The Global Mobility Specialist Program began in 2004 as the Global Mobility Specialist (GMS®) designation. The program was designed to understand the principles and practices of global talent mobility and intercultural management skills. More than 6,500 mobility professionals in 71 countries have since earned this highly regarded designation.
In 2013, WERC created curriculum around how leading companies are integrating their talent mobility practices into their talent management planning and developed the Strategic Talent Mobility course. Upon completion of that course, those individuals that held the GMS® designation became a GMS-T ® (Global Mobility Specialist, Talent Management).
In 2021, because of repeated positive feedback from our members, WERC combined the curriculum from the GMS® program and the Strategic Talent Mobility course so that candidates now earn the GMS-T® at the completion of the updated program.
The GMS-T® certification signifies that designees are specialized in the field of global workforce and talent mobility and are committed to ongoing industry education to grow their expertise. Earning the certification distinguishes the mobility professional as skilled in the global mobility field, with proven competency and knowledge levels. Achieving the GMS-T® recognizes industry professionals as leaders and educated contributors across the mobility arena.
Purpose of the GMS-T® Certification Program
- To encourage professionals working in specific aspects of employee mobility to gain extensive and useful knowledge of all aspects of global employee mobility.
- To establish a common and universal understanding of the field of global mobility.
- To raise the professionalism of those involved in relocation.
- To encourage continuing education for professional development.
- To encourage self-development by offering guidelines for achievement in the relocation profession.
- To identify and award special recognition to those persons who have demonstrated a comprehensive knowledge of the principles and practices of global mobility and related disciplines.
Why Earn a GMS-T® Designation
- To gain the confidence that comes with mastering the principles of talent mobility as defined by the industry.
- To cultivate the ability to apply the principles and new knowledge to developing policies, services and practices. WERC has a tradition of unbiased, credible education in a specialized field of expertise.
- To improve your job performance and widen your career opportunities.
- To acquire extensive global mobility knowledge on up-to-the-minute topics impacting industry professionals.
- To remain current in business practices and critical issues in mobility through continuing education.
- To receive formal recognition of your knowledge and commitment to excellence in the talent mobility practice, you can add GMS-T® after your name in all professional correspondence, social media and other public media. Your GMS-T® designation will appear next to your name in all WERC publications and correspondence, including our online directory of GMS-T® designees, and in WERC’s online Directory.
How to Earn the Global Mobility Specialist, Talent Management (GMS-T®) Designation
Eligibility
There are no eligibility requirements or prerequisites to participate in the program and earn the GMS-T® certification. The program was designed to nurture a shared understanding of the field, to serve individuals who wish to differentiate themselves as knowledgeable in this field, and to create opportunity for innovation and growth in the industry.
How to Register
Register for the program. Once registered, you will receive a confirmation email containing a link to WERC’s Learning Portal. The entire program is online and located in the Learning Portal which allows you to keep track of your progress via your own personal Portal account.
Navigating the GMS-T® Program
The Program is completely online and comprised of:
- 19 Courses - The courses are spread out over six Modules (see page 6 for a list of the program content/courses).
- 6 Quizzes - There is one quiz in every Module that covers the material from that Module.
- 1 Examination - The exam can be found in the 7th Module.
Amount of Time it Takes to Complete the Program
The program is made up of 6 Modules, 6 quizzes, and 1 final examination. You are given 6 months to complete each course and the time starts when you access that course. The amount of time that a person will spend in the program varies and is dependent on how long the candidate spends in each course, the time spent on the various activities and case studies, as well as quizzes and the exam. The average amount of total time a candidate spends in the program is approximately 25 hours. You may take the Modules at your own pace. The courses (within each Module) will save your place so that you can return to your Learning Portal account at anytime and pick back up where you left off in the Program.
GMS-T® Program Content
Module 1: Culture & Diversity in Global Mobility
This Module focuses on the characteristics of a culturally competent and diverse talent pool. Candidates will be able to explain definitions and theories of culture, understand generalizations and stereotypes, discuss the importance of global teams, and the impact of globalization. It will also examine diversity and inclusion from the angle of mobility and addresses the importance of having a diverse workforce.
Module 2: Compensation & Benefits for a Global Workforce
This Module recognizes the importance of compensation considerations and the advantages and disadvantages when sending employees on assignment. Discover the process of localizing an existing expatriate assignee and understand how companies send employees on permanent moves. Learn a variety of assignments using a local approach. Health care strategies and retirement planning are also examined to assist the candidate in understanding how to best support employees on assignment.
