When relocating employees, a transparent, flexible and well-communicated relocation policy is a must. Helen McCormick reports.
Dos and don'ts for a successful move:
Do
- have transparent and fair policies for all your staff
- ensure policies actively address all stress factors
- gear benefits to getting your employee back to work and productive as quickly as possible
- anticipate how each family member is affected (working spouse/partner, school-aged children, even pets)
- attend to the details
- plan the return (repatriation) with the same level of detail.
Don't
- think every move is so different you don't need a policy
- cut corners on a relocation and undermine your overall investment in your employee
- expect hard-working HR staff to become successful property negotiators overnight
- ignore issues with a long-term impact (tax differentials, pensions etc)
- underestimate the impact of culture
- underestimate the stress that relocating can place on your employees.
Source: Farthingtons Corporate Relocation Services
