By Olivier Meier, Mercer
This article examines whether organizations should create more mobility policies to cover all cases or develop clearer, strategy-aligned policies that simplify and strengthen global talent management.
Mobility functions are at a turning point. Among the top HR priorities, reviewing mobility policies has surged to the top of the agenda: 67% of organizations rate it as a high or medium priority (Mercer’s 2025 Talent Mobility Outlook).
This renewed focus reflects a deeper unease. Traditional policy frameworks — designed for predictable expatriate assignments — struggle to accommodate new forms of mobility such as self-initiated moves, international remote working, and complex cross-border work patterns.
In this shifting environment, many organizations are asking the same question: should they develop more policies to cover every possible case, or refine the ones they already have to make them more consistent, transparent, and adaptive?
Behind that question lies a broader challenge. Mobility policies are not only operational tools; they embody a company’s philosophy about how it manages international talent. Yet, as organizations expand, merge, and adapt to new workforce realities, their mobility frameworks often become fragmented — an accumulation of well-intentioned exceptions rather than a coherent logic.
The dilemma
The tension between more policies and better policies reflects two competing instincts.
On one hand, complexity seems to demand expansion. New forms of mobility, differing legal and tax contexts, and diverse employee expectations appear to justify separate policies — each tailored to a new scenario. This approach offers clarity and compliance, but it risks creating inconsistency, overlap, and an administrative burden.
On the other hand, the drive for better policies — fewer, clearer, and more principle-based — promotes consistency, fairness, and easier governance. But simplification can conceal real differences between populations and undermine flexibility where it is needed most.
At the core of this dilemma is not the number of policies but the logic behind them. Are policies built to reflect business strategy and talent priorities, or have they become a patchwork of past decisions? Many organizations discover that dissatisfaction with mobility policies often stems not from the policies themselves but from unclear objectives, inconsistent implementation, or a lack of understanding of their purpose and interconnections.
The challenge, then, is to move beyond policy proliferation and toward a coherent, transparent framework that clarifies why and how mobility is managed, and what it is meant to achieve.
Resolving the dilemma by restoring logic and coherence
1. Diagnose the root causes before changing anything
Before drafting new policies or rewriting old ones, conduct a policy “health check.” Understand whether dissatisfaction arises from real policy flaws or from gaps in communication, implementation, or ROI measurement. Analyze past initiatives, especially those that were abandoned or resisted, to avoid repeating unproductive cycles of reform.
2. Clarify the purpose and logic of each policy
Policies should not simply list allowances and entitlements; they should express management philosophy. Why does the organization send people on international assignments? What do employees and leaders gain from mobility? A clear statement of intent, often from senior leadership, helps guide decisions when unforeseen issues arise and reinforces a shared understanding of success.
3. Build a consistent policy framework — not isolated documents
Mobility exists on a continuum, from short-term business trips and virtual mobility to long-term assignments and permanent transfers. Policies should reference each other and explain how they intersect. Understanding overlaps, for example, when a short-term move becomes long-term, or when international remote work coexists with assignments, reduces compliance risk and policy confusion.
4. Use a policy checklist to ensure balance and alignment
A structured review helps determine where refinement is most needed:
- Cost sensitivity: How do cost pressures vary by industry or region?
- Mobile population diversity: How many nationalities, and how many moves from low- to high-cost markets?
- Exception tolerance: How often do managers approve exceptions?
- Differentiation: Should all employees receive identical benefits regardless of level or nationality?
- Competitive pressure: Which talent segments are hardest to attract?
- Cash versus benefits: What do assignees value most, and does the package reflect that?
- Organizational culture: Is the company more paternalistic or hands-off?
- Historical lessons: Which past policy experiments succeeded or failed — and why?
5. Keep policies dynamic and evidence-based
The best policies are living frameworks that evolve in response to workforce data, market trends, and employee feedback. Regular review cycles, paired with measurement of assignment outcomes, exception patterns, and cost/value impact, ensure policies remain relevant and aligned with both business and talent strategies.
The question is not how many policies a company should have, but how coherent and purposeful they are. More policies can create the illusion of control; better policies create clarity and trust.
A well-designed mobility framework should simplify complexity, not multiply it. By restoring clear logic, linking policies together, and grounding them in consistent principles, organizations can transform mobility policies from administrative tools into strategic enablers of global talent success.
Ultimately, the goal is not more or fewer policies; it is smarter policies that reflect the company’s intent, culture, and evolving vision of global work.
Find out more:
Join us at the 2026 Talent Mobility Conference in Budapest on April 23-24 to discuss mobility policies with your peers.