Relocating employees internationally takes careful planning, coordination and support. Beyond immigration requirements, employers must manage the practical side of moving staff and their families, so the transition is smooth and the experience is a positive one for everyone involved. Our global mobility service helps employers plan, coordinate and manage every stage of the relocation journey.
Global mobility is the practical support that sits around an international move, everything from preparing an employee to leave their home country, to helping them settle into a new one, through to bringing them home again at the end of an assignment. It works alongside, not instead of, the immigration and sponsor licence work needed to make the move legally possible.
Together, these strands turn a legally approved move into a relocation that actually works for the business and the employee.
A successful international move depends on far more than a visa being approved. Employers who invest in genuine mobility support see faster settling in periods, fewer early departures and a stronger employer brand among the international talent they want to attract.
In short, mobility support is what turns a legally approved relocation into one that actually works day to day, for the business and for the person moving.
Whether you are relocating a single employee or managing a global workforce, our experienced team provides support tailored to your organisation’s needs across three areas, relocation services, employer advisory and employee transition and integration.
You can draw on all three together for a full assignment, or focus on the specific stage where support is needed most.
Practical support for the physical move itself, from preparing to leave through to settling in and, eventually, returning home.
We help prepare employees and their families for a successful international move, coordinating the practical arrangements before departure so the transition starts smoothly from day one.
Good departure planning avoids the last minute scramble that often causes stress for employees and disruption for the business they are leaving behind.
We help employees settle quickly and confidently into their new location, coordinating local support so the relocation process is as straightforward as possible for both employees and their families.
The faster an employee feels settled, the faster they become fully productive in their new role.
We support employees returning home following an international assignment, helping coordinate the transition, ensuring a seamless return while minimising disruption for both the employee and employer.
Repatriation is often overlooked, but handled poorly it can undo much of the goodwill built up during a successful assignment.
Guidance for HR and leadership teams managing an internationally mobile workforce, from individual moves to wider mobility policy.
We give employers practical guidance on managing an internationally mobile workforce, working alongside your HR and leadership teams to plan, coordinate and deliver successful relocations.
Having an experienced adviser on hand takes the guesswork out of decisions your team may not make very often.
We help organisations develop clear, consistent policies for relocating employees internationally. A well designed mobility policy gives employees clarity while supporting fair, efficient and well managed relocation programmes.
A good policy also protects the business, since decisions are made against a consistent standard rather than case by case.
Careful planning is essential to a successful international assignment. We help employers coordinate assignments from initial planning through to relocation, ongoing support and eventual repatriation.
Planning the whole assignment upfront, rather than reacting stage by stage, is what keeps relocations on schedule.
Support for the human side of relocation, helping employees and their families settle in and become productive quickly.
We support employees throughout every stage of their relocation journey, providing practical information and guidance to help individuals and their families relocate with confidence.
Employees who feel properly supported through a move are far more likely to settle in and stay.
We help internationally recruited employees integrate into their new workplace and local community. A structured onboarding process helps employees become productive more quickly while improving their overall experience.
Structured onboarding closes the gap between an employee arriving and an employee actually contributing.
A successful international assignment depends on more than logistics. Our cultural integration support helps employees and their families adapt to their new environment, understand workplace expectations and settle into life in the UK.
This is often the difference between an assignment that succeeds and one where the employee asks to go home early.
Relocating international talent involves more than filling a vacancy. We work with employers to coordinate the practical aspects of recruiting and relocating overseas employees, from offer acceptance through to arrival and integration.
Keeping these moving parts aligned reduces the risk of a strong candidate falling through the gaps between departments.
Global mobility support works hand in hand with our business immigration practice. Where a role requires sponsorship, our immigration team handles the sponsor licence, visa application and compliance requirements, while our global mobility service manages the practical relocation around it.
Employers get one consistent point of contact rather than juggling separate legal and relocation providers who are not talking to each other.
As a firm that combines employment law, business immigration and practical workforce solutions, we understand global mobility from every angle, the legal requirements, the HR implications and the human experience of relocating.
That means employers get advice that is both compliant and genuinely practical, from a team that understands the whole picture rather than just one piece of it.
What is global mobility?
Global mobility is the practical support that helps employers move employees internationally, covering everything from departure preparation and destination settling in, to ongoing policy advice and eventual repatriation, working alongside the legal and visa work needed to make the move possible.
What support should we provide to relocating employees?
Good relocation support typically includes practical guidance before departure, help settling into the new location such as housing and local orientation, and support with cultural integration, alongside the underlying compliance work that has to happen in the background.
Can you support both employees moving to the UK and employees relocating overseas?
Yes. Our global mobility service supports inbound moves into the UK and outbound moves for UK employers sending staff abroad, so you have one point of contact regardless of the direction of the move.
Do we need a formal global mobility policy?
A written policy is not a legal requirement, but it gives employees clarity and helps employers manage relocations fairly and consistently, particularly if international moves happen more than occasionally or across more than one team.
What is included in destination and settling in support?
Destination support typically covers practical local orientation, help finding suitable housing, guidance on registering with local services, and support adjusting to workplace expectations, all coordinated so the employee is productive as quickly as possible.
How does repatriation support work at the end of an assignment?
We help coordinate the practical side of an employee returning home, including timing the handover of their role, supporting their reintegration, and making sure nothing is left unresolved from the original assignment or relocation.
Can global mobility support cover an employee’s family as well?
Yes. Relocation and cultural integration support can extend to an employee’s family, covering areas such as schooling and settling into the local community, which is often what determines whether a relocation succeeds.
How quickly can you arrange support once a relocation is confirmed?
We can usually begin departure planning within a few days of instruction. The overall timeline then depends on the destination, the employee’s circumstances and any visa processing that needs to run alongside it.
Ready to support your workforce? Whether you are relocating international employees, strengthening your HR function or enhancing your employee wellbeing offering, our workforce solutions team is here to help. Call Davenport Solicitors on 020 7903 6888 or email contact@davenportsolicitors.com to discuss a solution tailored to your organisation’s needs.
Disclaimer
The material contained on this website contains general information only and does not constitute legal or other professional advice and should not be relied upon as such. While every care has been taken in the preparation of the information on this site, readers are advised to seek specific advice in relation to any decision or course of action.
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