Global Mobility Policy
entry by Julie M. Marx, Global Family Expert at Expat Valley
The formal framework established by an organization to govern the terms, conditions, benefits, and processes applicable to international assignments and relocations. A well-designed global mobility policy balances organizational cost management with the practical and wellbeing needs of assignees and their families, and directly shapes the quality of support available to accompanying partners and children.
Comparable terms
Assignment policy (HR/mobility — equivalent; narrower; focused on the assignment rather than the broader mobility program) · Relocation policy (HR/mobility — may refer to domestic as well as international moves) · Expat package (informal — refers to the financial and benefit elements of the policy; not equivalent to the policy itself) · Mobility framework (HR/mobility — broader; encompasses policy, process, and governance)
Why this matters
Policy determines who gets what kind of support, for how long, and on what terms. Hidden assumptions (like a nuclear family or non‑working spouse) shape whose needs are met. Bringing family impact into policy design is key to sustainable global talent strategies.
Cross-references
HR BP (Professional Support Roles); RMC (Professional Support Roles); COLA (Transitions & Mobility); TA (Transitions & Mobility); NF (Family Dynamics); Family Support Specialist (Professional Support Roles). The HR BP administers global mobility policy at the employee relationship level; the RMC implements it operationally. COLA and TA are the two financial components of the policy with the greatest direct impact on family wellbeing; NF documents the nuclear family assumption embedded in most policy frameworks and its exclusionary implications. The family support specialist describes the role most directly positioned to advocate for policy provisions that address the family system rather than the assignee alone.
Sources
Global mobility policy is standard HR/mobility industry terminology. The authoritative source for definitions, benchmarks, and policy design guidance is: Worldwide ERC. Mobility Policy Benchmark Reports (annual). Available at worldwideerc.org. For academic treatment of the relationship between policy design and family wellbeing outcomes, see: McNulty, Y. & Brewster, C. (2017). Working Internationally: Expatriation, Migration and Other Global Work. Edward Elgar Publishing.
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