Our Take
Trust metrics are directionally right but the root cause analysis stops short: teams need workflow automation, not just mindset shifts.
Why it matters
Organizations deploying talent internationally are losing competitive advantage because their mobility functions operate as administrative processors rather than strategic enablers.
Do this week
HR leaders: audit your mobility team's time allocation this week to quantify admin burden before requesting automation budget.
Two-thirds of mobility teams lack capacity for trust-building
An EY study of 500 HR and mobility professionals plus 500 employees on international assignments found that nearly two-thirds of mobility teams spend most of their time on reactive administrative tasks rather than high-value work that builds organizational trust (per EY research).
The study identified four trust drivers: strategic integration across functions, operational effectiveness, assignee experience, and data integrity with stable technology platforms. Teams achieving "high-trust" status report being nearly twice as likely to deploy to new markets with speed, 1.7 times more likely to make policy decisions quickly, and 1.6 times more likely to generate significantly positive ROI from mobility investments (company-reported ratios).
Currently, less than half of surveyed HR and mobility professionals believe their mobility technology platforms are reliable, with three-quarters seeking upgrades. This represents a nearly 10 percentage point increase from the previous year's survey (per EY data).
Administrative burden blocks competitive advantage
The research positions workforce mobility as a strategic differentiator rather than a transactional function. Tyler Huff, head of global mobility at Novartis, describes the goal as creating a "trusted strategic adviser to the business and employees that enables the realization of talent and business goals."
The performance gap between high-trust and standard mobility functions suggests significant untapped potential. Organizations operating mobility as an administrative function are systematically underperforming on speed, decision-making, and ROI compared to those that invest in trust-building capabilities.
Technology automation is the missing foundation
The study frames AI as a critical component of the solution, describing it as "a key piece of the digital backbone helping modern mobility functions thrive." However, with three-quarters of teams seeking technology upgrades, the infrastructure gap represents the immediate barrier to strategic work.
Teams currently trapped in reactive administrative cycles need workflow automation before they can pivot to the strategic integration and relationship-building that drives trust metrics. The performance multiplier effects are measurable, but they require operational capacity that most teams lack under current systems.