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AI is poised to bring major transformations to the workplace and the relocation industry, from customer service to operational efficiency. Strategic adoption of AI technologies enables HR and global relocation professionals to enhance relocating employee satisfaction through tailored solutions while optimizing operations.
On the Brink of a Revolution?
From lowering operating costs to boosting employee engagement, how to leverage the fast-changing world of AI is on every business leader’s mind. Some say it’s even the start of “an AI revolution” in business. Consider the following:
- KPMG’s AI Quarterly Pulse Survey for 2024 Q4 showed the majority of respondents felt that AI will fundamentally change the nature of their business over the one-to-two-year horizon (56% in the next year and 67% in the next two years).
- KPMG also reports 54% of organizations are using GenAI productivity tools at least once a week. Another 24% are using GenAI embedded into existing workflows at least once a week.
- Forbes Advisor notes that 64% of business owners believe AI has the potential to improve customer relationships, indicating its role in enhancing client interactions.
- Labor shortages are driving AI adoption, with 25% of companies leveraging AI to optimize operations according to IBM.
- A Google Workspace study uncovering “how new and aspiring leaders deepen their impact with AI revealed” that 82% of knowledge workers aged 22-39 already use AI tools at work, and 98% anticipate AI will reshape their industries within five years.
But what do these statistics mean for global mobility professionals and how can AI be effectively leveraged to address the unique challenges of employee relocation while ensuring safety and security?
Evaluating AI Technologies
With the rise of AI tools, there is immense potential to enhance processes like compliance tracking, cost prediction, and personalized support. However, integrating these technologies demands careful evaluation and strategic implementation to ensure both effectiveness and security.
HR/Global Mobility teams should insist on prioritizing platforms that align with their organization’s relocation needs. With tools like advanced compliance monitoring systems, robust encryption methods, and AI-driven analytics that help streamline processes and protect sensitive data, it’s important to properly vet these partners to ensure they can deliver the security, compliance, and value your organization needs.
By incorporating the right AI solutions, relocation professionals can enjoy streamlined workflows, low-effort regulatory compliance, and improved employee experience—all while maintaining the trust and security that are critical to global mobility success.
Actionable Tip: NEI’s Chief Information Officer, Dar Andrews, states there are three main evaluation factors with AI:
- Security
- Engine Expertise Focus
- Extendibility
He advises to start with “What is the ideal business experience I want to offer?” and then select the engine that offers the best security, response accuracy and can interface with your platforms of action (e.g., customer support platform, ERP, CRM, etc.). Each generative AI platform brings its own strengths: ChatGPT is widely used for a range of conversational applications including customer service; GROK is designed with capabilities in areas such as code migration and news management; and Microsoft Copilot provides integrated support for desktop interoperability, code development, and engineering operations.
Leveraging Big Data for Smarter Decision-Making
AI's ability to process and analyze vast amounts of data is a game-changer for the relocation industry. HR / Relocation professionals can now harness predictive analytics to optimize cost forecasting, identify regional risks, and tailor relocation strategies to individual employees.
For example, AI can:
- Analyze trends in housing markets and predict economic conditions in specific regions.
- Provide insights into cost-of-living trends, helping HR teams plan relocations more effectively.
- Forecast potential delays in visa processing or identify housing shortages, reducing risks.
At its core, these advancements enhance the relocating employee and family experience, ensuring smoother transitions and higher satisfaction levels. For instance, NEI uses AI to craft personalized relocation plans, resulting in reduced stress and higher employee retention.
Automating Processes Without Losing the Human Touch
McKinsey estimates that AI could eventually automate up to 70% of employees’ time in the future, leading to potential revenue gains of $4.4 trillion. Yet, while AI-driven automation can streamline some repetitive tasks – the human touch remains essential in customer-facing roles.
NEI believes relocation professionals can leverage AI productivity efficiencies to enhance personal engagement with relocating employees. For instance, AI can:
- Predict housing prices and living costs to suggest tailored options.
- Automate task-heavy processes, such as expense tracking or visa documentation.
- Generate reminders for critical deadlines, reducing the risk of oversights.
Actionable Tip: Create an AI implementation roadmap to what your goals are. Start by identifying repetitive, time-consuming tasks in your relocation processes and prioritize them for automation.
