International employee relocations can be quite a challenge for employees, even if they are well-traveled. As a result, it is the employer’s responsibility to ensure that the employee’s relocation goes smoothly. Your employee is making a life-altering decision to have a better life when they accept relocating to a new location. While they may face cultural differences, it can be a challenge for them to acclimate and make their family feel comfortable, too. The support you provide to the employee before, during and after the relocation can ensure their loyalty to your enterprise.
Here are some steps that you can take to ensure a smooth international relocation for your employees, rather than one filled with stress and anxiety:
Relocating for an international placement means a significant investment, financially and emotionally. Always maintain clear communications with your employee. This includes your expectations for them in their new role at the new location. The nature of the salary package needs to be discussed in length and if the employee wants to negotiate, be willing to hear them out. This will give you a clear picture of your employee’s expectations from the relocation, thus warranting a space to clear out any doubts. Also, you must discuss the length of the assignment, whether it’s permanent, contractual, or temporary.
The other point that needs to be clear between both parties is the relocation process. It’s best if you figure out how you’ll work with the employee, i.e., whether you’ll provide the service, or if the employee will hire someone and you’ll reimburse the cost. We recommend that employers outsource to a reputable Relocation Management Company (RMC) such as WHR Global.
Let’s look at an example. Moving from the U.K. to the U.S. is a relatively smooth transition compared to moving from the U.S. to Asia. The cultural and language differences between the two is quite significant. We always encourage employers to develop a cross-cultural training program for their relocating employees. This will give transferees the opportunity to learn and familiarize themselves with the other culture, etiquette and other important geographical aspects. Often, employees will find the information shared during the training helpful when they move to a new place.
A good employer will give importance to the employee’s family. Hence, extend the support of your firm to the family of the employee as well. One of the best ways to do that is to offer spousal/partner career assistance and settling-in services. A good RMC will coordinate this for you.
Just because the employee has moved to the new place and is settling in, does not mean you should cease communication with them. Keeping in regular contact with them will help the employee feel connected to the home network. As an employer, be willing to hear any of their issues and resolve them as quickly as possible. Maintaining regular communication will also help you monitor the employee’s performance and ensure they are achieving the targets for the assignments they have relocated for.
Relocating an employee can be quite expensive. Your costs are much higher for home buyers versus renters. When you hire a professional RMC like WHR, you and your employees get peace of mind during the relocation process. It is not only a cost-effective method, but a professional Relocation Management Company takes on the entire burden of relocation, plus they have the latest technology to facilitate a transparent moving process.
Contact WHR Global to discuss your global employee relocation program.