The Working World

In the complex world of global mobility, relocating for work has long been a source of stress, paperwork, and logistical nightmares. Imagine a world where moving across borders is as seamless as ordering a coffee – this is the vision driving Paul Bennett and his innovative startup, PerchPeek.  

Our latest episode of The Working World takes you behind the scenes with an entrepreneur who transformed personal frustration into a groundbreaking solution. Paul's journey from banking and Amazon to founding a mobility technology company is more than just a startup story – it's a testament to solving real-world challenges that impact professionals worldwide. 

What happens when someone decides to reimagine the entire relocation experience? How can technology and human-centered design make international moves less overwhelming and more empowering? Paul Bennett has answers, and his insights are about to challenge everything you thought you knew about global mobility.  

Join us as we dive deep into the world of innovative relocation solutions, exploring how one company is breaking down barriers, reducing complexity, and putting the human experience at the centre of global workforce movement. Get ready for a conversation that will change how you think about moving for work – this is relocation redefined. 

Insights into this episode include:    

• Talent mobility value: Talent mobility programs are essential for attracting, retaining, and maximising the productivity of top talent, helping businesses remain competitive in today’s workforce landscape. 
• Strategy alignment: To be effective, talent mobility initiatives must be aligned with the organisation’s overall business strategy and long-term goals, ensuring mobility efforts support broader organisational outcomes. 
• Leadership support: Executive sponsorship and a culture that values talent development are key drivers for the successful implementation and adoption of mobility programs across the organisation. 
• Generational shifts: Millennials and Gen Z are reshaping expectations, demanding greater workplace flexibility, meaningful career experiences, and more internal mobility opportunities. 
• Economic preparedness: Organisations that prioritise talent mobility are better positioned to adapt during economic fluctuations, maintaining a skilled and engaged workforce through cycles of change. 
• Customised solutions: Mobility programs should be tailored to each organisation’s unique needs, avoiding generic, one-size-fits-all models in favour of personalised, targeted approaches that deliver better results. 

In our latest episode of The Working World, Eddie Coronado, Senior Manager Talent & Performance Management at AdventHealth, was our guest speaker. In this episode, he highlights the importance of aligning mobility programs with business strategies to retain top talent, emphasising metrics like internal fill rates and employee engagement. Eddie shared practical strategies such as stay interviews and collaboration with HR and L&D to enhance retention. 

He noted the shift towards internal mobility as a key retention tool, especially for millennials and Gen Z, and predicted its growing importance in future talent management. Eddie encouraged stakeholder buy-in and strategic alignment to successfully implement such programs.

This episode provides a deep dive into Eddie's expertise and experiences in the evolving talent mobility space, offering practical guidance for mobility professionals.

Insights into this episode include:   

• The value proposition of talent mobility programs: To help organisations attract, retain, and get more productivity out of their top talent.
• Aligning talent mobility with business strategy: implementing successful talent mobility initiatives requires aligning them with the organisation's overall business strategy and goals.
• The importance of top-down support: Top-down support and organisational culture that prioritises talent growth are critical for driving adoption of these programs.
• The changing expectations of younger generations: The expectations of younger generations like Millennials and Gen Z are driving the increasing importance of flexibility, experience, and internal mobility opportunities.
• Preparing for economic cycles: As the economy cycles through ups and downs, organisations that invest in maintaining an engaged, skilled workforce through talent mobility will be better positioned to weather the changes.
• Tailoring talent mobility programs to organisational needs: Mobility professionals should focus on understanding their organisation's specific talent needs and tailoring programs accordingly, rather than taking a one-size-fits-all approach.

In this episode, Majlinda Lulo, Australian Immigration Director at Absolute Immigration, joins The Working World podcast to unpack recent changes in the Australian immigration system. Drawing from her extensive experience in immigration law and policy, Majlinda discusses how these updates impact businesses, mobility professionals, and skilled workers. She provides valuable insights into the evolving visa landscape and shares actionable advice for navigating these changes effectively. 

Majlinda delves into key reforms, such as the introduction of the Skills in Demand (SID) visa, updates to occupation lists, and high-income thresholds. She also highlights the importance of tailored solutions like labour agreements and regional recruitment strategies in addressing industry skill shortages.