Security is Paramount
Incorporating AI into global mobility processes requires a laser focus on data security. Sensitive employee data, including financial and personal information, must be handled with utmost care to avoid legal, financial, and reputational risks. Ensure AI security by:
- Limiting the scope of AI platforms to specific, well-defined tasks.
- Implementing strict access controls to sensitive data and systems.
- Ensuring regular audits of AI systems to identify vulnerabilities.
- Providing comprehensive training for employees to avoid misuse and unintended data breaches.
Rajiv Thadani, principal at KPMG LLP, emphasized in a recent WERC Mobility News issue that “Companies can enshrine data privacy by ensuring their AI solutions have configurable security protocols and transparent data usage policies.”
Actionable Tip: Evaluate AI providers based on their commitment to security and privacy compliance, such as certifications for GDPR or ISO standards. AI offerings are now available in both Generative AI SaaS options and on-premises options. Choose the best option for your needs based upon security requirements.
Implementing and Optimizing AI Technologies
As AI reshapes the relocation industry, HR professionals and global mobility leaders must stay competitive. Implementing and optimizing these technologies will define the future of employee relocation programs.
Actionable Tip:
- Audit current relocation processes to identify pain points where AI might add value.
- Engage one’s teams in AI literacy / training programs to ensure understanding.
- Collaborate with trusted relocation partners who prioritize security, customization, and scalability.
By implementing these strategies, HR and Global Mobility professionals can leverage AI to overcome challenges, deliver enhanced employee experiences, and drive organizational growth while maintaining compliance and security standards.
NEI: Safely Leveraging AI for Faster Data and Smarter Decisions
NEI continues to explore and safely implement AI technologies as needed to enable faster, more accurate data gathering / data analysis / decision-making for our client HR and Global Mobility teams. We will also continue to build on our long history of successful client partnerships and high relocating employee satisfaction levels.
If you would like to discuss this topic further, please reach out to NEI Global Relocation’s Chief Information Officer, Dar Andrews, at Dandrews@neirelo.com or your NEI Global Relocation representative at any time.
This material has been prepared for informational purposes only, and is not intended to provide, and should not be relied on for, tax, legal or accounting advice. Please consult your own tax, legal and accounting advisors before engaging in any transaction.
AI is poised to bring major transformations to the workplace and the relocation industry, from customer service to operational efficiency. Strategic adoption of AI technologies enables HR and global relocation professionals to enhance relocating employee satisfaction through tailored solutions while optimizing operations.
On the Brink of a Revolution?
From lowering operating costs to boosting employee engagement, how to leverage the fast-changing world of AI is on every business leader’s mind. Some say it’s even the start of “an AI revolution” in business. Consider the following:
- KPMG’s AI Quarterly Pulse Survey for 2024 Q4 showed the majority of respondents felt that AI will fundamentally change the nature of their business over the one-to-two-year horizon (56% in the next year and 67% in the next two years).
- KPMG also reports 54% of organizations are using GenAI productivity tools at least once a week. Another 24% are using GenAI embedded into existing workflows at least once a week.
- Forbes Advisor notes that 64% of business owners believe AI has the potential to improve customer relationships, indicating its role in enhancing client interactions.
- Labor shortages are driving AI adoption, with 25% of companies leveraging AI to optimize operations according to IBM.
- A Google Workspace study uncovering “how new and aspiring leaders deepen their impact with AI revealed” that 82% of knowledge workers aged 22-39 already use AI tools at work, and 98% anticipate AI will reshape their industries within five years.
But what do these statistics mean for global mobility professionals and how can AI be effectively leveraged to address the unique challenges of employee relocation while ensuring safety and security?
Evaluating AI Technologies
With the rise of AI tools, there is immense potential to enhance processes like compliance tracking, cost prediction, and personalized support. However, integrating these technologies demands careful evaluation and strategic implementation to ensure both effectiveness and security.
HR/Global Mobility teams should insist on prioritizing platforms that align with their organization’s relocation needs. With tools like advanced compliance monitoring systems, robust encryption methods, and AI-driven analytics that help streamline processes and protect sensitive data, it’s important to properly vet these partners to ensure they can deliver the security, compliance, and value your organization needs.
By incorporating the right AI solutions, relocation professionals can enjoy streamlined workflows, low-effort regulatory compliance, and improved employee experience—all while maintaining the trust and security that are critical to global mobility success.
