The annual Atlas® Corporate Relocation Survey returns for its 55th year to highlight the upward trending of global mobility—and the unexpected ripple effects of the pandemic. 533 decisionmakers were invited by email to complete an online questionnaire between February 7-24, 2022, with each respondent being responsible for relocation and employed by a company that has either relocated employees during the past two years or plans to relocate employees in 2022.
RELOCATION QUICK HITS
57% Increase in Relocations Performed
45% Increase in Relocation Policy Changes
58% Increase in Relocation Costs • 18% Decrease in Declined Domestic Relocations
8% Decrease in Citing COVID-19 as Top Relocation Concern
47% Plan a Full Return to On-site Work
43% Plan to Retain a Hybrid Model
10%Plan to Remain Fully Remote
1 in 2Companies Say Family Ties Are the Top Reason for Declining Relocation
1 in 5 Employees Accepted Spousal Assistance
39.1 The Median Age of the Global Workforce
EXTERNAL FACTORS IMPACTING RELOCATION Many companies (56%) still cite COVID-19 as the most significant external factor affecting relocation, but the economy, housing market, and The Great Resignation are emerging trends. Top external factors cited were:
56% COVID-19
41% ECONOMIC CONDITIONS
32% LACK OF QUALIFIED PEOPLE LOCALLY
27% REAL ESTATE MARKET
22% GROWTH OF DOMESTIC COMPETITION
INTERNAL FACTORS IMPACTING RELOCATION Significant recovery from the generalized industry stagnation of 2020 saw many companies needing to activate more relocations in 2021 due to internal business factors. Top internal factors cited were:
36% GROWTH OF COMPANY
28% INCREASE PRODUCTION
27% EXPANSION OF FACILITY
19% EXPANSION INTO NEW TERRITORIES
18% BUDGET CONSTRAINTS
RELOCATION IN 2022 AND BEYOND As the pandemic eases, what can companies do to help their corporate relocations succeed and grow? In addition to continued support for public health initiatives such as access to COVID-19 vaccines, testing, and PPE for employee safety, companies should examine the unique needs of their relocating employees in respect to cost of living, housing, child and/or elder care, and address gaps in policies where necessary. The landscape for corporate relocation will continue to evolve—but armed with the findings in the full Atlas® Corporate Relocation Survey, the outlook for the road ahead in 2022 and beyond is decidedly clearer
