b"BUSINESS TRAVELJENNIFER CONNELLWeichert Workforce Mobility BUSINESS TRAVEL AND RELOCATIONBy Warren HeeleyAs more employees are sent on short-term business assignments, Perspectives looks at how this could impact relocationMELISSA SEITZ MEDFORD T hings continue to evolve at a rapidhow companies manage theirpace in the mobility profession andworkforce mobility.a recent trend drawing attention is TRC Global Mobility Inc. a possible rise in business travel inSEITZ MEDFORD:I dont necessarily see place of traditional long-term relocations.a significant impact on traditional reloca-tions resulting from increasing business Perspectives spoke to three relocationtravel. There is a need for both, and you experts to learn more about this develop- cannot wholly replace one with the other. ment: Jennifer Connell, vice president,Although working virtually is extremely advisory services, Weichert Workforcehelpful and certainly isnt going to go Mobility; Melissa Seitz Medford, directoraway, it cannot replace the camaraderie, of consulting services at TRC Globalcreativity and productivity that come from Mobility Inc.; and Jerry Funaro, TRCsin-person interaction. I believe that busi-vice president of global marketing.ness travel for conferences and meetings will continue to grow in conjunction with HOW DO YOU FORESEE THE IMPACT OFthe relocation industry's post-pandemic INCREASING BUSINESS TRAVEL ANDrebound. There are just more alternatives TRADITIONAL RELOCATIONS? to traditional relocation to choose from CONNELL:The increase in businessnow, so companies have to explore what is travel is not the root cause of changesgoing to be the best option for all involved.to traditional relocations; however, its certainly having a sweeping impact on theFUNARO:I think companies will continue landscape of global mobility. It has ledto leverage both business travel and trad-to a broader range of program types anditional relocation, as they serve distinct JERRY FUNARO increased demand for flexibility. Whilepurposes and are not always interchange-TRC Global Mobility Inc. long-term assignments are becoming lessable. In some cases, a company might common, short-term assignments andprefer to have an employee permanently business travel are on the rise, reshapingstationed in a different location but may 20PERSPECTIVESSpring 2025"