Seven talent mobility dilemmas in 2025 and beyond: mobility and talent
By Olivier Meier, Mercer
In the third article in our series exploring current issues that mobility managers face, we examine the advantages and challenges of linking mobility with talent sourcing and recruitment.
Linking mobility with talent sourcing and recruitment
Observations
Global mobility has often functioned as a fragmented process — a series of individual relocations managed with limited alignment to broader talent-management practices and talent-sourcing strategies. The primary focus has typically been on addressing practical issues related to approved expatriate moves rather than exploring a comprehensive view of talent mobility and staffing options. This narrow focus often keeps mobility teams from participating in strategic conversations that could redefine the organization’s approach to talent.
Leadership prioritizes allocating talent to optimal positions and addressing skills gaps within the workforce. Mobility teams could position themselves as integral players in the talent-acquisition process, moving beyond the confines of purely tactical relocation issues by contributing to the global talent brokering exercise.
Sentiment has shifted among mobility professionals: 54% now express confidence in their mobility programs to meet the organization’s strategic talent mobility goals (Mercer, 2025 Talent Mobility Outlook). But this positive change in outlook isn’t always followed by tangible actions. Some teams work successfully with talent management, but many others prefer to focus their limited resources on their core transactional relocation activities.
The dilemma
Is integrating mobility, talent management and recruitment worth the effort?
Teams have been discussing mobility and talent management coordination for years, but despite some progress, many still struggle to integrate these critical functions effectively. Sixty-five percent of respondents consider this a medium- or high-priority issue (Mercer, 2025 Talent Mobility Outlook Spot Survey).
Ideally, mobility should provide an opportunity to source and match talent, but a lack of connection between mobility, talent management and recruitment often undermines this potential. Mobility teams are often not involved in the assignee selection process. Flawed selection choices can reverberate on various aspects of mobility, including costs, diversity and overall performance. A narrow candidate pool and limited mobility options often drive up costs.
When mobility initiatives operate in isolation from recruitment strategies, organizations miss valuable opportunities to leverage mobility as a tool for attracting top talent. International assignments and relocation support can serve as compelling incentives for prospective candidates, but without effective collaboration between mobility and recruitment teams, these potential benefits frequently remain unrealized. This disconnect often reduces mobility managers’ visibility into the recruitment process, depriving them of insights into the specific skills and experiences that are in demand, ultimately hindering them from filling vital roles effectively.
Attempts to bridge these gaps often lack scope and lead to mere alignment rather than ongoing integration. Notably, many mobility functions report to reward management instead of talent management, reflecting their current focus on package calculations and relocation management instead of their potential as talent brokers.
An effective talent mobility strategy must clearly outline career development opportunities, emphasizing that mobility is essential for reaching top management positions. However, such explicit strategies can risk making empty promises; employees may perceive limited career value in assignments, fearing relocation could fracture their professional networks at home, particularly in organizations where office politics significantly influence career trajectories. Strategic talent mobility involves not only outlining clear career paths but also ensuring the organization follows through on any agreed-upon talent decisions.
This leads to a crucial question: Should mobility simply react to immediate business demands, addressing talent relocation issues only as they arise, or should it be a long-term strategy aimed at building a strong international talent pool? The answer will ultimately shape the level of integration between talent management and mobility initiatives.
Resolving the dilemma
The mobility function doesn’t have to take ownership of the recruitment and talent management processes. Instead, it can function as a talent broker and enabler. A plethora of tools exist to help facilitate matching talent with business needs.
Push and pull approaches
Although mobility teams may not control the entire talent-sourcing and recruitment process, they can effectively engage with talent sourcing through a combination of “push” and “pull” approaches.
Push approach
This approach involves actively promoting existing mobility opportunities and amplifying communication about international job openings initiated by local HR teams. It specifically targets individuals interested in positions abroad.
Addressing the asymmetry of information flow around internal job opportunities is critical, as employers often lack comprehensive knowledge of available talent and skills, while employees may not have real-time updates on job availability. This could include:
- Contributing to the job portal marketplace — Establish platforms for easy access to available positions.
- Expanding the mobile talent pool — Develop a diverse pool of candidates prepared for mobility.
- Improving mobility support — Clearly articulate what support and benefits are available to potential candidates. Understanding the benefits and adoption rates is crucial, as candidates may dismiss opportunities due to a lack of support.
- Engaging in the onboarding process — Take steps to ensure smooth transitions for incoming talent.
Pull approach
This approach focuses on communicating success stories and showcasing role models, vital for promoting diversity and attracting underrepresented employee groups. Integrating mobility into the overall employee value proposition and employer branding strengthens the organization’s attractiveness as a desirable workplace. Examples include:
- Branding mobility — Position mobility as an attractive feature of the organization.
- Adopting clear storytelling — Communicate the purpose and benefits of mobility effectively. Learn more about talent mobility program branding.
- Leveraging talent mobility as a selling point — Organizations should actively promote their mobility programs as distinctive elements of their employee value propositions. Highlighting relocation support, international assignments and flexible work arrangements in recruitment materials can attract candidates who view mobility as a valuable opportunity for career development.
Organizations with integrated mobility approaches typically adopt a pull approach, embedding mobility as a core component of their employer branding. Conversely, organizations with reactive mobility practices may hesitate to create inflated expectations, instead concentrating on more targeted push initiatives for select roles and employee categories.
Cross-functional collaboration in practice
- Encouraging collaboration between mobility and recruitment teams through joint meetings, workshops and cross-functional projects can foster stronger relationships. Breaking down silos allows both teams to share insights and best practices, ultimately leading to a more unified approach to talent acquisition.
- Joint training and development: Offering joint training sessions for mobility and recruitment professionals can enhance both teams’ awareness of each other’s processes, challenges and contributions. Fostering mutual understanding creates a collaborative culture that enhances effectiveness for both teams.
- Shared data and metrics: Using shared data and analytics can be transformative in aligning recruitment and mobility initiatives. Mobility managers can identify how their services might enhance the recruitment process by analyzing metrics such as time to fill and candidate satisfaction. Conversely, recruitment teams can gain insights into mobility trends and their potential impact on talent acquisition strategies.
Coordinating mobility, talent management and recruitment may seem complicated and difficult to sustain, but there are more leverage points and opportunities than one might think. Evolving the role of mobility teams and forging stronger connections with recruitment strategies can transform mobility from a transactional function into a more relevant and strategic role within the organization. This evolution enhances overall organizational effectiveness in talent sourcing.
Find out more about linking mobility and talent management issues: Talent management and mobility POV
Teams have been discussing mobility and talent management coordination for years, but despite some progress, many still struggle to integrate these critical functions effectively. Sixty-five percent of respondents consider this a medium- or high-priority issue (Mercer, 2025 Talent Mobility Outlook Spot Survey).
Ideally, mobility should provide an opportunity to source and match talent, but a lack of connection between mobility, talent management and recruitment often undermines this potential. Mobility teams are often not involved in the assignee selection process. Flawed selection choices can reverberate on various aspects of mobility, including costs, diversity and overall performance. A narrow candidate pool and limited mobility options often drive up costs.
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