Altair Global’s team of destination services (DS) representatives attended the EuRA conference in Dublin, Ireland in April.

EuRA is one of the mobility industry’s largest annual events. It is attended by thousands of relocation professionals from around the world, including representatives from several relocation associations, including FIDI, WERC, CERC, SNPRM, ARP, ARPN, GARP, FAR M&G, and SHRM. Four Altair team members served as speakers in different sessions. Find their key insights, learnings, and takeaways below.  

Daniel Danko, Director of Global Supplier Partnerships EMEA, spoke in a plenary session on destination service providers (DSPs) and relocation management companies (RMCs). In this interactive session, Danko was joined alongside a panel of RMC and DSP experts to discuss the critical issues facing the supply chain. Danko shared insights into how the industry is evolving and what challenges it faces, such as having an increased focus on flexibility for both the business and the employee, and the need for applying the right balance between cost-effectiveness and employee duty of care leading to increased questions on core/flex options, as well as requests for benchmarking to remain competitive. He also touched on how Altair is focused on helping clients build agility into their programs in the spirit of evolving in a post-COVID world, to create sustainable, relevant mobility programs that can weather the economic volatility that’s been seen post-COVID. 

Teresa Tyrrell, Director of Destination Services, participated in the “State of the Industry – The Real Estate Squeeze” session. As part of an international panel of DSPs, Tyrrell discussed the impact of the housing squeeze in their respective countries on service delivery and managing client expectations. 

Tyrrell emphasized the importance of DSP consultants having contact with a transferee as early as possible in their relocation journey. This means offering peace of mind and reducing the anxiety that often comes with negative messaging available online. She also stressed the importance of measuring service delivery against expectations – Altair DS, for its part, has three automated experience management checks (or X-checks) during service delivery. This means they can correct any issues in the moment and ensure a positive relocation experience. 

Communication early and often is key to ensuring a transferee is prepared for their permanent home search in their destination country. This builds trust with the transferee, knowing someone local at the destination is there to help and support them every step of the way. 

Simon Scott, Vice President of Finance and Destination Services and Altair’s “IGNITE!” speaker, discussed the importance of companies being more transparent and accountable to their employees. He emphasized the need to focus on employee satisfaction and wellbeing to drive productivity and profitability. 

Anita Meyer, Vice President of Belgium and Altair’s speaker in “The Power of Local” session, discussed what relocation associations can do for their members. Sitting alongside a panel of four other relocation professionals, she emphasized the importance of networking and sharing knowledge with peers in the industry. 

The Immigration symposium, organized by Envoy Global, offered two particularly interesting sessions. One session looked at the successes of Irish immigration policy and how that has driven the Irish economy over the last ten years, with an opening address from Government Minister Neale Richmond. The second session expanded on the first by looking at different immigration policies, those that seek to encourage immigration and those that seek to limit it, and the impact on the economies. 

As the only RMC based in Dublin, Altair organized an Irish Hooley at the city’s oldest pub for its valued supplier partners, client partners, and friends. The event was a huge success, with 130 representatives from around the world enjoying great food, music, and, of course, Guinness. It was a chance to meet the Altair team based in Dublin and connect with other attendees. 

The EuRA conference in Dublin was a great opportunity for Altair DS and its partners to network, gain insights, and stay up to date with industry news and trends. Altair‘s participation in the EuRA International Relocation Conference, featuring multiple speakers in different sessions, highlights our commitment to staying at the forefront of industry trends and insights and showcased our expertise and experience in global mobility. The knowledge gained from the conference will undoubtedly help our team continue to provide exceptional service to their clients. We look forward to attending next year’s conference in Portugal!