Plus Relocation

Global domestic- what is it, and why is it on the rise?

Do you know the term “global domestic” and why it’s a big deal in the relocation world? Client Relations Manager Rachel Ostovich breaks down this important trend.

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Complete transcript: “Hi, I’m Rachel Ostovich, Client Relations Manager at Plus Relocation Services.  Today I’m going to be talking about the term global domestic: what is it and why is it on the rise?

In a globalized and increasingly mobile world, global mobility managers have been asked to absorb in-country relocation programs that may require a different approach. So the term global domestic refers to domestic relocation programs in multiple countries across the globe.  Global domestic programs are on the rise for many reasons.  Workers everywhere are becoming more mobile and companies are expanding internationally.  Perhaps your company just acquired a firm in India that requires that you absorb their intra-country relocation program.  Or maybe your multinational is expanding in China to various tier 2 and tier 3 cities. There requires a program that can support the relocation in between those cities.

The rise of centralized relocation programs that maintain a regional focus is a growing trend in the relocation industry.  These programs are centralized for compliancy reasons and to maintain a certain level of equity and consistency across the company but they’re also regionalized to allow for local nuance and flexibility.  A program in India may extend benefits to the employee’s parents to reflect the local norms.  A program in China may offer slim down benefits but additional support for that employee to deal with the challenges of local city registrations and deregistrations.

Finding the balance of centralization and regionalization that works for your company is a real challenge but doing so will allow you to reap the rewards of added oversight while securing the support of your local HR teams in-country.  In-country domestic relocations are ever increasing, particularly in China, Canada, India, and Brazil.  And with ongoing initiatives to incorporate these programs into the reporting and the oversight of global mobility the term global domestic is one you’ll likely hear for sometime.”