HR Managers and Their Responsibility for Employee Relocation

By hrlineup | 27.02.2022

The Human Resource department is the backbone of every organization. It performs many organizational functions, including employee relocation, planning the relocation procedures, and allocating funds to the employees.

Employees are mostly reluctant to relocate, mainly if they have eligible dependents. For this reason, the hr managers should put a competitive relocation package in place to avoid employee relocation issues. You must support the employees fully and ensure they settle in their new workplace.

Managing Employee Relocation

While planning and organizing employee relocation, HR managers need to strategically develop procedures that will benefit the organization. You must work hand in hand with other departments in the organization to ensure the relocation procedure gets done seamlessly. That said, HR managers need to practice the following.

  • Set relocation policies and abide by the policies to the latter while working directly with the directors.
  • Seek relocation assistance by working closely with talent managers. Teamwork will give you an insight into which employee is suitable for mobility tasks.
  • A finance officer is an asset while planning employee relocation. They will assist in funds allocation while considering the company’s finances.
  • Employ the services of a legal counsel to ensure smooth immigration procedures if the employee is relocating to the diaspora.

Employee Relocation Policy

Having a clear written relocation policy will ensure that all the employees receive fair treatment. It will be difficult to discriminate against employees with these policies. Employees will also understand what to expect during relocation and make informed decisions when the time comes. Hr managers set the employee relocation policy depending on the group an employee is in the organization. These groups are;

  • The newly hired employees who have been with an organization for a short duration. Mostly, these employees do not have a lot of job experience.
  • Employees working with the organization for quite some time. They have comfortably settled in the organizations and mostly have families and homes.
  • The executive members of the organization. These are employees that have a strong attachment to the organization since it started operating. They most probably are settled in their homes with families and have societal relationships.

It is only wise for you to plan different relocation packages for the above group. That way, the executive employees feel like their loyalty is appreciated. The organization will incur more costs for relocating these employees. Before you decide on relocation, you need to consider if it’s worth the plan.

Final thoughts

HR managers need to include relocation services in the employee handbook to ensure each employee is treated fairly. Some of the services include keeping communication active, finding a new location, support their families, among others.

While most employers will prefer employee relocation to hiring and transferring, hr managers need to ensure that an employee’s skills fit the job available. The quality of employee relocation services you provide to your employees is essential even if your relocation package is attractive. This shows you value and cares for their well-being in their new workplace.