Actionable Tip: NEI’s Chief Information Officer, Dar Andrews, states there are three main evaluation factors with AI:
- Security
- Engine Expertise Focus
- Extendibility
He advises to start with “What is the ideal business experience I want to offer?” and then select the engine that offers the best security, response accuracy and can interface with your platforms of action (e.g., customer support platform, ERP, CRM, etc.). Each generative AI platform brings its own strengths: ChatGPT is widely used for a range of conversational applications including customer service; GROK is designed with capabilities in areas such as code migration and news management; and Microsoft Copilot provides integrated support for desktop interoperability, code development, and engineering operations.
Leveraging Big Data for Smarter Decision-Making
AI's ability to process and analyze vast amounts of data is a game-changer for the relocation industry. HR / Relocation professionals can now harness predictive analytics to optimize cost forecasting, identify regional risks, and tailor relocation strategies to individual employees.
For example, AI can:
- Analyze trends in housing markets and predict economic conditions in specific regions.
- Provide insights into cost-of-living trends, helping HR teams plan relocations more effectively.
- Forecast potential delays in visa processing or identify housing shortages, reducing risks.
At its core, these advancements enhance the relocating employee and family experience, ensuring smoother transitions and higher satisfaction levels. For instance, NEI uses AI to craft personalized relocation plans, resulting in reduced stress and higher employee retention.
Automating Processes Without Losing the Human Touch
McKinsey estimates that AI could eventually automate up to 70% of employees’ time in the future, leading to potential revenue gains of $4.4 trillion. Yet, while AI-driven automation can streamline some repetitive tasks – the human touch remains essential in customer-facing roles.
NEI believes relocation professionals can leverage AI productivity efficiencies to enhance personal engagement with relocating employees. For instance, AI can:
- Predict housing prices and living costs to suggest tailored options.
- Automate task-heavy processes, such as expense tracking or visa documentation.
- Generate reminders for critical deadlines, reducing the risk of oversights.
Actionable Tip: Create an AI implementation roadmap to what your goals are. Start by identifying repetitive, time-consuming tasks in your relocation processes and prioritize them for automation.
Security is Paramount
Incorporating AI into global mobility processes requires a laser focus on data security. Sensitive employee data, including financial and personal information, must be handled with utmost care to avoid legal, financial, and reputational risks. Ensure AI security by:
- Limiting the scope of AI platforms to specific, well-defined tasks.
- Implementing strict access controls to sensitive data and systems.
- Ensuring regular audits of AI systems to identify vulnerabilities.
- Providing comprehensive training for employees to avoid misuse and unintended data breaches.
Rajiv Thadani, principal at KPMG LLP, emphasized in a recent WERC Mobility News issue that “Companies can enshrine data privacy by ensuring their AI solutions have configurable security protocols and transparent data usage policies.”
Actionable Tip: Evaluate AI providers based on their commitment to security and privacy compliance, such as certifications for GDPR or ISO standards. AI offerings are now available in both Generative AI SaaS options and on-premises options. Choose the best option for your needs based upon security requirements.
Implementing and Optimizing AI Technologies
As AI reshapes the relocation industry, HR professionals and global mobility leaders must stay competitive. Implementing and optimizing these technologies will define the future of employee relocation programs.
Actionable Tip:
- Audit current relocation processes to identify pain points where AI might add value.
- Engage one’s teams in AI literacy / training programs to ensure understanding.
- Collaborate with trusted relocation partners who prioritize security, customization, and scalability.
By implementing these strategies, HR and Global Mobility professionals can leverage AI to overcome challenges, deliver enhanced employee experiences, and drive organizational growth while maintaining compliance and security standards.
NEI: Safely Leveraging AI for Faster Data and Smarter Decisions
NEI continues to explore and safely implement AI technologies as needed to enable faster, more accurate data gathering / data analysis / decision-making for our client HR and Global Mobility teams. We will also continue to build on our long history of successful client partnerships and high relocating employee satisfaction levels.
If you would like to discuss this topic further, please reach out to NEI Global Relocation’s Chief Information Officer, Dar Andrews, at Dandrews@neirelo.com or your NEI Global Relocation representative at any time.
This material has been prepared for informational purposes only, and is not intended to provide, and should not be relied on for, tax, legal or accounting advice. Please consult your own tax, legal and accounting advisors before engaging in any transaction.
