Employee mobility in Europe refers to the movement of workers between countries. Research shows mobility is increasing due to EU principles of free movement but barriers remain. From a company perspective, mobility requires managing costs, benefits, and family relocation policies. Individuals can develop careers but face challenges like adapting to new cultures and languages. The comparison of REWE and Lidl found they have different mobility strategies, with Lidl requiring more cultural understanding due to adapting products across countries. Overall, mobility provides opportunities but also challenges for both companies and individuals.

1. Managing
Employee Mobility
in Europe

2. Outline
• Introduction
• Research results on European employee mobility
• Company perspective
• Individual perspective
• Comparison of REWE VS LIDL
• Bibliography
• Appendix

3. Introduction
Employee mobility in Europe:
international labor mobility-
movement of workers between countries in Europe.
« mobility » dynamic? Opportunity? Huge challenges?
Change- key point
Employee mobility opportunity mobility

4. Research results on European employee mobility
• Cultural and history background
political and economic union of 28 member states.
4 basic priniciples: free movement of labour, capital,
goods and services
Purpose of integration, everlasting and unavoidable trend
Currency unification/years of immigration
EASIER

5. • Current Facts and problems of European employee mobility
Labour market mobility in EU is increasing. (Eurostat)
Lacking the awareness of training foreign qualifications
Barriers~ impede labour market development in Europe

6. Company perspective
Mobility detailed
The mobility equation
Mobility done well
•What kind of mobility ?
•Mobility for whom ?
•How much mobility ?
Making mobility matter in the company

7. Managing the transfer of staff
• Cost of living differences between
locations or countries
• Maintaining quality of living standards in
the new location
• Identifying benefits available in the new
location
• Structuring a worldwide employment
strategic plan
• Structuring a worldwide benefit plan
• Developing a family relocation policy and
plan
• Developing an expatriate compensation
and benefit plan

8. Individual opportunities and challenges
Develop individual career
Promotion
Learn broad skills and experince
Adventage on their family members

9. Individual opportunities and challenges 2
Studying back ground
Languages
CQ development
Metacognitive CQ
Cognitive CQ
Motivational CQ
Behavioral CQ

10. Comparision
REWE vs LIDL
Different employee mobility strategies and their consequences of 2 german supermarkets

11. REWE – Key facts and strategy
• Mid- to high-end supermarket
• €57.77bn Revenue in 2017
• 73% of that Revenue in Germany
• Some expansion into Europe
• Bundles all the export products into a subsidiary
company called REWE International in Austria
• New company sells the products in Eastern
Europe

12. REWE – Key facts and strategy
• 2 different companies => less intracompany
activities
• Same business model in Austria and Ukraine
• Less employee mobility
• Not studying new culture
• No development of CQ
• Less intercultural exchange

13. Lidl – Key facts and strategy
• Discounter
• Not a lot of differentiation in products => cheaper
• Not a corporation => No financial data
• Heavy expansion into Europe (one of the biggests
discounters in France)
• JIT Management in every country to guarantee
price
• Adapting products and service to every
individual country

14. Lidl – Consequences for employee mobility management
• Heavy intercultural exchange necessary to combine
JIT management with new culture
=> Understanding of culture
=> Trained and well developed employees with
understanding of each others background
• Disciplined and homogenous workforce needed for
the Discount-Model to work
=> Strong control of behaviour of employees
=> Export of own ideals into other countries
• Proper employee management regarding basic
principles

15. Conclusion
Opportunities Challenges
 Companies: (expatriate)
- Follow globalization trend
- Better partnership with multinational
company
- Greater productivity in the long run
 Individuals:
- New experience in career
- Gaining of abilities
 Companies:
- Additional cost
- Training burden of professional
skills like language
Individuals:
- Adaption to new environment/
culture (language barrier)