For many employers, this year’s overarching HR goal is to improve employee experience. That may mean redefining work/life balance, adding wellness resources and minimizing workplace stress. And since corporate relocations are on the rise, it may also mean improving the employee relocation experience. One proven way to accomplish that: by using experienced relocation consultants to guide employees through their moves.
After all, moving and changing jobs are two of life’s most stressful events, making corporate relocation a double whammy. An experienced relocation consultant can defuse much of that stress by ensuring a smooth, swift, no-stone-unturned move.
But there’s a catch. While most employers provide some type of relocation allowance, many fail to the provide the services of relocation consultants, which would ensure that allowance is wisely spent.
If your 2023 HR goals include both improving your employees experience and recruiting top talent, it’s in your interest to understand the role relocation consultants can play.
There are several reasons why employee relocations go badly, including the current popularity of lump-sum plans—the plan of choice for nearly 40% of employers.
With lump-sum plans, employers simply hand employees a fixed amount of money—easy-peasy, right? Wrong. Because most lump-sum plans don’t include relocation support, employees are left to their own devices when it comes to planning their move.
Furthermore, because lump-sum disbursements allow employees to pocket any unspent funds, there’s built-in motivation to choose the least expensive movers and realtors, rather than those with the best track records.
Plus, there’s pressure to move fast. About two-thirds of employers give their people just one to two months to complete their relocations. As a result, employees may make decisions before considering all the angles, resulting in unanticipated problems later.
Without support and guidance, these relocations are likely to end with a negative employee experience—one that not only starts the employee’s tenure off on the wrong foot, but may color the developing employer/employee relationship.
We all appreciate expertise, especially in complex situations—and relocation consultants are experts in helping employees’ plan and manage their moves. That includes: