Skill development top motivator for Indian workers pursuing mobility experience, finds EY survey

Employee mobility is becoming a critical part of talent strategy as companies look for new ways to close skill gaps and build future-ready teams, found a survey by professional services firm EY.

The EY 2025 Mobility Reimagined Survey delved into the pivotal role of mobility in driving organisational growth and enhancing talent retention among Indian employees, with 81% indicating that mobility assignments can be transformative to their careers.

The survey, with responses from 1,074 mobility professionals across 22 countries, found significant differences in how leading companies address talent gaps and generative artificial intelligence (GenAI) implementation compares with those that are struggling.


The primary focus for Indian employers is to better integrate their talent strategy with their mobility programmes, closely followed by leveraging mobility to attract, retain and develop talent while enhancing the overall employee experience.

Among key incentives, 62% of Indian employees ranked ‘skill development’ as the top motivator for pursuing a mobility experience, followed by 44% who cited a competitive financial package as the primary driver. From the employers’ perspective, the top benefit from global mobility is being able to address skills gaps and add value to the organisation. Among Indian employers, 47% said that high performance and future leader programmes have the most impact on employees' growth.

“The future of work demands that mobility evolves from a transactional process into a strategic driver of organisational agility and employee empowerment. As talent expectations shift, companies must rethink how they design mobility experiences — prioritising flexibility, personalisation, and continuous development,” said Sonu Iyer, partner and national leader, people advisory services - tax, EY India. “Mobility is no longer just about filling roles; it’s about unlocking potential, fostering innovation, and building resilient, future-ready organisations that can thrive amid uncertainty and rapid change.”

There is also demand for virtual mobility for global positions, Iyer added.

The report based on the survey said Indian organisations are moving towards adoption of GenAI to streamline mobility programmes and enhance the employee experience, with 72% of employers saying GenAI plays a role in bridging talent gaps by identifying skill shortages across countries. However, challenges remain – 25% of organisations pointed to data security concerns and limited in-house AI expertise as key barriers to wider adoption. Despite these hurdles, organisations are already seeing tangible benefits from integrating GenAI into their mobility strategies.

Indian professionals also strongly associate international mobility with career growth but their expectations around flexibility are higher than ever, with 70% ranking flexibility as a top priority in their mobility experience. They also seek greater customisation in areas such as housing, health insurance and relocation, signalling a shift in employee expectations.
Significantly, 50% of respondents expressed a willingness to consider virtual assignments as a form of mobility in the future. Currently, 59% of Indian organisations offer flexibility in their international mobility programmes through multiple policy options based on specific criteria.