What makes the process even harder is the uncertainty of things to come and the general fear that something could go horribly wrong during the process. The concern is quantified if you're relocating your employees. When an employee has agreed to relocate to one of your other branches, it means they trust you to make the right decisions and facilitate the move as seamlessly as possible.
The employee may have family members who may move with them, which is also the responsibility of the employer—well, in most cases anyway. If the employee is relocating permanently, they may need to take their car with them. It may not be practical to drive thousands of miles amid a relocation.
In this scenario, employers can recommend professional shipping services to their employees, thus making the process less stressful. Employees should always compare features from multiple shipping companies to get the best deal. This includes comparing the car shipping cost, safety measures taken during transit, delivery speed, and other factors.
Tips to Ensure a Smooth Relocation for Your Employees
1. Plan Early
Considering the worries involved during the relocation process, it is vital to begin planning the move early. As the employer, it's your duty to lay out all the necessary information, including travel times and when to report to work at the new location. Not every employee is the same, so you likely can't use the same relocation process as you did a year or two ago. While the recommended planning time for an employee relocation is six to twelve months, employers need to keep aside at least three months to have a good grasp on the process.
Prioritize the important details, such as moving services, and only then shift to less urgent tasks in the process. Communicate with your employee throughout the process so both of you are on the same page and there's nothing left out. Employers must also remember to make early arrangements for the temporary or permanent accommodation of the employee when they get there.
2. Make Sure Employees Have Access to Familiar Technology
Any large-scale operation has some form of technology involved. When you're moving employees to other branches, it is important for the company's sake that they don't take much time getting acclimated to the new setup. For example, a person using a Windows computer at their existing working location would find it hard to cope with a Mac or Chromebook at the new workplace.
Admittedly, a lot of large-scale operations have a streamlined technology system, which enables employees to do the same work regardless of the location. But employers should exercise additional caution in this regard so as to not waste the company's valuable time.
3. Hire Professionals to Manage Relocation
Since you're the employer, you have to take the responsibility of relocating your staff. However, this doesn't require you to leave your desk to manually coordinate or facilitate the move. Employers can take the worry out of the relocation process by hiring a professional relocation consultancy specialist who can guide them and the employee through the relocation.
We must point out that a relocation specialist may not be suited for a company with a smaller budget. But if your company routinely manages relocation, seeking the counsel of a professional can do wonders for your stress levels. Since someone is specifically hired to relocate your employee, you can focus on more important tasks at hand.
Relocation specialists can also help move the employee's family if and when the need arises. Staying away from family can have a negative impact on the psyche, so it is prioritized by almost every employee today.
4. Discuss Local Laws and Other Requirements
Moving to a new place is always scary, but it doesn't have to be. A frequent problem that employees go through after relocation involves understanding the nuances of local laws and regulations. While everything today is an internet search away, it's not always the best way to get official information.
So if your employee is moving to another state or country, make sure registrations and other processes are well laid out. This could range from getting health insurance or opening a bank account, or even something as minor as getting an internet connection. It's a terrible situation to be in when you need something urgently, only to realize you don't have the right documentation or registration ready with you.
Helping your employees have access to this crucial information can also help them utilize their time in a more productive manner.
5. Maintain Contact With Your Employee
One of the biggest hindrances to employee satisfaction is knowing the company doesn't care about you. Businesses can rectify this by continually speaking to their employees before, during, and even after the relocation process, to let them know that the company cares for them. Moving to a new location can induce a lot of emotions, particularly given the unfamiliarity.
This can be rectified by providing tips about social life or community programs in the area. Most corporations that facilitate employee relocations offer this program already. But it's a good practice for even small or medium-sized companies. Staying in contact doesn't necessarily mean constantly checking up on them. Even a text or two on alternate days should be adequate.
The Bottom Line
Uprooting your entire life to find a new one is a challenge for anybody. But employers can make things easier for employees who are willing to make this big change in their lives. Supporting them in the ways we've detailed above can go a long way in keeping employees happy, which consequently leads to good results in terms of job performance.
By contrast, a bitter relocation experience can significantly damage your professional relationship with the employee. It could even lead to them seeking other job opportunities elsewhere.
Relocating sometimes requires employees to shift their families with them. If the spouse is also employed, the individual may have to relocate on their own, at least temporarily until the spouse can find a suitable job in the new location. Families may also decide to let their kids finish the year off at their current school before moving to another region. Employers have to consider all these variables to ensure a smooth relocation process for their employees.