As a mobility industry veteran with more than a decade of experience, I’ve seen how costly it can be when employees aren’t fully supported during their moves. Heightened stress can lead to a loss of focus at work. The loss of focus can stall productivity during an assignment—and frustration can lead to early termination or attrition once that assignment ends. Even the most capable professionals can get distracted when they’re worried about their families, struggling with moving details, and facing challenges associated with settling in and adapting to a new culture.
So, imagine my surprise when I became a digital nomad and found myself facing these same challenges. Navigating housing searches, local regulations, and language differences as a self-employed consultant meant pouring energy and resources into practical hurdles in addition to my work. My ongoing experiences could be much easier with the guidance of a relocation management company (RMC)—and that personal realization has reinforced what I’d witnessed throughout my career as a marketing communications leader.
Relocations can be overwhelming for employees, or they can be a launchpad for personal and professional advancement. They can be a line item for organizations, or they can drive innovation, agility, and growth. The difference is whether mobility programs provide the kind of support that allows employees to integrate quickly and focus on their goals instead of navigating obstacles.
the other side of the move: relocating without a safety net
After years of shaping content and communications about relocation best practices and the mobile employee and family experience, I wanted to go beyond telling corporate stories and start having intercultural experiences of my own. Becoming a consultant and digital nomad gave me the chance to do just that—to live the global experiences I’d spent years guiding marketing teams to communicate to businesses around the world.
I love my new lifestyle, which gives me the motivation to work through any hurdles. Securing housing without vetted local resources, navigating unfamiliar regulations, managing cultural integration on my own—I don’t shy away from any of these challenges, but they are challenging. What I’ve now experienced firsthand is the same conflict employees face when organizations relocate them: the excitement and good intentions of a global opportunity competing with the friction of practical hurdles.
And that’s where my next blog post will pick up: housing scrambles, cultural gaps, language barriers, and daily life challenges became part of my own journey—and they show just how much the right support can make or break a relocation. I’ll share more of my story and explain how it connects to what employees experience when moving across borders, so stay tuned for part 2!
Cartus partners with organizations to elevate their mobility programs, optimize employee experiences, and unlock stronger performance across global markets. For more information, contact us at cartussolutions@cartus.com.
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