Challenge
Making Global Hiring Work: Decathlon’s Relocation Strategy for Fast, Scalable Growth
Decathlon was building its global e-commerce business from the ground up - based in Amsterdam.
This meant hiring world-class talent across functions, fast. But relocation had become a major risk. Visa timelines, housing shortages, and administrative overhead were putting pressure on internal HR and slowing team onboarding.
They needed a relocation partner who could not only deliver logistics, but ensure talent landed well, integrated fast, and stayed long-term.
Solution
A Fully Embedded Relocation Engine
Talcom partnered with Decathlon as an embedded relocation team, responsible for managing every aspect of the relocation journey, from visa and housing to emotional support.
- Global-to-Dutch relocation for over 60 hires from various regions
- Housing arranged before arrival, with personal airport pickups
- Full immigration and visa management, tailored to each country of origin
- Family relocation and integration, including daycare, schools, and partner support
- Ongoing support for 12+ months post-relocation
- On-call advisory for Decathlon’s HR and hiring leads
Results
Fast Starts. Seamless Landings. Zero Compromise.
Talcom helped Decathlon cut onboarding time by a third, with over 60 successful relocations and zero failures. Every employee landed smoothly, integrated quickly, and stayed, while internal HR pressure dropped. Even in a tight housing market, Talcom delivered consistent, high-quality outcomes across the board.
- Time-to-onboard reduced by 33%, from 60 to under 40 days
- 100% relocation success rate, across 60+ global moves
- High employee satisfaction, attributed to smooth relocation experience
- Internal HR load reduced, with Talcom acting as direct partner to hiring managers and talent teams
- Reliable housing solutions, even in a constrained market
