Forty-one per cent of employers expect to relocate more workers in 2025, while nearly two-thirds face internal pressure to cut costs, according to WHR Global’s latest Global Mobility Benchmark Report.
The survey, which gathered responses from hundreds of mobility professionals across 29 industries, found that companies manage an average of six relocation policies, with long-term assignments being the most common. Respondents reported a median of 100 relocations or assignments annually, with some organizations handling thousands.
Cost pressures and savings strategies
Sixty-four per cent of respondents said they are under pressure to reduce global mobility expenses. Common cost-control measures include requiring cost estimates for every relocation (26 per cent), tracking budget-to-actual spend (24 per cent), and increasing the use of lump sums or managed budgets.
Managed budgets, where employees receive a set relocation allowance managed by the relocation provider, were highlighted as a potential savings tool. WHR’s analysis of 490 relocations found employees used, on average, 78 per cent of their allocated managed budgets.
Policy trends and benefit offerings
Most organizations (79 per cent) do not offer cash-in-lieu for relocation benefits. International permanent transfers are trending upward, with 59 per cent of respondents reporting growth in these assignments. Home sale assistance remains a valued benefit, with 54 per cent of employers offering programs such as Buyer Value Option or Guaranteed Buyout.
Temporary housing is another common offering, averaging 38 days per relocation. Destination services — such as area orientation and home-finding assistance — are typically provided for about three days.
Regional relocation challenges
Respondents reported the lowest relocation difficulty in North America and the highest in Africa, the Middle East, and South Asia. Challenges range from immigration and tax compliance to housing shortages and cultural barriers.
Key objectives for mobility programs
Top organizational priorities include aligning mobility strategies with business objectives (54 per cent), policy benchmarking (44 per cent), and cost savings (42 per cent). For individual mobility professionals, communication of strategy and global standardization ranked high.
The full 2025 Global Mobility Benchmark Report includes detailed data on relocation policy structures, benefit prevalence, and regional trends. WHR Global, which has offices in the United States, Switzerland, and Singapore, relocates employees to more than 100 countries annually.
