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.
This does not mean mobility is becoming less important. Rather, organisations are deploying mobility more strategically to support critical talent, specialist skills, leadership development, business growth, and key projects.
This survey combines AIRINC's global mobility data, advisory and benchmarking expertise with Grace Corporate Mobility's experience managing domestic and international workforce mobility programs across Australia, New Zealand and globally through our network of trusted partners. Grace supports organisations with policy advisory, relocation management, destination services, immigration coordination, household goods movement, temporary accommodation, and ongoing assignee support.
Part of the Grace Group, Grace has been helping people and organisations relocate for more than a century and today manages thousands of domestic and international employee moves each year. This combination of strategic mobility expertise and relocation logistics capability provides a unique perspective on the challenges and opportunities shaping workforce mobility across the region.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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 & Grace Corporate Mobility’s full Global Mobility Insights: Focus on Australia report to learn how organisations are preparing for the next phase of mobility.
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