It's becoming too normal to say "new normal," so rather than pondering whether things will go back to normal post pandemic, let's consider raising the bar and shooting for "better than normal" for the future of talent mobility!

Over the last eight months I have seen many articles on how things could or will return to normal, meaning the way they were before the pandemic started. I have also seen the exact opposite, where the conclusion is that the future will be vastly different than it was as we entered 2020. What are you thinking at this point based on what you are seeing within your own company's talent mobility program? 

Anne Morris from Davidson Morris shares a very positive outlook that companies will adapt to any new travel requirements, keep pursuing international opportunities, and that these opportunities will be a key driver to economic recovery and future growth!  She shares:

"Despite initial concerns that COVID-19 could potentially lead to a fundamental rethink on international mobility, far from departing away from overseas deployments, many employers are poised to respond to changes in travel and entry restrictions. Pursuing international opportunities and realising the potential that globally-mobile workforces can bring is set to remain a critical success factor in economic recovery and future growth in a post-pandemic world."

In projecting out past 2020, the article suggests that most certainly there will be disruptions at some point or occasional impediments at certain times, but getting people to places will still play a huge role in keeping companies competitive and will remain a key element to their overall operational needs and business strategies.

Here's some more positivity from Morris:

 "...almost half of employers plan to resume ‘business as usual’ when it comes to global mobility, continuing with the same number of international moves as before the pandemic hit, even with the possibility that COVID-19 infection rates may rise again, with tighter travel restrictions being put back in place and borders being re-closed."

As we look at more promising times ahead, the article goes on to discuss recommendations for global mobility teams to focus on while waiting for the return of volume. Their ideas are some of the same ones that we have been suggesting in many of our previous posts, such as:

• taking time to fine tune your global mobility policies and processes
• looking at getting innovative by daring to ask how to improve the experience without adding cost
• reviewing and re-evaluating your policies
• re-aligning and re-evaluating your global mobility priorities
• making sure you have the right partners to support the agility that will be needed ahead
• revisiting your duty of care capabilities and approach
• making sure you have access and are paying attention to quality resources to keep you aware of global situations so that you can provide better guidance and education to the business
• revising mobility checklists to document recent changes to the various mobility programs

 Want more insights into the future of mobility? Try these:

• How will COVID-19 impact the movement of people in the future?
• Considering the experience of moving in the midst of a pandemic
• Why American workers are considering relocation...now
• The future of HR is coming soon
• Mobility remains a priority, even in challenging times