Corporate Mobility: When and Why Does it Become a Burden?

Abstract

People’s everyday lives and their working worlds in particular are deeply structured by mobility. People must commute, make business trips and often switch between several workplaces. Mobility is a basic requirement in today’s modern and highly connected world.

Employees have to deal with this challenge and must plan and coordinate business trips. They have to be flexible and should be able to manage unforeseeable events. They have to keep in touch with their homes and their colleagues when being mobile, while remaining innovative and highly productive. Corporate mobility requires time and effort to cope with such mobility patterns. However, travel conditions often remain very unclear, and employees have to find individualized ways to maintain their mobility requirements. Studies and reports indicate that corporate mobility has an impact on work-life balance and causes stresses and strains.

First, this chapter points out the factors that contribute to alleviate the stresses and strains involved in commuting, business travel, and changing workplaces. Beyond the mobility-related conditions, working conditions as well as social and personal conditions play an important role in maintaining mobility requirements. Second, the chapter shows the impact of corporate mobility in relation to work-life balance conflicts. In summary, the chapter reflects the specific requirements for employees to remain mobile to / from work or mobile at work in a healthy and socially sustainable mode.