What is haunting your global mobility programs in 2025?

Halloween isn't just about ghosts and goblins anymore, it's become a full-blown cultural phenomenon. But while many are decorating their homes with skeletons and spiderwebs, mobility professionals know that the real monsters aren't found in haunted houses. They're lurking in escalations, reduced budgets, complicated compliance frameworks, and unclear assignment policies.

For the past few years, we've embraced the Halloween spirit by asking our community to identify the scariest "monsters" haunting their mobility programs. In previous years, "biting budget issues" emerged as the top terror, even tying with "exhausting exceptions" one memorable year. These ghoulish challenges continue to haunt programs, but as we look at 2025, are we seeing some new specters emerge from the shadows? 

Our latest ICYMI post reminded us just how many challenges are haunting relocation and assignment processes these days. From evolving regulations to shifting employee expectations, today's mobility landscape feels more complex than ever. The monsters that kept us up at night in years past haven't disappeared, they've just been joined by some equally frightening companions. 

What's Terrorizing Programs in 2025?

Based on industry insights and conversations with mobility professionals, here are some of the most fearsome creatures stalking global mobility programs this year:

Budget Bloodsuckers continue their reign of terror. Rising housing costs—particularly in markets like the New York City, Singapore, London and Amsterdam—are draining relocation budgets faster than you can say "cost projection." Coming into 2025, we learned:

• 35% of mobility programs expected costs to increase per move

• 33% expected to reduce policy offerings to save costs

• 44% stated that cost control was a top initiative for 2025

Compliance Creatures are multiplying rapidly. Between evolving immigration laws, complex tax regulations across multiple jurisdictions, and heightened regulatory scrutiny, compliance has become a hydra-headed monster. Just when you think you've addressed one requirement, two more appear. The recent changes to visa regulations and the maze of remote work compliance requirements have only made this monster more menacing.

The Exception Zombies refuse to die. They keep coming back, each one unique and demanding individual attention. One-off requests that don't fit policy parameters continue to consume disproportionate time and resources while creating equity concerns across the organization.

Talent Attraction Phantoms haunt hiring managers and HR teams alike. The competition for skilled professionals has reached unprecedented levels globally, while traditional overseas assignments are losing their appeal—especially for employees with families. Partners' careers, children's education, cultural adjustments, and double taxation concerns have transformed what was once considered an exciting opportunity into something many employees now hesitate to accept.

Technology Integration Goblins promise efficiency but deliver complexity. While AI and automation tools offer solutions for visa processing, compliance tracking, and cost projections, finding the right balance between digital convenience and human touch remains elusive. Younger employees embrace self-service platforms, while senior professionals prefer hands-on support—creating a challenge in delivering personalized experiences at scale.

Geopolitical Gremlins throw wrenches into even the best-laid plans. Armed conflicts, political transitions, regime-changing elections, and potential travel restrictions are reshaping global migration patterns and forcing companies to build unprecedented workforce resilience and contingency planning into their mobility strategies.

Remote Work Wraiths blur the lines between traditional assignments and flexible arrangements. International remote work requests create a complex web of compliance, tax, and equity questions that many programs still struggle to address systematically.

Haunted Housing Horror Shows are reaching frightening new heights. Accommodation shortages and skyrocketing costs in key destination markets are forcing companies to reconsider traditional relocation destinations altogether—or pivot to shorter assignments and alternative work models.

Time to Face Your Monsters

Every mobility program has its own unique mix of challenges, and what keeps you awake at night might differ from what haunts your peers. The key is identifying which monster poses the biggest threat to your program's success so you can develop the right strategy to tame it.

So we're asking you to weigh in: What do you currently see 'haunting' mobility programs the most?  Go vote or write in your alternative with a comment!

Is it the relentless budget pressures? The ever-expanding compliance requirements? The talent attraction struggles? Or perhaps something else entirely is lurking in your program's shadows?

We'll share the results and explore how mobility professionals are slaying these monsters in practice.  After all, the first step to vanquishing any monster is acknowledging it exists. What's your program's biggest fright this Halloween season?