Moving abroad for work can be a stressful experience, even for the most confident and well-traveled employee.
So as an employer, you need to make sure your workers have the support and resources they need to settle happily into their new role – and, perhaps more importantly, the place they’re now going to call home.
Here, we’ve listed 5 ways that you can look after the general well-being of your relocating staff (and come across as a caring, thoughtful, forward-thinking employer at the same time!).
- Checklist
From switching mobile phone contracts to setting up a brand new bank account and council tax registration, there’s so much to consider when relocating – so assignees can avoid overwhelming by having a comprehensive checklist.
The key here is to break down bigger tasks into bite-size chunks. Doing so will make your employee feel more at ease with their responsibilities. Tasks should be listed in order of priority, and include as much information as possible on how they can be achieved. Who is ultimately responsible for completing the errand should be noted so there’s clear accountability, too.
As Cornerstone is an expert relocation company we can provide you with a detailed checklist to support you and your assignee.
- Prepare your staff for their new culture.
Whether they’re moving to Australia or Azerbaijan to chase their dream career, your employees will be faced with habits, traditions, and ‘rules’ that they won’t consider the norm. So to give them the best possible chance of settling in, they need to be prepared for cultural differences, big and small.
We’ve put together plenty of advice for expats in this recent blog on how to prepare for a cultural shock.
- Create social opportunities for relocating staff.
Employees may initially be daunted by the lack of support around them as they enter into a new role in a different location. It’s only right that steps are taken to help them meet new people from the local community. After all, they can only feel truly at home if they feel accepted by and inspired by, the people around them.
This should go beyond simply Googling local classes that might be of interest to them, though. Providing them with specific locations, events, or courses that will be a good fit for the individual will demonstrate that you have genuinely spent some time getting to know them, and, at a deeper level, will make them feel exceptionally valued.
If you have successfully relocated employees before, whether to the same location or elsewhere in the world, ask them how they went about making friends outside of their working environment. You could even introduce the two workers and set up a ‘buddy’ scheme whereby the more experienced employee mentors the other.
At Cornerstone, we have integrated Facebook workplace within our practices to make your assignees’ relocation smoother. Within Workplace by Facebook, we have created groups for expats to help them with their relocation in terms of their integration within the society and connecting with fellow expats. Contact us to find out more about this new exciting development!
- Welcome Pack
As soon as your worker touches down on unknown soil, he or she will need help navigating their new environment. A welcome kit that’s packed full of useful resources such as city guides, maps, and vouchers would be a great start. It’ll be a welcome gift after a long journey and will help your employee feel better equipped for their stay.
At Cornerstone, we’ve put together welcome packs for your assignees that include useful, accurate and relevant information on the city they will be arriving to. Your employees can save time and focus on their new exciting position.
- Above all – be available!
The main thing to remember is that everyone will react to your relocation in different ways. Some will be vocal about their concerns, while others will prefer to process the news quietly before approaching management for answers to their questions. Make sure that line managers, and even those further up the management chain, are available to discuss the move with employees whenever they are needed.
Get in touch with our friendly team today to discuss your relocation needs.