Module 3: Global Talent Mobility Policy Management
This Module focuses on recognizing the importance of a well-coordinated support plan, ensuring employees are properly set up for success from the beginning. Also discusses the significance of assisting the employee and their family with the moving-out logistics and providing the guidance necessary for a successful relocation and arrival, as well as the necessity for support during and post-assignment. In addition, it also covers alternative talent mobility options to the typical one to three years’ assignment.
Module 4: Global Talent Mobility Program Management
This Module discusses the importance of managing supplier relations. Candidates discover some of the best practices employers use to ensure successful international assignments. In addition, examine ways to measure the success of those efforts. Candidates also explore ways to introduce more flexibility into a company’s international assignment policies and administrative processes.
Module 5: Global Talent Mobility Risk Mitigation
This Module discusses the significance of ensuring the employee is looked after, and that all risks are carefully assessed and mitigated. High level tax and immigration issues are discussed. The module also drills down into what duty of care stands for, the considerations necessary when developing a duty of care policy for mobile employees, and duty of care best practices. In addition, candidates will understand the fundamentals of data analytics in the organization’s decision-making processes.
Module 6: Strategic Talent Mobility
This Module focuses on talent mobility in the wider context of talent management. Candidates learn to identify and respond to the key drivers of talent mobility. You will discover how to assess an organization’s talent needs, including parameters for success, and how to build a compelling business case demonstrating how talent mobility can support an organization’s business strategy. Real life case studies are examined that illustrate how leading companies have achieved success by integrating their talent mobility practices into their talent management planning.
| Badge Name |
Courses |
Approx Time |
| Module 1: Culture & Diversity in Global Mobility |
Theory of Culture |
80 Mins |
| Success Strategies for Global Teams |
50 Mins |
| The Role of Mobility in Diversity and Inclusion |
48 Mins |
| Candidate Information Guide |
Downloadable |
| Module One Quiz |
|
| Module 2: Compensation & Benefits for a Global Workforce |
Compensation Considerations for a Global Workforce |
66 Mins |
| Localization & Local-Plus in International Mobility |
67 Mins |
| Health Care Strategies for a Global Workforce |
24 Mins |
| Retirement Planning for a Global Workforce |
28 Mins |
| Module Two Quiz |
|
| Module 3: Global Talent Mobility Policy Management |
Successful Short-Term, Rotational, Commuter & Extended Business Travelers Mobility |
56 Mins |
| International Assignments: Pre-Planning |
32 Mins |
| Essentials of Expatriate Assignment Support Policies |
66 Mins |
| Module Three Quiz |
|
| Module 4: Global Talent Mobility Program Management |
Fundamentals of Supply Chain Management Workforce Mobility |
45 Mins |
| Assignment Lifecycle Best Practices |
33 Mins |
| Flexible International Assignment Policy Strategies |
45 Mins |
| Secure and Compliant Household Goods Shipping |
50 Mins |
| Module Four Quiz |
|
| Module 5: Global Talent Mobility Risk Mitigation |
Tax & Mobility |
55 Mins |
| Immigration Compliance Issues for a Mobile Workforce |
45 Mins |
| Understanding Duty of Care in Talent Mobility |
47 Mins |
| Exploring Data Analytics for Mobility |
45 Mins |
| Module 6: Strategic Talent Mobility |
Understanding the Intersection of Talent Management and Global Mobility |
180 Mins |
| Module Six Quiz |
|
Domain 1: Strategy of Globalization
Task 1: Align the organization’s global mobility strategy with the strategic objectives of the organization.
Knowledge of:
- Emerging global trends and changing practices
- Corporate objectives
- Continuing to stay in front of leadership and aligned to corporate objectives and that mobility is part of strategic discussions
- Basic concepts of profit and loss
- Corporate philosophies on compensation and benefits
- Reasons organizations globalize
Task 2: Position global mobility as a tool to enhance global talent management.
Knowledge of:
- Evolution of global mobility and talent management
- Corporation’s global talent strategy
- Purposeful assignment strategy
- Repatriation strategy and maximization of investment
Task 3: Contribute to the development of a culturally competent and diverse talent pool.
