GLOBAL RELOCATION MARKET SET TO HIT US$33.5 BILLION The global employee relocation management market is forecast to grow by 3-4 per cent until 2021, according to a report by procurement intelligence company Beroe Inc. This means the current $31.5bn worldwide market is expected to reach $33.5bn by next year. Beroe said the increase is being driven by a growing number of assignments in the US, Western Europe, Australia, Singapore, Japan, India and China, which are boosting demand for relocation services. IT and consulting assignments are on the rise, while the growth in Fortune 500 company operations in developing economies has increased outsourcing of relocation services to global providers. The company says the most inuential trends in the market are: technology such as relocation management software support; an increase in the number of female assignees; use of data analytics; outsourcing; and consecutive assignments. According to Beroe, ongoing challenges for the employee relocation management market include compliance, difculty with service delivery channels, costs of international assignments, and tiered policies. The report states that North America is the worlds largest market currently worth $15.6bn and is growing at 2-3 per cent annually, while Asia-Pacic is the fastest growing region, at 78 per cent. Beroe says high market maturity regions include the US, UK, Australia and Western Europe; medium market maturity regions include Brazil, China and Singapore; while low market maturity covers North Korea, Vietnam, Indonesia, African countries, Chile, Colombia and Peru. North Carolina-based Beroe works with more than 10,000 companies worldwide, including 400 of the Fortune 500 companies. IND U STRY N E W S European driver shortage worsens The shortage of drivers affecting the northern European transportation industry is also causing problems in the south of the continent, according to a survey by the International Road Transport Union (IRU). The survey shows that one in five of all driver vacancies in Spain are unfilled, while demand is set to increase by 18 per cent. Meanwhile, the UKs shortage is believed to be growing at a rate of 50 drivers a day; in Norway there is a vacancy rate of 22 per cent; and in Germany the average driver age is now over 47. The IRU has launched an initiative with the European Shippers Council to develop common standards to improve the facilities and treatment of drivers at delivery sites and make driving a more attractive profession. FIDI HOSTS AT GLOBAL WORKFORCE SYMPOSIUM FIDIs General Secretary Jesse van Sas hosted a session on FAIM Certification as part of FIDIs participation in the 2019 Global Workforce Symposium organised by the Worldwide ERC (WERC). The session, entitled What Is The True Value of a FAIM Certification? highlighted FAIM as the ultimate seal of quality in the international moving industry. WW W. F I D I. O R G FF294 DecJan20 pp08-13 Industry News.indd 9 9 20/11/2019 12:44