July–August 2020
Article
Harvard Business Review

Make the Most of Your Relocation

Format:Print

Abstract

Although the COVID-19 crisis has halted travel in recent months, geographic mobility has become critical for managers and knowledge workers hoping to advance in today’s globalized economy, and that trend is unlikely to reverse. Geographic mobility can pay off financially and can boost your career by improving your problem-solving and leadership skills and building your networks. Yet there are constraints and costs to relocating and I preview the ROPE framework of mobility frictions, outlining the regulatory/occupational constraints and personal/economic costs that lead to immobility. Anyone contemplating a geographic move should think through its full implications first. Research on knowledge workers in a variety of organizations around the world—from Indian bureaucrats to American consultants—suggests some common principles for getting the most out of relocations: (1) Make moves early in your career, when frictions are usually lower and you can apply the learning over many more years of work. (2) Step out of your comfort zone to develop problem solving skills. (3) Find creative workarounds for constraints. (4) To minimize the psychological costs, find ways to stay connected to home. (5) Time your trips to HQ strategically, and plan the next step right from the start.