Insights into this episode include:

• Visa reforms and their implications: learn about the transition to the SID visa, the Core Skills Occupation List (CSOL), and the impact of these changes on talent recruitment.
• Labour agreements and regional recruitment: discover how labour agreements and Designated Area Migration Agreements (DAMAs) address skills shortages, especially in regional areas.
• Opportunities in high-income thresholds: understand how the $135,000 threshold creates new pathways for talent and streamlines visa processing.
• The National Innovation Visa: explore opportunities for global achievers in research, entrepreneurship, and the arts under the rebranded visa program.

In this episode, Benjamin Bader, a professor at Newcastle University and co-founder of Mastering GM, discusses the critical role of global mobility in today's workforce and how professionals can effectively highlight its value. Drawing from his experience in expatriate management and HR, Benjamin explains the importance of aligning mobility strategies with business objectives to gain senior management support. He introduces the WAVE framework, offering a structured method to measure and communicate the impact of mobility programs.

Benjamin also addresses common challenges, including balancing day-to-day operations with strategic initiatives, and provides practical advice on overcoming these hurdles. He emphasizes the importance of data-driven decisions to demonstrate the success and necessity of mobility programs.

Insights into this episode include:   

• Demonstrating mobility value: Understand the importance of proving mobility program effectiveness through measurable data such as ROI and employee retention.
• The WAVE framework: Learn about Benjamin’s structured approach to managing global mobility, focused on improving adaptability, engagement, and workforce strategy.
• Challenges of operational focus: Gain insights on balancing operational tasks with long-term strategic goals within mobility programs.
• Mastering GM community: Access a network of professionals and resources to help demonstrate the value of mobility programs and share best practices. 

Dive into the increasing cost of accommodation for mobility program owners and businesses in Australia, particularly in Victoria, with Jenni Hurst, Principal at Dovetailer. Jenni, an expert in the Global Mobility industry, shared her insights and experience relocating across four countries, emphasizing the need for personalized care and strong real estate partnerships. 

The episode explores the factors driving up accommodation costs, such as land tax increases, supply and demand imbalances, and decreased household sizes due to remote work. It examines potential alternatives to traditional temporary accommodation, effective ways for employers to support relocating employees, and the challenges within the Australian rental market. Emphasis is placed on the importance of tailored and adaptable services in the mobility and relocation industry, involving relocation agents, and asking the right questions to ensure successful moves. Collaboration and innovation are highlighted as crucial for overcoming these challenges and providing effective solutions. 

Insights into this episode include:    

• Factors driving up accommodation costs: Explore the impact of land tax increases, supply and demand imbalances, and decreased household sizes due to remote work on rental prices. 
• Alternative solutions to traditional accommodation: Discover potential alternatives to the conventional 28-day temporary accommodations and how rental furniture can address long shipping delays. 
• Effective employer support for relocating employees: Learn how employers can contribute to long-term rental costs, tailor relocation packages to individual needs, and discuss accommodation budgets with new hires early on. 
• Challenges in the rental market: Understand the high demand and limited supply issues, the competitive and often unfair rental bidding processes, and the importance of preparation and paperwork. 
• Role of relocation agents: Gain insights on the advantages of using relocation agents for personalized services, ensuring clients are well-prepared and present as ideal tenants, and finding suitable housing options. 
• Innovation and collaboration: Emphasize the need for innovative solutions in the accommodation industry and encourage open conversations with service providers to enhance relocation processes. 

Dive into the world of internships and the ever-shifting Australian employment landscape with Gerald Holland, CEO of InternMach, and Naren Chellappah, Program Director at Career Success Australia. In this episode, Gerald and Naren unpack the challenges and opportunities facing graduates and employers alike. 

The episode explores the importance of internships, the challenges of university-industry collaboration, and the skills employers are seeking in today's market. Our guests also delve into the changing career landscape and the growing need for upskilling and professional development. 

Insights into this episode include:   

• Internships – a win-win for graduates and employers: discover how internships offer companies a valuable opportunity to identify and recruit future talent while assessing their fit within the company and how these programs equip students with practical experience, and ease the transition from theory to real-world work. 
• Building stronger university-industry collaboration: explore the challenges and potential solutions for universities and businesses to work more closely. Learn how universities integrating internships and fostering stronger communication channels can benefit students and companies. 
• The skills employers seek beyond the resume: find out what qualities like a positive attitude, strong work ethic, and a willingness to learn stand out to employers. 
• Navigating the changing work landscape: gain insights on the growing need for career coaching and upskilling in a dynamic job market. This episode explores how individuals can adapt and thrive amidst career transitions and the skillset landscape. 

