Six bold shifts shaping the future of global work: Insights from mobility leaders

Global mobility insights from leading organisations – and Vialto Partners’ own experts – captured during the 2025 Vialto EMEA Mobility Week

In today’s global landscape, mobility isn’t just about relocating talent, it’s a strategic lever for shaping how organizations deploy talent, boost retention, and unlock workforce impact across borders.

Organizations are navigating an intense mix of external pressures: cost-of-living crises, geopolitical uncertainty, talent shortages, and increasingly complex tax and immigration compliance. Internally, demands are shifting too. Business leaders want faster, more autonomous decision-making, while employees—especially younger generations—expect greater flexibility and personalization.

As a result of this, global mobility teams are being asked to do more, often with less.

To unpack the evolving shifts and pressures, and how companies are responding, we brought together global mobility leaders from Volvo Group, Daimler Truck, Primetals Technologies, and Warner Music Group at our 2025 EMEA Mobility Week for their expert, real-world perspectives.

Here are six bold insights that emerged from the discussion, and what they mean for the future of global work.

1. Change is relentless—and that’s a good thing

Mobility doesn’t stand still. Whether driven by organizational shifts, economic uncertainty, or evolving employee expectations, constant change is now the default. And for global mobility teams, that’s not just inevitable—it’s a powerful opportunity.

While it can be tempting to focus solely on day-to-day program delivery, the most forward-thinking teams see change as a catalyst for innovation—a chance to revisit policies, streamline processes, and ensure stronger alignment with business strategy.

Jochen Lenz of Daimler Truck reflected on how his team re-evaluated their approach following the company’s spin-off from Mercedes-Benz:

“We took over everything that existed, but now wanted to reshape it to meet a different kind of demand from our business side.”

Jochen also noted that alongside change there is often a lot of uncertainty and fear. Change is emotive, but transparency and empathy can go a long way.

The bold shift: Uncertainty isn’t a threat—it’s a signal to lead into change. Organizations that thrive are those whose mobility teams treat ambiguity not as a barrier, but as a space for bold experimentation, human-centered design, and continuous reinvention.

 
2. Mobility starts with listening

Building a global mobility program that truly delivers value starts with listening. Yet, only 29% of organizations actively measure employee satisfaction, and just 26% track feedback from key business stakeholders, according to our 2025 Mobility Matters survey.

At Volvo Group, listening isn’t treated as a courtesy—it’s a strategic tool. Reflecting on their culture of collaboration and active listening, Anna-Sara Lindström said:

“Our priorities are shaped by what the business needs—and we stay open to learning from peers, networks, and external experts.”

At Warner Music Group, Ros Harvey took a step back, and first listened to the needs of the business to ensure mobility was aligned with strategic goals before implementing changes.

Oresta Ohorchak from Primetals Technologies echoed the need for early engagement:

“We need the business to involve us at the start—not after something’s already been done.”

The bold shift: Mobility teams that listen and engage business stakeholders from the outset embed themselves in wider strategy from the start. Early engagement and alignment—backed by data insights and tools that inform workforce planning and cross-border operations— transform mobility from a support function into a strategic driver of talent strategy and business growth.

 
3. Flexibility is the new normal, and policy must keep up

Mobility today is hybrid, virtual, short-term, domestic, and international—and often a mix of all. According to our latest Mobility Matters survey, 66% of organizations say that more than 30% of their workforce has experienced domestic hybrid working. In stark contrast, most organizations report that less than 6% of their people are on traditional international assignments.

As an example of how global mobility policies can inform local practices, Ros Harvey shared how Warner’s international working holiday policy was introduced amid return-to-office mandates.

Volvo’s Anna-Sara Lindström added:

“Nothing is standard anymore. We’re seeing local hires, short assignments, even multiple moves in a single year.”

The bold shift: Policies need to be modular, adaptable, and compliant—built around real-world scenarios, not rigid, idealized frameworks.

