Based on the 2025 Atlas® Corporate Relocation Survey, 2026 will extend the pivot toward policy personalization, budget discipline, alternative assignments, and AI‑enabled mobility—all while domestic moves outpace international transfers and office strategies settle into structured on‑site/hybrid models. Expect higher expectations for reporting, priority scheduling, and family‑forward support from corporate clients and transferees alike.
1) Budgets Hold Steady—With Smarter Allocation
- Relocation budgets remained resilient in 2024, with 58% of companies reporting increases; 61% expect stronger global economic conditions in 2025—setting the stage for stable-to-slightly-up budgets going into 2026.
- Domestic volumes increased (≈+3%) while international dropped (≈−9%), signaling 2026 program planning should continue to prioritize domestic capacity, pricing discipline, and rapid quoting workflows.
Main takeaway: Budget is there—but scrutiny is higher. Lean on tiered policies, contracted rates, and priority capacity during peaks to keep cost-per-move predictable.
2) Economic & Housing Realities Still Drive Decisions
- Economic conditions were the #1 external factor impacting corporate relocation in 2024 (50%), up 15 points from 2023. Expect the same macro pressure to inform 2026 approvals, vendor negotiations, and exception requests.
- Housing & mortgage headwinds intensified: concerns about selling/leaving origin home and destination mortgage costs impacted ~44% of decline decisions; mortgage rates near 7.3% made swapping low‑rate loans painful.
What will work in 2026:
- Expand temporary housing and home‑finding support (both rose in 2024) to offset market friction.
- Keep COLA, sign‑on bonuses, extended temp housing at the ready—these were the top nonstandard levers that moved the needle in 2024.
3) Fewer Declines—But Family Dynamics Dominate
- Only 58% of companies saw declines in 2024 (improved from prior years), yet family issues/ties remained the top reason (35%). Dual‑income realities magnify the need for spouse/partner support.
- Safety concerns plunged (−31 points year‑over‑year), aligning with lower international transfers and more options to meet business needs without relocating to riskier locales.
2026 planning tip: Build family‑forward playbooks (spousal job resources, schooling, eldercare guidance, pet logistics) and ensure fast claims documentation—both matter for satisfaction and speed to settle‑in.
4) Policies: From One‑Size‑Fits‑All to Policy‑Dependent & Tiered
- Formal policies declined across types in 2024, while fixed and flexible benefits became policy‑dependent (fixed: 32% in 2024 vs 6% in 2023; flexible: 36% in 2024). Expect 2026 programs to codify flexibility—tying benefits to tiers, roles, and assignment types.
- Travel (final move) and temporary housing saw steep increases and remain core inclusions for 2026 policy templates.
Operational implication for RMCs: Corporate clients will want configurable menus, clean eligibility rules, and clear reporting by tier to simplify audits and annual vendor reviews.
5) Alternative Assignments Rise (and Mature)
- Companies used alternative assignments (extended business travel, commuter, rotational) to meet strategic goals (37%) and accommodate employee needs (33%), not just to replace long‑term assignments. Expect more commuter/rotational designs in 2026 to balance family stability and business outcomes.
- Medium and large companies led limited/frequent international alternative use, aligning with their broader global footprints.
What RMCs should prep: Ensure household goods capacity for partial shipments, storage, and repeat legs common in commuter models—plus precise cost coding for finance teams.
6) Lump Sums: Bigger Checks, Smarter Controls
- Lump‑sum amounts shifted higher in 2024 (most common $10k–$12.5k, with growth in higher ranges), but partial reimbursement (by salary/role/tier) grew to 52%—a sign that 2026 programs will blend lump sum + managed caps for cost control and fairness.
- Domestic moves most often receive lump sums (≈64%), while specialized services (second car, secondary residence pickup) saw reimbursement increases—an indicator to keep scope clarity tight in 2026 SOWs.
