HR and mobility

Based on my experience as HR professional, I can say that till the end of 2010, we did not examine from where and how employees arrive to their workplaces because there was a workforce surplus. Sometimes we asked whether the employee claims car costs reimbursement or reimbursement of price of monthly transport ticket. „Price” of workforce rises with the costs spent to encouraging mobility.

By now, this trend has turned!

According to data of the Hungarian Central Statistical Office for Q2 2017, number of vacancies is 65,025, and it is an increase of 57% as compared to data in 2014. Employers keep complaining about workforce shortage, thus, exploring, drawing and retaining employees and promotion of mobility have come into focus.

Some mobility issues the HR staff has to handle include:

• Organizing transport of workers by bus
• Information of employees about opportunities how to travel to work
• Implementation of atypical employment forms
• Participation in development of town mobility plans so that community transport could contribute to travel of employees to work
• Providing parking lots (e.g. in Budapest, it is not self-evident)
• Providing bike racks and stands as well as shower rooms
• Company housing solutions / providing interest-free credits for buying a flat
• Operation of workers hostels
• Mental and administrative help in changing residence

In countries of Western and Central Europe, “Mobility Plans” have been developed for several years, but it is almost unknown in Hungary.