Take a moment and ask yourself this question: How has information technology changed the modern workplace? Really think about it. For most firms, if your electricity or internet connection goes down, work stops!

Information technology has also changed where and when we work, as employees can work anywhere, anytime. Teams are now global, instantly talking to each other while visually engaging through instruments such as Skype or other chat services. Information is also instantaneous, as it is has become simple to send photographs, notes and reports back and forth for revision and discussion. The result: Individual employees don’t have to move in order to work, it’s the “work” that can be moved.

Still, worker mobility still remains an important consideration when recruiting professionals. Although things are loosening up as a result of high living costs in the major cities, it is still my experience that many employees really don’t want to move. Interestingly enough, I came across a recent study* that examined this exact issue and confirmed my thoughts.

In a study of over 100,000 individuals from 30 different countries, 77% of employees said they would move but “not very far!” Only 16% of participants were willing to move to another country. Men in executive positions were willing to move but, the older they are, the less they were willing to move as friends, family, elderly parents and grandchildren start to play a key role in their decision.

The study showed that men in general were more open to moving farther away from their current location than women, and it also showed that North Americans are somewhat more mobile than Europeans. However, at the same time, these “movers” often don’t plan to stay in their new location for very long; a three-year work stint was frequently referred to in the mobility study with family issues being the complicating factor.

This creates a challenge for recruiters--what exactly will attract a candidate to move to a new location? As we all know, one of the key motivators for taking a job is the potential to find “meaning” or to gain some sense of personal and professional challenge. Yet, studies demonstrate that the family plays a key role in a candidate’s decision to actually move locations for a new job. Again, my experience shows that if the family is not happy, the candidate will not be happy and, within three years, they will leave and return “home.”

As a result, recruiters and organizations alike need to pay attention to the specific environment that your community can provide. You need to somehow make the candidate and their family feel “at home.” Therefore, in addition to traditional interview questions, delve into the candidate’s personal interests and determine what motivates them and how your community can accommodate their needs.

At the same time, while organizations pay attention to the “onboarding” and orientation of new employees, very little effort is paid to helping the candidate’s family through the transition. This must now become part of a recruiter’s role. I believe that helping the family to settle in by linking them with multiple local resources has proven to be highly successful in attracting and retaining candidates. Video conferencing and sharing photographs of homes, schools, and recreation/sports facilities prior to moving is a very valuable tool to engage these families. As well, pay close attention to the fact that the spouse of your candidate will need help meeting new friends and getting settled.

With candidates indicating they are not willing to move too far from home, recruiters and organizations alike simply can’t focus on selling just the merits of a job, they need to sell the community to the family as a whole.

*Source: The Future of Work/Talent Mobility, Lance Richards, KellyOCG.

Paul Croteau, FCMA, B.Comm is managing partner at Legacy Bowes Group. He can be contacted at This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it