Moving house is a stressful time for anyone and staff relocation is no different. However, moving staff around the country or even abroad can be increasingly common in today’s business world. Whether you are moving to or from Kenya, or even if your company has relocated to another country, our team at The Centric Moving Company has helped many clients through this process. We understand that it can be a daunting task for an employee and their family so we are here to help you with 10 steps to plan a staff relocation successfully. I mean everything from the initial planning stages to the completion of the transition.
Staff relocation is inevitable
Your staff has a lot of reasons to move. As an employer, you might have set up another branch in a new location, or need a vacant position filled. However for your employees, they are compelled by a promotion, others by a change in career or environment. There are those who want to relocate for the sake of their children’s education or in exchange for learning new skills. And many people move simply because they want to experience a new culture, country, and so on; this could be anything from moving abroad (or back) or relocating to another town.
Many have even confessed they would move for the right job, even across borders. There are plenty of other reasons why people might relocate—whether it’s because they want more money or better working hours or just something different altogether—but whatever your reason is for their move, you’ll need help relocating them smoothly and safely.
Remember, change is a necessary part of moving your company forward. In order to prevent any significant losses or delays in your company’s business continuity, it’s important that their relocation is as seamless and safe as possible. This will result in better productivity and higher levels of happiness amongst your employees.
Staff relocation requires extra planning
Staff relocation is a complex process that requires careful planning.
- You need the right tools and equipment to move your staff members safely, efficiently, and with minimal impact on their productivity.
- You also need the right people: people who can make sure your workers are comfortable during the move; people who can help them settle into their new offices; and people who can ensure that everything runs smoothly once they arrive at their destination.
- Time is key when it comes to staff relocation—and so are location, budget, and weather conditions!
If you want to prepare for staff relocation in advance and make the process as smooth and comfortable as possible, here are some tips to guide you.
How do you plan for a staff relocation?
There are several things to consider when planning for staff relocations. Questions such as where will they be relocated? What type of accommodation will need to be provided? How long will they need to stay at their new workplace before returning home? What kind of support do they need during this time? To help you answer these questions, here are some staff relocation tips to get you started.
- Have a relocation policy in place to remove the guesswork from the moving process.
- Give the employee relocation letter in good time a minimum of 6 weeks in advance for moving to another town, & 3 months in moving across borders or internationally.
- Employee relocation announcement: Inform your staff members of the changes ahead and how they too
- If they are moving to another country for a couple of years, help them with immigration services, and international removals. Facilitate moving storage until they are settled.
- Should your employee be owning a home, and need to either sell it or find a tenant until their return, engage with verified real estate agents or property managers that can ease this burden
- Have a flexible start date. If you’re hiring top talent that requires them to move from their current home to a space near your office, then give them ample time to get settled.
- Give temporary housing with a payback clause should they want to leave the company before a certain period. This will ensure you have your return on investment.
- Set up a moving budget for your staff relocation. You can sign a contract with your moving service providers in advance to get better rates.
- Give a staff relocation allowance as an incentive to alleviate any financial stress that comes with relocating to a new location.
- Know what kind of preparation is needed and how much time is needed to get everything started.
How to write a company relocation letter to your employee
- Give clear reasons for the move: Whether you’re opening a new office space, promoting your employee, or filling in a vacant position, informing your staff of the reason for relocating them is important. If it’s a promotion, let them know that their input is it hard work, commitment, or drive that makes them suitable for the position at hand?
- Determine the duration of the move: Let your employee know if it’s a temporary or permanent move. This should be at the beginning of the letter.
- Discuss what the company is willing to cover: Staff is the backbone of your company. They are the ones who keep everything running smoothly and are responsible for the success of your business. That’s why it is so important that you make sure your employees feel like they are working in an environment that cares about them. A place they can grow, thrive, and succeed. Indicate which moving costs the company is willing to cover and which it isn’t. Aim to ease their house moving process as much as possible.
- Highlight incentives or bonuses: Offer relocation benefits such as pre-decision counseling, departure, and destination assistance, house shifting services, and a compensation package – in the event it’s not their decision to make.
Ensure that your staff is safe at all times during their house move.
It is vital to ensure that your staff is safe at all times during staff relocation. To do this, you need to make sure your movers are insured, experienced, reliable, and licensed. You also want to make sure they’re available on moving day and that they can be affordable movers for you.
This will help protect both you and your employees from any potential legal actions should anything go wrong during the staff relocation process.
Staff relocation is not easy
Staff relocation is not just about moving furniture and equipment. It involves more than just a physical move, it’s about changing the way people work, as well as their interactions with each other.
Our relocation experts can help you plan every step of your staff relocation project. We can provide you with moving supplies from boxes to packing tape, from bubble wrap to tape guns, from tape measures and scissors to furniture dollies and wardrobe boxes – whatever you need! In addition to providing all of these tools and materials necessary for an effective relocation process, our expert movers will also assist in packing up your belongings while keeping them safe during transit. They will then unpack them all once they arrive at their destination so that everything arrives safely and unharmed in its proper place without any missing items or broken pieces along the way!
Relocating staff can be tricky, but it’s worth it in the end.
As a manager, you may have faced the task of relocating employees before, but if this is your first time, don’t worry! It’s not too hard to get started. There are things to consider when relocating employees that aren’t as necessary with other work tasks.
How much money is needed for moving costs?
The cost of moving can be established by first preparing a moving budget. Next, identify the moving company you’ll be working with. Here are some considerations for selecting a professional mover. Once you’ve settled on this decision, organize a pre-move assessment to get an accurate moving quote.
Here are some key moving costs to guide you.
- Travel to a new place
- Moving services
- Moving insurance
- Short term housing
- Storage units
What kind of preparation will make it easier for everyone involved?
There are key people involved in this transition. Your employee, the moving company, and yourself as the employer. Establish the role each party plays to ensure the house move is a success.
How long will things take to get started?
This will ultimately depend on the urgency of the move. We however recommend preparing in advance and starting the search for house shifting services. In the event of an emergency, an 8-hour notice will suffice to effectively plan and re-allocate resources such as the manpower and moving truck(s) needed on moving day.
Conclusion
Staff relocation can be challenging, but it is important for your business. Your employees will be happy with their new working environment and that will help improve the quality of work they are doing for you. You should make sure that all staff members are kept safe at all times during the move so nothing goes wrong on either side.
And remember: A smile on your moving day is worth every investment