The universal goal of corporate relocation programs is to deliver a great employee experience that sets incoming professionals up for success. But every employee is unique—and so is their vision of what that “great experience” looks like.
That’s why one of the best ways to enhance your relocation program is to leverage flexible relocation policies. These policies allow employees to use their relocation benefits as they choose—essentially personalizing their relocation.
And let’s face it: in 2025, a personalized experience is the best kind of experience.
Sure, this probably sounds obvious to you. But there’s still a surprising amount of old-school rigidity in the relocation universe. And it’s still overshadowing great employee experiences in less-than-obvious ways.
Here’s how to spot it—and, better yet, what you can do about it.
Spotting Square-Peg-Round-Hole Relocation Policies
The primary objective of traditional relocation policies has never been delivering a great relocation experience to each and every employee. Rather, it’s about making relocation programs easier for employers to budget and manage. Which is a good thing, but isn’t the only thing.
Under these policies, every employee gets the same set of benefits, regardless of family size, volume of household goods, housing preferences, etc. Benefits are broken into strict categories—say, moving, transportation, home finding—each with a pre-set maximum.
The problem with this one-size-fit-all approach is that some employees’ expenses inevitably exceed their max in some categories—requiring them to request exceptions or pay out-of-pocket—while others “lose” benefits that don’t apply to their situation.
So, how do you know if your relocation policy is too rigid? Here’s three common indicators:
- Your HR department is regularly fielding exception requests
- As a rule, certain benefits are often maxed out, while others are underutilized
- Employee satisfaction ratings could be better
The good news is, these are easy problems to fix.
Enter Flexible Relocation Policies
Flexible relocation policies come in a variety of forms, which allows employers to choose one that’s right for their workforce and operations.
At one end of the spectrum is the simple lump sum policy. Essentially, employers disburse a pre-set amount to the employee in advance of their move, which employees can then spend however they choose. If there’s money left over post-relocation, employees keep it.
Lump sum is the ultimate in flexibility, allowing employees to plan a completely personalized relocation. It’s also easy for employers to administer, which is why it’s become a popular alternative to traditional policies.
But there’s a downside. Unless that lump sum is accompanied by guidance, some employees will inevitably run into trouble. For example, one common pitfall is that, in an attempt to pocket leftover funds, employees choose an unvetted moving company that fails to deliver as promised—derailing their relocation.
In order to avoid these unfortunate scenarios, the relocation industry has developed more guided, goof-proof interpretations of the lump sum approach, such as managed budget, capped allowance, and core/flex policies.
We offer all of these—in fact, managed budget is an UrbanBound specialty. You can learn more about how to optimize your relocation program here.
Flexibility + Support = Smooth Moves
In our book, a great relocation experience requires a flexible relocation policy—but also built-in support and guidance designed to ensure good outcomes.
Take our supplier network. Some relocation providers let employees use any supplier—no checks or balances. Others require that all employees use just one supplier—their supplier—whether or not it’s a good fit. We found a better way.
We offer employees a choice of suppliers, but all of them must pass rigorous screening first. (You won’t find a fly-by-night mover in our group.) Plus, we give employees a range of supplier types—so employees can choose everything from a full-size moving van with a crew to a compact, DIY trailer.
This way, everyone can get the move they want.
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A Personalized Balance of Tech and Touch
The same thing goes for our approach to support. Some employees prefer to manage their move independently, via our easy-to-use online relocation software. That’s fine—that’s what it’s there for.
Others feel more comfortable bouncing things off of our specialists first. That’s fine, too.
Of course, most end up somewhere in between. And it’s all good.
The point is, when you give employees the flexibility they want and the guidance they need, the end result is consistently great relocation experiences—and consistently happy employees.
Interested in alternatives to your current relocation policy or offerings? We invite you to pick our brains. Let’s talk!
