moving forward: the state of relocation

CHANGING

relocation is something that is constantly

constantly GROWING

constantly EXPANDING

We’ve taken this high-touch, high-stress industry, and transformed it into something manageable.Something efficient.Something streamlined.

And while it’s hard to measure the current state of something that’s always changing, we can take a look at where we’ve been and where we intend to go in the future.

let’s take a look.

A COMPANY’S SUCCESS IS

TIED directly TO THE QUALITY

OF ITS WORKFORCE

we already know that.

That’s why today more and more companies have taken on a global mindset when it comes to recruiting and hiring to seek out talent that will drive success. As we see this demand for global talent rise, we are also seeing a rise in the demand for solutions that will help all generations and all types of employees through the relocation process, no matter what level they are at.

what else do we know?

Employees who are relocating for work want a customized and modern experience.

THIS (not that)

The problem is, peices of a relocation can be all over the place.

Which is why it’s

important for everyone to communicate.

The problem is, peices of a relocation can be all over the place.

suppliers

mobility professionals

financial team

transferees

All of this communication can be difficult though, especially for those who have always done relocation the same way.

Speaking of, let’s take a look at what that “old” approach to relocation looked like.

When people used to discuss relocation, the first words that came to mind wouldn't have been “technology” or “advanced.” We used to lean on the fact that relocation=human touch. While a human element is still alive and important in relocations, the pendulum has settled somewhere right in between human touch and technology.

Not only can technology play a role in relocation...

IT SHOULD PLAY A ROLE.

We’re facing a couple challenges, though, as we sink deeper and deeper

into this mindset.

The first has to do with our

willingness to accept a new idea.

reluctance

reluctance

People are generally uncertain and are often afraid to adopt something that might not succeed. We poke and prod at any newfound idea, wondering if it’s actually going to work (or stick around long enough to warrant the time it takes to figure it out).

but then...

Once we decide that the idea actually holds water, we latch on. We learn it.We adopt it.We can’t imagine our lives without it.

The same thing is happening with relocation.

Now that we have begun to enter the technology realm, we’ll see a more holistic adaptation take place. More than just certain aspects of technology will infiltrate relocation. Suppliers will be integrated, HRIS systems will be integrated, and the availability and usability will span from desktop all the way down to mobile.

soon, we’ll see complete and total

We think this integration

will come in the form of two separate shifts.

The first one has already started.

The first shift wesaw take place

happened with the introduction of

processautomation

We created more time efficiency by taking back HR’s time and putting it where it belongs, allowing them to focus on strategic initiatives. HR Tech 1.0 essentially removed the barrier of time that was created by having to process and work through very manual and time-consuming tasks.

The second shift is the one that takes the attention from an

employer focus to an employee focus

Relocation spans a variety of different departments—from HR and Mobility, to Finance, to Recruiting, to Business Development—and it’s important to have systems sitting in the middle, making sure the lines of communication are open between the different departments and the transferees. It all comes down to the employee experience and getting the right information into the hands of the right people.

we can bring all of these departments together using technology:

Another challenge we face has to do with our

Millennials.

AMERICAN WORKERS IS A MILLENNIAL

1 in 3

AMERICAN WORKERS IS A MILLENNIAL

1 in 3(at this point, we have a good grasp on them.)

We know the types of things that motivate them, what they want in their career, what they don’t want in their career, and their goals for the future. The tricky thing now, is figuring out how all of this works as they move further and further into the workforce.

But will what we know about Millennials stay the same, or will

they develop new traits and tendencies? We need to

understand how Millennials will change, and how we can

change with them.

it’s not so much about attracting them anymore, but retaining and growing their talent.

It’s imperative to understand how their wants and needs (i.

e. working remotely, flexibility, traveling) are going

to translate as they move from entry and middle management to senior leaders and executives.

One of the best ways to find out?

bring Millennials into some of the decisions—they are your future!

It’s important for employers to strive to infuse Millennial ideals into the workplace structure—they insist on things being as easy at work as in their personal lives, and we’ll see that become increasingly evident.

When’s the last time you went to a

search engine and saw this:

sorry—we’re closed!

where can i g

SEARCH

Probably never.

This generation grew up in the age of the internet with on-demand options. Millennials have a desire for instant gratification, instant answers, and fast solutions.

This generation grew up in the age of the internet with on-demand options. Millennials have a desire for instant gratification, instant answers, and fast solutions.

just think about the way we used to relocate.

You had a relocation counselor to help you through your move. Their office hours were from 9-5. You have to call them on the help line, get through to a person, schedule another appointment, learn about different suppliers, call back to check in on progress...and so on and so forth.

What we weren’t realizing though, was that the person we’re dragging through all of these steps, is the same person booking someone to install their flat screen TV by using an online help company Or ordering late night food by clicking a few buttons because the app remembers the order they did last night. We need to stay up to speed with Millennials and the only way to do that is to involve them.

We need to evolve with Millennials and become aware of the solutions they are so quick to adopt.

Another thing we’ll have to start paying attention to is our

legacy policies.

THINK ABOUT THE RELOCATION POLICY YOU CREATED 5 YEARS AGO...

...is it still relevant?

THINK ABOUT THE RELOCATION POLICY YOU CREATED 5 YEARS AGO...

The policy you created 5 years ago probably doesn’t take these points discussed earlier into consideration. Think about all the solutions that are available today that weren’t 5 years ago—core/flex, lump sum disbursements, expense reimbursement—if you are using a policy that is even just 3 years old, it’s unlikely that it’s incorporating the technology available into these areas.

Even the language in most policies is probably outdated and unreadable for the most part, which can cause a lot of confusion for transferees. People these days are used to reading blurbs, summaries, and quick snippets of information. A lengthy and wordy relocation policy probably isn’t going to resonate well with your transferees.

One of the best ways to keep your company on

top of its game is to partner with companies whose core competency

lies within technology.

think about it...You wouldn’t walk into a burger joint and order a pizza, right?

You should always try to align yourself with someone who is an expert at what they do.

so what’s the future of relocation?

More employees receive better benefits

Data will be easier to access

Costs go down, quality goes up

Systems will talk to one another

We’ll be able to make statements like:

or:

This allows us to increase relocation

budgets, leading to a better ROI and happier employees.

The moral of the story?

Work with companies that affect change. Have an open dialogue.

Share ideas. Ask for feedback.

Have your source of inspiration be DRIVEN by those who

are immediately impacted by what gets built.

run to the fire.