Two-Thirds of Mobility Teams Too Buried in Admin to Build Trust, Study Finds

Why It Matters

Trust‑focused mobility teams deliver faster market entry and higher ROI, making trust a strategic differentiator for global enterprises. The findings signal a pressing need for technology investment to shift from reactive admin to proactive, trust‑building operations.

Key Takeaways

• Two-thirds of mobility teams spend most time on admin tasks
• High‑trust mobility functions are up to twice as fast deploying
• Trust hinges on integration, effectiveness, assignee experience, data integrity
• Less than 50% rate their tech platforms as reliable
• AI and platform upgrades are top priorities for mobility leaders

Pulse Analysis

Workforce mobility has evolved from a logistics function to a strategic lever that can accelerate global expansion, but the EY survey reveals a paradox: teams bogged down by paperwork cannot nurture the trust that fuels speed. Trust acts as a catalyst, enabling smoother policy decisions, quicker market entry, and stronger return on mobility investments. Companies that embed trust into their processes see a 1.7‑fold increase in rapid policy making and a 1.6‑fold boost in ROI, underscoring that trust is now a performance metric as vital as cost control.

The study, which interviewed about 500 HR and mobility leaders and an equal number of recent assignees, pinpoints four pillars of trust: strategic integration across the business, operational effectiveness, a positive assignee experience, and robust data integrity. High‑trust teams outperform peers, deploying to new markets nearly twice as fast. Yet, roughly 66% of mobility professionals admit they spend the majority of their time on reactive, administrative tasks, limiting their ability to focus on these trust‑building activities. This operational strain hampers the function’s evolution from a transactional service to a strategic advisor.

Technology emerges as the linchpin for change. Only 45% of respondents rate their mobility platforms as reliable, and 75% are actively seeking upgrades, with AI identified as a key enabler for cost management and speed. By modernizing digital backbones and leveraging AI for data accuracy and workflow automation, firms can free up resources to invest in trust‑centric initiatives. The clear takeaway for executives is to prioritize technology refreshes now, turning administrative burdens into strategic opportunities that drive global competitiveness.