Employee relocation is never easy. It’s a difficult process on the employer and employee. Making sure the employee needs are met is important.
Successful employee relocation is everything. It creates a tight bond between the employee and your company, increasing the likelihood of their loyalty and hard work. The moment they feel valued is the moment they’ll vow to help your company grow.
Covering your employee needs starts with big-ticket items, such as the cost of relocation and housing. But, it also includes basic essentials like a welcome packet and an ability to expense certain items upon arrival. Together, let’s explore seven relocation tips that will ensure a happy outcome for everyone involved.
- Make Sure They Visit the New City
Your new hire will figure out the ins and outs of their new city once they arrive. However, you can make it easier for them to navigate.
Send them on a brief trip to the new city. Let them meet their new coworkers. Arrange for someone to take them out to lunch or dinner.
Fill them in on all the nitty-gritty. What’s the weather like? Where are the local parks, the best coffee shops, etc.?
While they’re visiting the new office, have someone from HR sit down with them to explain which parts of the move may be tax-deductible and how to set up the finer details like direct deposit and benefits.
- Take Care of the Moving Company
You don’t have to arrange the details of the move for your employee, but you do want to have a partnership with a moving company. Put your top sales manager on the job and see if they can strike a deal with national moving companies.
Being able to put your employee’s mind at ease when it comes to packing up a house is a tremendous asset. They’ll be happy to know a reputable company is going to safely pack up their belongings and see things through to the next city.
This will, of course, take care of things in the new city, as well. Movers will swoop in, unload the truck, and arrange your employee’s belongings in their temporary housing.
- Ship Their Car
With the moving truck loaded and sent, consider shipping your employee’s car or cars to their new state. Depending on the length of the drive, that may not be something they’re interested in doing.
The wear and tear on the car alone can be less than appealing. Along with a solid moving company, price out transport companies for their vehicle. Then, you can fly them out to their new city.
- Cover Temporary Housing
When moving to a new city, everyone wants to know which neighborhood is safest. Beyond that, it’s nice to know which neighborhood will suit each person’s lifestyle. Selecting the best neighborhood is a tough task and one that requires time spent in each area.
Many companies like to cover the cost of temporary housing or initial hotel stays while families figure out where they want to live. Settling into a new office is difficult enough; adding house hunting into the mix can be quite a big task for a new employee.
So, if you want your new hire to focus on the job and not appear distracted, give them a place to stay in the early days. Then, within a reasonable timeframe, they can research neighborhoods, walk through rentals, or even put a down payment down on a house. This can be an exciting time if managed well.
- Be Clear About Expectations
Don’t let any of the fine print slip through the cracks. Consider every element from the moment they arrive. For example, will you give them a few days to settle in before reporting to the office?
When they begin reporting to work, what will their work schedule look like? Is there any room for flex hours? Will they ever work from home during the week?
It’s important for everyone involved to be ultra clear about expectations because, if either party is unsatisfied, you risk a tremendous loss in capital.
- Create a Welcome Package
At this point, you’ve already done a lot. You’ve arranged for movers and set your employee up in temporary housing. When they came to visit, you took them out on the town and gave them the rundown on all the local hotspots.
But, what about the mundane details that anyone faces when relocating? Create a welcome package that details what they’ll need to change their license and registration at the DMV. Present a fact sheet on the local school systems. For more help navigating the relocation process, check out this Employee Relocation Toolbox for resources and guidance.
Create a list of local service people they might need to check out, from insurance specialists, to realtors, to local gyms and physicians. No one likes getting established with a new primary care physician at first. Offering a list of recommendations will certainly put their minds at ease.
- Allocate Miscellaneous Expenses
Along with your clear expectations, be clear about eligible expenses upon their arrival in the new town. You might want to cover their driver’s license fees, pet registration fees, cleaning services in the new home, storage fees, or childcare costs.
Within a certain timeframe, allow your employee to submit certain expenses to HR for reimbursement. Take this time to be clear about what’s allowable and what isn’t.
Meet All Your Employee Needs
Doing everything within your power to make your employee happy is a win-win for everyone. A loyal employee will work harder and want to stay with the company longer. The more you can do to meet employee needs, the more everyone will be at ease.
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