"Spend more on training? In THIS Economy?!"
Yes! I say! The latest CIPD Labour Market Outlook shows a rather worrying trend: 19% of UK employers are planning to cut back on training expenditure. As someone passionate about Global Mobility professional development (yes, I’m a nerd!), this hits close to home. Since the start of the year, I'm also the GMPD Learning Coach to 131 in-house GM individuals, so I'm looking at this closer than ever.
I know what you're thinking - "but we have to cut costs somewhere!" Here's the thing though: Global Mobility has never been more complex. From constantly evolving immigration landscapes and EU Posted Workers, to head-spinning tax implications and the whole remote work revolution, this is precisely when your GM teams need more knowledge, not less.
Want some hard numbers? The CIPD's research shows that forward-thinking organisations are focusing on improving efficiency (37%) and increasing automation/AI adoption (21%). But who's going to manage all this change and automation if your team isn't upskilled to handle it? Even with AI, the skill is knowing what to ask in order to get a decent output, and that requires knowledge.
What if you're reducing headcount? Well, cutting L&D budgets as well for your remaining team members won't create the savings you hoped for. Instead, you're asking people to shoulder a bigger workload (that's also becoming more complex) while simultaneously denying them the tools and training to do it effectively. Talk about a recipe for burnout and resentment!
For GM professionals, staying current isn't just about adding fancy certificates to your LinkedIn profile (though who doesn't love those?). It's about protecting your organisation from those painful compliance risks, optimising costs through best practices, and keeping your mobile workforce productive and engaged.
Yes, budgets are tight - I get it! But as one of our GM Heads said to me just last week, cutting L&D now is like "a turkey voting for Christmas!"
Your GM team's expertise is your competitive advantage. Don't let short-term cost pressures compromise your long-term success.