A newly hired employee has probably gone through a lot just to adapt and settle down in your office. Chances are, they may have relocated just to be where they are now. The thought of going through another life-changing event when you need to relocate them out of the sudden can really put a new hire on the brink of leaving the company.
This, combined with the dangers of COVID-19, it would be an uphill climb to relocate employees. Though you can’t force your employees to support a drastic move, there are initiatives you can take to convince them.
In this article, we’ll take a look at the pain points of relocating and how you can convince your employees to relocate during a pandemic.
Provide Support Throughout All Stages
Traditionally, companies would offer lump-sum employee relocation packages, but this model has proven to add more stress to employees’ lives further reducing productivity. You’ll need to support them throughout the entire process if possible.
One of the biggest stress points for relocation is housing. If your employee is a homeowner, you’ll need to do what you can to make selling their homes a smooth process, and this includes looking for a buyer as soon as possible.
According to ARC Relocation in their employee relocation guide, it costs around $72,627 to relocate a homeowner.
If you don’t have the resources to facilitate this, it’s advised that you hire an employee relocation consultant that offers programs like home buyout options. They can also look for the best homes in the destination they’re headed to as well as a reputable mover so that your employees can relocate with peace in mind.
Ensure Safe Travel and Packing/Unpacking of Goods
During this pandemic, your employee’s safety is your number one priority. It’s expected that they want to avoid travelling by air or bus, so you may want to provide them with a rental car if they don’t have one already.
Depending on the journey, you need to be ready to provide allowances for their stays should they rest somewhere overnight. Keep in mind that if they brought their family along, you’ll need to prepare a bigger budget for them.
If you’re the ones to appoint their movers, be sure that they are accountable for practicing social distancing. This means that they shouldn’t be in the same living room as your employees are packing. Provide your employees with face masks and sanitizers when the movers are emptying the house.
Allow Flexibility
As previously mentioned, your new employees have probably just completed their onboarding process and are starting to get cozy. That is a lot to take in, and you don’t want to rush them out. Instead, provide them ample time and let them decide when they’re ready for the big move.
After all, remote working is the new norm so encourage them to work from home for the time being.
By giving them this flexibility, you’re also giving them more space and time to think about how they would go around their housing matters, school for children and spousal work responsibilities. During your briefings with them, it’s important that you understand the issues they face and gauge the degree of flexibility you can afford to give them.