 
4. Compliance can’t be an afterthought

Despite increasing flexibility, mobility leaders agree that compliance remains a cornerstone of successful mobility management. Tax laws, social security regulations, immigration, and employment law requirements must be navigated carefully to mitigate risks.

Jochen Lenz from Daimler Truck pointed out that there are many ideas for flexible moves, but strict tax and employment laws require the global mobility team to find manageable solutions that keep everyone compliant from the start. Being part of the conversation early is crucial. In fact, 49% of respondents to the 2025 Mobility Matters survey listed compliance as a top challenge of theirs.

The bold shift: Mobility teams must strike the balance between innovating mobility offerings and adhering to complex regulatory landscapes. But compliance is more than a safeguard, it can also be a hidden enabler. With proactive and modern risk management, integrated compliance frameworks can unlock new assignment types, accelerate decision-making, and give businesses the confidence to empower talent agility and pursue global growth without fear of costly setbacks.

 
5. Technology is a strategic enabler

Mobility leaders agree: the right digital tools are essential for managing complexity, ensuring compliance, and enhancing employee experience. They enhance transparency, improve communication among stakeholders, and help deliver more personalized and efficient mobility experiences.

Primetals Technologies’ Oresta Ohorchak noted:

“Technology can save time, money, and support compliance. From small tools to custom-built platforms—it’s there to serve us.”

Technology is also indispensable in global organizations when it comes to creating uniform processes and transparency across data and departments, especially when you bring in providers or external partners. Jochen Lenz from Daimler Truck underscored the importance of knowing what partners and providers are delivering to ensure full transparency and ease of integration (e.g. when transitioning to new vendors).

The bold shift: Technology is reshaping expectations. It’s no longer simply about improving mobility operations—integrated mobility systems, automation, and advanced data insights now allow mobility to strategically broaden talent pools, anticipate global workforce needs, and enable compliant, agile, and responsive decision-making in a rapidly changing world.

 
6. Be brave, and start now

Mobility isn’t easy. To thrive, global mobility professionals must be willing to listen closely to stakeholders, experiment with new policies and practices, and leverage global networks for support.

Oresta Ohorchak summed it up perfectly:

“Be brave—take the first step.”

The ‘be brave’ mindset encourages mobility professionals to innovate boldly while drawing on collective knowledge and experience. Proactive engagement and adaptability in the face of change is key. Whilst also being daring enough to make changes to elements that may work well today, so that they continue to do so for the future.

There is a need to be bold and bring people on your transformational journeys— acknowledge that the road might get difficult, progress might get bumpy or uncertain. But listen to your stakeholders, reach out to them. Have that two-way, open communication channel.

The bold shift: The most successful mobility leaders are action-oriented, collaborative, and unafraid to disrupt legacy models. With core business functions such as HR and Finance already modernizing to meet rapidly changing demands, mobility must evolve in step to remain a driver of business transformation.

Final thought

The experiences shared by the client panel serve as a valuable guide for Global Mobility professionals looking to adapt and thrive in this dynamic environment.
The six themes shared by our panel aren’t just reflections of today’s landscape, they’re a blueprint for building future-ready mobility programs that are resilient, strategic, and people-centric.
As Ros Harvey from Warner Music Group aptly put it, “Moving a life, not just a job,”encapsulates the essence of mobility today. This mindset—human-first, future-focused—is what will shape global mobility in the years to come.

Missed the webinar or want to dive into the full conversation?
Click here to watch the replay and gain deeper insights from the client panel of global mobility leaders shaping the future of mobility.

If you have any questions, please reach out to your usual Vialto Partners point of contact, or the Vialto experts below:

Clare Allen, Senior Manager, Vialto UK
Ingrid van Arendonk, Manager, Vialto Netherlands

Source for all quotes in this article: Vialto Partners Webinar “Reimagining Mobility: Client Panel”; May 12, 2025. All statistics taken from Vialto Partners 2025 Mobility Matters survey

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