The purpose of a relocation policy is to provide financial and administrative support to help an employee transition from the departure location to the destination location, all while the individual is essentially working to close out their old job and transition to a new role. A structured relocation policy will reduce all the stress an individual and/or family have in making this life change and transition to a new community.
This policy typically applies to exempt workers who are obliged to relocate because they are being transferred (often for at least 12 months) to a new location at the company’s request. Or an employee desires a relocation to a select destination and the company is willing to accommodate the request.
Before diving into the details of a talent management strategy, consider the following questions:
- What are your organization’s goals and aspirations, and how will you track progress?
We’re talking about talent management metrics when we consider setting measurable targets. We can keep track of what we’re doing and how well we’re doing it with these measures. Unwanted turnover is an excellent example. Companies will most certainly fall short of their goal if they are unable to retain their top performers.
- What are you going to concentrate on?
You can concentrate on a variety of talent management aspects. You have the potential to become a desirable employer. Being a top employer or being named a “Great Place to Work” necessitates a significant financial investment. This can work well, especially if you want to attract people from many walks of life.
In this scenario, the HR talent management model comes in handy because it lets you map out the exact activities you want to focus on. This will also assist you in the following stages. A list of talent management methods that you can enhance can be found below.
- How will you be able to outperform the competition?
Unfortunately, you are not alone in your search for elite talent. How can you outperform your competitors and make yourself a more appealing employer? This can be accomplished through improved employer branding, retention, selection, and employee relocation, among other things.
- What qualities do you need to develop to keep winning?
Consider hiring a dedicated talent management team to make yourself a more appealing employer in terms of relocation. HR data analytics skills, for example, can ensure that you get the most out of your current workforce. You’ll need to develop different skills depending on your concentration points. Relocation services can be a great differentiator.
- How do you keep track of your progress and make improvements?
You need to keep track of progress and ensure that talent management systems continue to develop. Determine which members of your workforce can wear various business hats based on the answers to the above questions, and then consider relocating your most valuable employees. Relocating personnel can be done for multiple reasons, including opening a new site, filling a vacant position in another area, career advancement, and more.
How can you persuade staff to relocate?
Employee relocation is a terrific method to build a stellar team at work, but it’s not always straightforward. Whether it’s transferring existing team members to a new location or recruiting new prospects for a position that requires them to relocate, relocation isn’t for everyone.
Packing up their belongings and leaving their homes is a daunting task in and of itself, and many people have valid objections. If your employees (or candidates) are adamant about not relocating, there are a few things you can do to make the offer more appealing. Two of the frequently mentioned ideas relative to international and national relocation follows.
Immigration Support
The most challenging aspect of relocating an employee, aside from finding them a home and arranging for the removal of their belongings, is allowing them to work legally in the destination country by sponsoring the appropriate work and accompanying family visas.
Often, a company relocating a staff member has already established itself in the country to which the individual is being relocated, making things easier. However, this is not always the situation, and it does not always imply that immigration proceedings will go smoothly.
An application for a permanent work Visa can take months to process and requires a lot of input from HR and the employee. Failure to devote sufficient time and effort to such an application might lead to the failure to secure a Visa.
Allow plenty of time to secure the appropriate form of immigration, and make sure to do so as quickly as possible. Typically, the business wants the employee on site immediately, but immigration is in the hands of the government overseeing the application processes and you have to navigate the red tape.
Provide a raise in pay
When it comes to employee relocation, salary is a critical consideration. One of the best motivations you can provide an employee to relocate is a pay boost! The pay increase doesn’t need to be significant, though it can be persuasive.
Because income is often the most important motivator for employees, it will have the most pull when persuading them to relocate. You shouldn’t, at the very least, propose to reduce their income if they move.
That, believe it or not, isn’t as unusual as you may assume. When an employee is transferred from a city with a high cost of living to one with a considerably lower cost of living, a modest wage decrease can reflect a significant raise once the cost of living is taken into account.
Your employees, on the other hand, are unlikely to see it this way. Even if they grasp it academically, their gut instinct will be more concerned with the threat of a lower wage.
So, wherever possible, give your employees a raise to encourage them to move. This will make persuading them to relocate easier. It will also reinforce their commitment to your firm!
A relocation policy should include the following:
- More options or a menu of relocation benefits.
- It should be designed to address and minimize employee and HR stress.
- The relocation policy must appeal to relocating personnel at all levels of authority in the business.
- Connecting the employee with individuals familiar with the requirement for relocation and sources from experienced suppliers frequently alleviates concerns about housing issues during the transfer.
- The policy should be kept on your company intranet so that all employees may easily view it. Otherwise, an email sent with a policy pdf can be lost.
Conclusion
Relocating an employee successfully can be challenging, but it’s an invaluable tool for recruiting and growing a company. Try to learn who each candidate is as a person, their fundamental values, and what is the most meaningful benefit to induce them to move. If you tailor your strategy and relocation package to the individual, then you will have a greater degree of success in moving your talent and having a high performing employee.