Knowledge of:
- Definitions of culture
- Generalization and stereotypes
- Cultural variables and dimensions
- Impact of globalization
- Theories of culture Assessment techniques and selection tools
- Definitions of failed assignments
- Reasons assignments fail
- Benefits and challenges of working on global teams
Task 4: Capture, evaluate, and forecast mobility program costs, and identify initiatives to support the return on investment to the organization.
Knowledge of:
- Key cost drivers (e.g., taxes, trailing liabilities, housing, education, household goods)
- Cost-control techniques and methods of cost tracking
- Fluctuating currencies and home or host country compensation approaches
Domain 2: Program Management
Task 1: Explain the compensation approaches, benefits, services, and requirements associated with global mobility, and describe in detail how they are delivered and managed.
Knowledge of:
- Destination services
- Immigration
- Cost estimates
- Letter of assignment / letter of understanding
- Consultations/briefings
- Repayment/clawback agreement
- Physical examinations/immunizations
- Travel (e.g., home-finding trip, expenses)
- Cultural training
- Language training
- Temporary living
- Home disposition / home retention
- Lease cancellation reimbursement
- Auto disposition
- Pet transportation
- Balance sheet approach
- Compensation approaches / compensation delivery
- Allowances (e.g., mobility/foreign service premium, cost-of-living allowance / goods and services differential, hardship, housing allowance / norm / contribution, miscellaneous expense allowance)
- Tax concepts (e.g., Tax protection, Tax equalization, Hypo tax, Typically managed/administered by third-party tax provider)
- Dependent education
- Home leave
- Spouse/family transition assistance
- Transportation at post
- Rest and relaxation leave
- Safety and security considerations
- Assignee ongoing career management
- Repatriation
Task 2: Collaborate with Stakeholders to Develop and Implement Solutions to Meet Organizational Objectives and Enhance the Employee Mobility Experience.
Knowledge of:
- Policy structure and design and factors that drive the development of policies
- Policy types:
- Short-term
- Long-term
- Permanent/one-way transfer
- Core/flex (points-based, budget-based, etc.)
- Localization
- Rotational
- Commuter
- Intern
- Regional
- Developmental/leadership development
- Expat lite
- Local plus
- Extended business travelers
- Global nomads
Task 3: Manage Relationships with Supplier Partners, Establish Service-Level Agreements (SLAs), and Key Performance Indicators (KPIs), and Assess Performance.
Knowledge of:
- Supplier categories/types
- Supplier selection
- Service-level agreements (SLAs)
- Key performance indicators (KPIs)
- Performance tracking and assessment
Task 4: Recommend Policies and Programs that Add Measurable Value to the Organization Based on the Analysis and Interpretation of Relevant Data.
Knowledge of:
- Data sources and system integration
- Standard data points (e.g., mobility volume, benefit utilization, satisfaction surveys)
- C-level data points (e.g., return on investment, employee performance, attrition)
Domain 3: Risk Mitigation
Task 1: Educate Stakeholders Regarding Applicable Country Laws, Regulations, and Procedures to Ensure a Compliant Mobility Program.
Knowledge of:
- Immigration:
- Importance of process, timing, and country-specific documentation
- Impact on talent acquisition and mobility planning
- Entry, work, and residence authorizations
- Importance of understanding immigration laws
- Company immigration philosophy and policy
- Emerging trends and changing practices
- Program management
- Tax:
- Triggering tax liability
- Importance of tax treaties and totalization agreements
- Tax philosophy
- Tax law and process
- Non-compliance consequences
- Emerging trends and changing practices
- Program management
- Entity-level secondments
- The importance of seeking information on local laws and regulations
Task 2: Develop and Implement Policies, Procedures, and Programs to Facilitate the Safety, Health, Security, and Cultural Awareness of the Global Workforce.
Knowledge of:
- Definition of duty of care
- Safety and security
- Healthcare and risks
- Data security
- Cultural sensitivity
Staying in Touch with WERC
It is your responsibility to inform WERC of changes to your contact information (i.e., address, company, name, email, etc.) as they occur. Please update your changes to your "My Profile."
For instructions to update your contact information, please visit WERC's Help Center.
WERC’s Professional Development department is available Monday through Friday to assist with any questions candidates may have about the GMS-T® training program and any questions a designee may have about his or her certification.
- Phone: +1 703 842 3400 Option 3
- Email: GMS@worldwideerc.org
- Address: 2001 K Street, NW, #300 Washington, DC 20006