HR professionals work hard to keep many aspects of a business running smoothly, and this is especially relevant in the context of relocating employees. Here is a look at the responsibilities which fall upon the shoulders of HR managers when members of staff are being relocated to begin new roles in a different part of the world.
Handling relocation expenses
There are a whole heap of costs that come with moving individuals or entire family units, ranging from travel and work visas to housing and training. Depending on the relocation package that your company is willing to offer to its workforce, it may be your job as an HR professional to sign off on the various expenses and provide partial or full remuneration for any costs that employees incur as part of this process. The scope of the expenses covered by a package will vary depending on the seniority of the role, the experience of the candidate and of course their personal circumstances. It is much more affordable to relocate renters than it is homeowners, for example, because of all of the overheads involved in selling a house. Likewise sending a single person with no dependents to live in a different country will come with fewer additional costs than an employee with a spouse and children.
Rather than tackling each of these elements separately, which can create a lot of extra work for you, it might make sense to take advantage of a company like ARC Relocation Services. That way you can benefit from an all-encompassing relocation package that includes things like the shipment of household goods, the sale of existing property, the provision of temporary housing and much more. Since even an average relocation can cost over $90K, assuming that the sale of a home is a necessity, it makes sense to optimize the way expenses are handled wherever possible.
Communicating effectively
When it comes to relocating employees over long distances, there is little room for ambiguity. It is the responsibility of the HR team to make sure that any workers who are considering this move are made aware of all of the ins and outs of any relocation policy that is already in place, as any misunderstandings or miscommunications in the early stages could lead to much bigger issues further down the line.
If you are just developing a relocation policy, it makes sense to ensure that members of staff to which it is applicable are properly introduced to it. Then when the time comes for individuals to begin the relocation process, you need to be a knowledgeable, communicative point of contact to guide them through every step of the way.
Pinpoint suitable candidates
Perhaps the most significant part that an HR professional can play in relocating members of the workforce is singling out employees that would be a good fit for any opportunities for mobility. This also means being able to identify those for whom a significant move would not be in their best interests, both from a personal and professional perspective. A lot of this will come down to getting together with managers in order departments and asking for their input in the decision making process. They will be in the best position to highlight suitable candidates for relocation, or provide additional information that is pertinent to creating relocation packages.
There are lots of other factors at play in terms of how HR professionals handle workforce relocation, such as taking the cost of living into account, but if you get the biggest administrative aspects right then the rest should fall into place.
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