Does mobility have a seat at the table?

When I talk to mobility leaders at different companies and within different industries, a common question comes up: Do you have a seat at the table when it comes to important decisions at your organization?

Unfortunately, the answer often ends up being “no.” At many companies, mobility teams are responsible for executing moves but aren’t seen as a strategic resource within an organization. As a result, many high-level decisions are made without mobility leaders present. Their teams then work reactively based on what is passed down from executives, rather than proactively based on their own strategies and insights.

I’m not saying that executives outside of mobility make poor business decisions, but I do think mobility teams have a lot of untapped strategic potential. Our industry deals with a wide range of challenges every day — global security issues, tax compliance questions, immigration hurdles and much more. What we learn from these experiences can be invaluable when key decisions are made — if we’re invited to the table, of course.

A silver lining from this year is that mobility teams seem to be seizing a larger strategic role. With all the unique challenges being presented by the COVID-19 pandemic, mobility leaders are often uniquely positioned to offer insight and guidance. If you haven’t yet gotten that seat at the table, now could be the time to grab — and keep — your spot.