In the evolving global mobility landscape, project-based deployments present unique challenges and opportunities for multinational organizations. Recent insights live on the View From The Top from Siemens Gamesa's Sachindra Hande, shed light on how companies are managing these complex, long-term international projects that often involve multiple teams across various locations.
What is Project Mobility?
Project mobility differs from traditional mobility in several key aspects. These deployments typically involve:
- Long-term projects spanning multiple years or even decades
- Multiple home and host country combinations
- Large teams of revenue-generating professionals
- Significant financial implications, often running into millions or billions of dollars
- Complex compliance requirements across multiple jurisdictions
Real-World Application: Wind Energy Projects
Siemens Gamesa's experience provides a compelling example of project mobility in action. Their wind turbine installations, both onshore and offshore, demonstrate the extensive timeline and complexity involved:
- Initial Phase: Sales and marketing efforts can span 1-2 years
- Implementation: Installation phase lasting 3-4 years
- Long-term Service: Ongoing maintenance and service requirements extending 10-20 years or more
The Digital Transformation Journey
From Legacy Systems to Modern Solutions
Siemens Gamesa's transition from traditional tools to a modern mobility management platform illustrates the evolution many companies are experiencing:
Previous Challenges:
- Multiple Excel spreadsheets that didn't communicate with each other
- Scattered data across various SharePoint sites
- Manual tracking processes
- Limited visibility into project status
- Inefficient document management
Technology Solution: Working with Benivo, they implemented a comprehensive project mobility platform that offers:
- Centralized data management through a single source of truth
- Integrated workflows for stakeholder collaboration
- Automated assessment tools for tax and immigration
- Real-time project tracking capabilities
- Employee self-service functionality
- Smart document generation
Key Platform Features
1. Project Creation and Planning
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- Structured workflow with five key stages
- Built-in corporate tax assessment capabilities
- Stakeholder notification system
- Timeline and cost prediction tools
2. Employee Experience
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- User-friendly trip creation interface
- Pre-populated data to minimize duplicate entries
- Automatic project assignment based on location
- Real-time assessment outcomes for tax and immigration
- Clear visibility into service requirements
3. Compliance Management
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- Integrated tax engine (powered by Big Four providers)
- Immigration requirement tracking
- Social security assessment
- Special considerations for offshore deployments
4. Cost Control
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- Detailed cost estimates for stakeholder approval
- Tax optimization scenarios
- Budget tracking and variance analysis
- Project-specific cost reporting
Benefits Realized
The implementation of a dedicated mobility management platform has delivered significant improvements:
- Reduced manual effort in tracking and documentation
- Enhanced compliance management
- Improved employee experience through self-service capabilities
- Better resource utilization
- Faster deployment timelines
- More accurate cost predictions
- Real-time visibility into project status
Best Practices for Success
- Early Stakeholder Engagement: Involve all relevant parties (tax, immigration, HR, business units) from the planning phase
- Regular Updates: Monitor changes in regulations, costs, and project requirements throughout the lifecycle
- Systematic Approach: Implement structured processes for both planning and operational phases
- Technology Integration: Utilize dedicated mobility management platforms to reduce manual effort and improve accuracy
- Cost Control: Maintain robust tracking systems to ensure actual costs align with projections
Looking Ahead
The future of project mobility lies in the continuous evolution of technology solutions. With platforms offering rapid deployment of updates through regular sprint cycles, organizations can adapt quickly to changing requirements and employee feedback. This agility, combined with comprehensive project mobility management capabilities, enables organizations to effectively manage their global workforce while maintaining compliance and controlling costs in an increasingly complex international business environment.
For organizations managing large-scale global projects, the transition to a dedicated mobility management platform is becoming less of a luxury and more of a necessity. The ability to combine technological solutions with strategic planning ensures organizations can effectively manage their global workforce while maintaining compliance and controlling costs in an increasingly complex international business environment.
Access the complete show recording here. To learn more about how Benivo can revolutionize your project mobility program, please contact us.