When a business decides to move an employee from one location to another, there are a lot of stresses and strains placed upon the individual in question. As such the company has an incentive to improve their morale as much as possible, so they can settle into their new role seamlessly.
If you are struggling to satisfy workers during the relocation process, here are some tips to try out that should lead to better results going forward.
Provide adequate incentives to sweeten the deal
Employee relocation can be expensive, as this article outlines, with average costs for moving people who own property closing in on $100,000. Because of this, businesses will need to ensure that suitable financial incentives are provided to offset or entirely cover these costs.
Furthermore relocation incentives can include improved salaries, an outright promotion and an attractive benefits package.
This works to keep employees happy during the relocation because they will be more willing to put up with the more taxing elements of the process if their finances will improve in the long run.
Afford employees flexibility & organizational support
If there are hard deadlines and other immutable restrictions on when and where a worker will be expected to move, the already challenging experience will be even more intense and disruptive.
A better way to go about this is to be fairly flexible and give the relocating individual time to get their affairs in order, without feeling like they are up against it.
It is also sensible to give them the assistance they need to help sell their home, move their possessions and store any items they cannot move. This kind of support is all about unburdening them of as many responsibilities as possible, so that they are free to focus their attention on other things, such as their work and families.
Embrace proactive onboarding
Just because an employee will still be working within the same business after relocation is complete, it does not mean that they will automatically be able to gel instantly with their new colleagues and managers, or feel content and comfortable in the location they now call home.
This means you need to implement an onboarding policy for relocated employees which is very similar to that used for welcoming new hires. From ensuring they are integrated with the social side of the office they are joining, to partnering them with someone who can show them around the area, being sensitive to this aspect of the process will pay dividends in terms of employee peace of mind and is one of the best ways to manage your workforce.
Allow for a period of adjustment
Finally, it is unhelpful to expect that an employee will be working at full capacity as soon as they take up their role following relocation. Instead it is better to accept the fact that it will take an amount of time for them to settle in and build up the confidence to reach their full potential.
So in short, businesses have a duty of care to their employees and can do a lot to lessen the annoyances of relocation.
Pearl Gibson – Pearl is a freelance writer who is passionate about sharing her thoughts on business and marketing. Her interests also include traveling, swimming, and sketching.
