across Australasia.
The survey findings have already been shared at industry events, with further discussions planned as organisations continue to assess the future of mobility in Australia.
1. Mobility remains operational, with pressure to deliver faster and more efficiently
Global Mobility in Australia is still largely viewed through an operational lens. The business most often looks to Mobility teams for cost predictability, easier administration, faster deployment, and cost containment.
These priorities are important and reflect the essential role Mobility plays in enabling business activity. However, this operational focus can limit Mobility’s influence if the function is only brought in once a move has already been decided.
- 56% of Global Mobility functions report into Total Rewards.
- 36% report into Human Resources.
- 16% report into Talent.
- Cost predictability and easier administration are among the top business requests from Mobility.
2. Mobility has an opportunity to become more talent-aligned
Although Mobility is still primarily operational today, the survey points to a clear shift in future expectations. More organisations expect to use Global Mobility as a way to support talent attraction and retention in the future.
This is an important opportunity. Mobility can help organisations deploy critical skills, support career development, fill capability gaps, and strengthen employee engagement. To play this role effectively, Mobility needs to be connected to talent strategy rather than treated as a standalone administrative process.
- Only 16% currently use Global Mobility purposefully to attract and retain talent.
- 56% expect to use Mobility this way in the future.
- 54% will focus on aligning mobility with talent strategy over the next couple of years.
3. Technology and simplification will be critical enablers
The survey shows that organisations are looking to strengthen the foundations of their mobility programs over the next few years. Key areas of focus include improving technology, aligning mobility with talent strategy, and simplifying administration.
These priorities are closely connected. Better technology can reduce manual work, improve visibility, and support more consistent decision-making. Simplified processes can make mobility easier for the business and the employee.
- 58% will focus on improving technology over the next couple of years.
- 38% will focus on simplifying administration or streamlining operations.
- 25% will focus on improving the employee experience.
4. Building a more scalable mobility model
The next stage of mobility program development is not just about adding more policies or benefits. It is about creating a more scalable model that can respond to business needs while improving governance, cost management, and the employee experience.
Mobility teams that can provide data, advise on policy options, simplify processes, and understand business needs will be better placed to contribute strategically. Operational excellence remains the foundation, but the future opportunity is broader.
- 21% will focus on eliminating existing policy types or simplifying the policy suite.
- 21% will focus on reducing cost.
- 17% will focus on increasing flexibility within policies.
The future of mobility in Australia will likely be defined by programs that are structured enough to create consistency, flexible enough to meet changing needs, and strategic enough to support workforce planning.
By modernising policies, simplifying delivery, improving technology, and building stronger connections with talent strategy, Mobility can move beyond operational execution and become a more strategic partner to the business.
Download AIRINC’s full Global Mobility Insights: Focus on Australia report to learn how organisations are preparing for the next phase of mobility.
This content is based on survey results and has been produced in collaboration with AIRINC. To learn more, visit the AIRINC website.
