Five Ways a Relocation Management Company Can Improve Employee Experience (EX)
Your organization sends some of its best and most promising employees on relocation assignments. These are incredible opportunities for an assignee to grow personally and develop skills to enhance their career.
But how long will that “new and improved” team member remain with your organization? That’s largely a function of the employee experience (EX) you provide them along the way.
Engagement leads to retention
“EX” refers to the physical workspace, technology and culture you offer — from the environment and tools to the overall “vibe” of the company.
A recent study by the IBM Smarter Workforce Institute reveals that employees dissatisfied with EX are twice as likely to want to leave the organization as those who have more positive experiences.
Since assignees generally are top performers and are poised to provide long-term value, enhancing their EX throughout an assignment is critical. Housing, taxes, schools, spousal/partner employment, transportation, medical care, repatriation…so many important details during an assignment can affect EX, for better or for worse. How can you manage them all?
Global Mobility professionals know instantly when a new assignee is engaged and happy: “We’re in, and honestly loving it! We have the essentials including wi-fi, tv (gas and electric too). The temporary furniture is actually really good, and we’re ready for our stuff to arrive (the kid’s bikes, toys, etc.) later this month.” – Dennis Attoh, Dubai
Should you partner with a relocation management company?
Undoubtedly, you have a talented internal Mobility team eager to support your assignees and enhance their EX. But do they have the necessary resources at their fingertips to address multiple assignee issues in all corners of the globe?
Co-sourcing with a relocation management company (RMC) can enhance your ability to provide a positive experience for your most valuable assets — talented, upwardly mobile employees.
Companies with engaged employees pull in 2.5x more revenue than competitors with low engagement levels. (Hay Group)
How an RMC improves EXSupply chain.
- Supply chain. Whether they’re searching for accommodations, schools or even furniture, assignees need local expertise. RMCs have dedicated teams that manage diverse networks of vetted service providers in major cities and regions around the world. An RMC will mobilize this network on behalf of your assignees, often leveraging economies of scale to reduce costs.
EX Impact: Give your assignees peace of mind by putting local experts at their disposal. Give your budget a break, too!
- Broad expertise and experience. Global Mobility firms have experience with virtually every possible relocation scenario. When working with an RMC, you don’t have to deal with internal learning curves as your team explores regional customs, contacts and compliance matters. Why learn the hard way when an RMC has already successfully tackled even the most unique challenges in remote corners of the world?
EX Impact: Nothing is more stressful for an assignee than the feeling that they’re on their own in an unfamiliar environment. You can assure your assignees that their challenges are not unique and that they’ll have support from regional experts.
- Strategy. So many details can monopolize your day that it’s hard to occasionally step back and look at your Mobility program strategically. An RMC can efficiently take you through that process to ensure your Mobility program aligns perfectly with your company’s EX initiatives and other objectives.
RMCs often have internal consulting groups that offer a wealth of knowledge and experience in strategic matters such as measuring and maximizing return or identifying and serving internal stakeholders. They can advise you on how to build your program around best practices for user-friendly technology or optimizing and measuring employee EX.
EX Impact: A solid strategy provides a foundation for your Mobility program, which leads to predictable and optimal experiences for assignees. An assignee’s EX is enhanced when there are no surprises triggering stress and frustration.
- Technology. Are you still using Excel for reporting? Co-sourced global Mobility firms offer a wide range of advanced automated tools that provide real-time management metrics. These secure, app-driven tools offer assignees the kind of immediate access, functionality and empowerment they’ve come to expect in so many areas of their lives. They can communicate with key Mobility professionals, suppliers and even other assignees to find the answers they need. And everything is reported and centralized for easy access.
EX Impact: Employees want a measure of control in planning and implementing their assignments. They want access to information about their situation. You can manage those levels of authorization and transparency with today’s Mobility technology. Use that information to help current assignees overcome similar challenges, whether it’s communicating with the appropriate school contacts, choosing the best moving company, finding the best coffee shop, etc.
- Simplicity. You want things to operate seamlessly. Your assignees do as well. But assignments have so many moving parts and decision points that snags are inevitable. Before you know it, you’re dragged down into program minutiae.
If you could assign those details to an RMC, what would you do with your additional time and bandwidth? Streamline your internal program? Pay even more attention to nurturing your assignee talent? Spend more time engaging strategically within your organization? No doubt all of the above, but like most Mobility professionals, you’ll also devote more attention to your assignees. Assuring them that you’re their advocate. Demonstrating that they’re appreciated.
EX Impact: Employees like to see that a Mobility program is about them and not tied up in internal processes and procedures – the things that can be managed efficiently and effectively by an RMC. Remember, your greatest assets are the talented people moving to new places in new roles.
An experience like no other
Every assignee engagement is unique. Every assignee has distinct needs and their own definition of an ideal EX. Most embark on an assignment with enthusiasm and positivity. It’s your challenge to maintain that EX throughout the assignment.
An RMC can manage any and all aspects of the relocation process smoothly and responsively. Give your assignees what they want by getting yourself some much-needed help. Improve EX. Explore the RMC option.