In this episode, Shumin Yeo, Director of Education and Growth at ATMA, and Steve Burson, Chairman of ATMA provided an overview of the Asian Talent Mobility Alliance (ATMA) and its mission.

ATMA, a non-profit organisation established during the COVID-19 pandemic, is committed to promoting the advancement of global mobility professionals in Asia. Dedicated to embracing diversity within the talent mobility trade, ATMA provides support and advocacy for its members throughout the region and aims to represent the interests of its members to governments across Asia, filling a gap left by existing trade organisations. 

The organisation also focuses on building membership and advocating for the industry, offering unique insights and mentorship opportunities for mobility practitioners. Through mentorship, networking, and community learning initiatives, ATMA creates a platform for industry professionals to connect, learn, and advocate for their interests.

ATMA’s pillars:
ATMA supports the advancement of global mobility professionals in Asia through four main pillars:

Advocacy: ATMA works to influence mobility policies across Asia, engaging with governments to shape regional practices and strategies.
ESG (Environmental, Social, and Governance): This pillar focuses on integrating ESG principles into the mobility industry, emphasising sustainability beyond just environmental factors.
Education: ATMA offers educational programs and a mentoring initiative to enhance the professional skills and knowledge of mobility practitioners in the region.
Events and Networking: Through various events, ATMA provides networking opportunities that enable professionals to exchange ideas and collaborate, strengthening the community and its collective expertise.

Jess Dunderdale has dedicated the majority of her professional journey to the corporate accommodation space. In her capacity as the Senior Director of Sales at AltoVita, Jess is tasked with establishing new partnerships and expanding the clientele base of a team of Account Executives. 

Furthermore, her pivotal role on AltoVita's sustainability committee uniquely positions her to engage in insightful conversations on the ever-evolving intricacies and emerging trends around sustainability within the corporate accommodation sector.

In this episode, Jess shares her knowledge and experience and delves into the complex world of sustainability certifications in the corporate accommodation and hospitality sectors. The discussions brought to light the challenges and opportunities in promoting environmentally responsible practices across diverse industries.

Insights into this episode include: 

• Sustainability certifications and practices in corporate accommodation, in the hospitality industry and potential regulations
• Sustainability and inclusivity in global mobility. 
• Corporate housing and sustainability with industry insights.
• Work-from-anywhere program and family vacation plans. 

Shravan is a highly driven, entrepreneurial, and visionary engineering professional, with a successful track record in impacting corporate profitability, productivity, and competitive performance through skillful alignment of technology, science, and engineering resources.  

Shravan’s expertise lies in commercial, deep science, engineering, and strategic operations. He has a strong passion for building high performing, engaged and diverse science and engineering professionals to deliver novel solutions across technology for commercial aviation, space and defense. In addition, he holds a solid global track record in creating, developing, and implementing complex technology and research that powers novel products in retail banking, earth observation satellites and power engineering.  

Shravan is a confident leader, with great success in creating and building a technology vision and roadmap that is swiftly aligned to company goals. He innovatively strives to solve commercial and customer challenges by co-producing with business partners to deliver on customer experience and performance ambition. 

Insights into this episode include:  

- Carbon emissions in air travel and shipping 

- Sustainable aviation fuel and decarbonising the aviation industry 

- Reducing the carbon footprint for global mobility programs

Dave is a nationally recognised trainer, facilitator and speaker. He is the founder and CEO of Oak and Reeds, which offers practical communication training to clients including Lyft, Nike, CBRE, the Kellogg School of Management, and more.

Previously, Dave worked at AECOM Strategy Plus, where he developed workplace strategy, change management and virtual collaboration services for government, technology and university clients.

Dave is also an accomplished improvisor. Along with his teammates, he won the National Collegiate Improv Tournament, has headlined shows and festivals across the country, and coached hundreds of people in the art of improvised comedy.

Dave graduated from Northwestern University with a B.A. in Communications and currently resides in Castro Valley, CA

In this episode, Dave shares his knowledge and experience and provides us with the tools and skills needed for communicating in a hybrid working environment.

Insights into this episode include: 

• Communication and change management tools to assist in managing remote and hybrid teams
• Recruiting and on boarding techniques to assist in interviewing and onboarding new team members
• Effective communication skills (taken from Dave’s improv comedy background!)