Category: Employee Relocation

The Covid pandemic has spurred companies and employees to reassess work models and locations, and to consider more flexible, cost-effective ways to achieve business objectives. While not new, short-term assignments can be an effective workaround to current obstacles to employee relocation—from reluctance to relocate to a frenzied real estate market and global restrictions.

Short-term assignments are a “lite” form of talent mobility, enabling businesses to achieve specific, finite project objectives with less expense and disruption. International short term assignments have a longer history, arising as a relatively inexpensive alternative to global relocation. Domestic short-term assignments became more popular over the past 15 years, as the U.S. recovered from the Great Recession. Read More

In terms of workforce talent and global competitiveness, America once had two advantages. The first was a relatively high birthrate compared to other developed economies—high enough to grow or at least maintain the country’s population. The second was comparatively liberal immigration policies for skilled and nonskilled workers.

These advantages have been steadily eroded in recent decades, raising concerns that the U.S. eventually will face the same demographic pressures as countries like Italy and Japan. Shrinking working-age populations in these and other industrialized countries have been a drag on their economic growth and productivity. For example, more than 28 percent of Japan’s population is over 65, followed by Italy at 23 percent. The U.S. is at 16 percent—a number that’s steadily climbing. In this situation, many companies are positioned to implement a talent mobility strategy to address this obstacle. Read More