7) Workforce Mobility: Structured Return‑to‑Office with Targeted Flex
- Full on‑site plans rose to 60%; hybrid for all employees dipped. At the same time, remote remains allowed in many organizations—often with tech standards (47%) and geographic approvals (41%). Expect 2026 to normalize structured attendance with exceptions for certain roles and markets.
- Office strategies stabilized (51% no change in space), but 30% considered relocating offices—a potential uptick in corporate site moves to lower‑cost, talent‑dense states.
Implication: RMCs should be ready for multi‑site relocations, short‑notice priority scheduling, and programs that integrate commuter and periodic travel support.
8) AI: From Pilot to Platform for Mobility
- 93% of companies used AI in 2024; 59% increased usage year‑over‑year, and 47% increased AI investment for relocation tasks—anticipating further growth in 2025 and beyond. HR sees meaningful cost reductions, with AI used for resume analysis, budget tracking, and payment calculations.
2026 RMC roadmap: Embed AI for pre‑decision modeling, budget forecast vs. actual, risk scoring (decline probability), and proactive communication to reduce cycle times and improve transferee experience.
What Relocation Managers Should Expect—and Ask For—in 2026
- Program Design
- Policy‑dependent tiers with flexible menus (temp housing, travel, storage, rental/homeowner assistance) and clear eligibility rules for each transferee segment.
- Alternative assignment toolkits (commuter logistics, rotational timing, partial shipments) with cost tracking that rolls up cleanly to finance.
- Family‑forward benefits: spouse/partner employment resources, childcare/eldercare guidance, and pet transport options—aligned to why relocations fail.
- Operations & Reporting
- Priority capacity during peak seasons and SLA‑based responsiveness (2–4 hours) with issue escalation paths—critical for high‑volume RMC coordination.
- Detailed move reports, claims documentation, insurance proof, licensing, and transferee CSAT tracking—to support annual vendor reviews and approved vendor lists.
- AI‑enabled dashboards for budget tracking, exception impact, and predictive decline risks to guide policy tuning each quarter.
- Cost & Incentives
- Keep COLA, sign‑on bonuses, extended temp housing as agile levers to offset mortgage/housing barriers; test buyer value options or duplicate housing assistance where market conditions warrant.
- Blend lump sum + managed caps and partial reimbursement to balance autonomy with accountability.
How Imlach Group Helps Your 2026 Needs
- Capacity & Consistency: Global coverage for origin/destination coordination and priority scheduling during peaks—exactly what high‑volume programs require.
- Corporate‑grade service: Uniformed, background‑checked crews, documented proof of insurance/licensing, and white‑collar customer experience aligned to corporate standards and CSAT goals.
- Data & Reporting: End‑to‑end move reporting, claims turnaround, and performance metrics (on‑time delivery, damage rates, transferee CSAT) tailored for RMC dashboards and annual vendor scorecards.
- Policy Flexibility: Tiered, fixed household‑goods benefits (packing, loading, transportation, storage) and flexible add‑ons mapped to policy‑dependent coverage—aligned with where corporate relocation and moving programs are headed.
- AI & Visibility: Integration with RMC portals and tracking/reporting, supporting your need for efficiency and proactive communication.
The 2026 Checklist
- Refresh policy tiers to explicitly define: temp housing lengths, travel allowances, storage rules, homeowner/renter assistance.
- Stand up an alternative‑assignment playbook (commuter + rotational). Include cost coding, shipment scope, and SLA timelines.
- Family‑forward bundle (spouse job support, child/eldercare resources, pet handling) to reduce decline risk.
- Mortgage/housing countermeasures: COLA, extended temp housing, home‑finding trips, duplicate housing assistance—triggered by market conditions.
- AI reporting: budget vs. actual, exception ROI, decline drivers, and predictive alerts for capacity conflicts.
Final Word
The headline for corporate relocation trends in 2026 is personalized policies, precise reporting, and people‑centric support—powered by AI and delivered with rock‑solid operational reliability. If you’re planning cycles for Q1–Q4, we can help you model budgets, pre‑book capacity, and implement the tiering and reporting that your RMC peers expect.
