There are certain things that are vital to any employee relocation package. Find out more here about what to include in employee relocation packages.
When preparing to send an employee on an international assignment, there are a number of things to include in their employee relocation package. The employee relocation package is not only a way to help prevent the employee making that move abroad from feeling overwhelmed by the process, but it’s also an important way for you, as an employer, to keep a handle on the costs of relocation. As an employer, through your own internal relocation team or with the help of relocation specialists, you will typically have to provide some level of financial assistance to an employee going on temporary assignment.
For the assignment to be a success, you will have to take into account the length of the assignment, as well as the nature of the employee and their lifestyle. While this is not an exhaustive list of what to include in an employee relocation package, it is certainly a summary of some of the most important features to include:
1. Immigration Assistance
Immigration assistance is arguably the most important thing to include in any employee relocation package, as without it most international assignments would not be able to go ahead at all. With Brexit looming, and no clear idea of how immigration will be conducted between the UK and the rest of Europe in the future, immigration assistance should now be the number one feature of any employee relocation package.
2. Family and Spousal Assistance
Most international assignments take place over a number of months, if not years. As a result, it’s important to factor in the employee’s spouse and family when creating a relocation package. This might include support in helping the spouse find a new job or finding accommodation nearby to good schools for any children they may have. Very few people will be willing to leave their entire family behind for the duration of an assignment.
3. Medical Insurance and Expenses
Should something happen to your employee and their family while they are on assignment, medical bills could be extremely expensive with no medical insurance. You should try to include some level of medical insurance to ensure that your employee is protected while on assignment. Be sure to check the laws of that particular country with regards to medical insurance, as they can vary greatly.
4. Accommodation and Moving Costs
Assisting your employee in finding accommodation on assignment is one of the first things you will have to do. Whether the accommodation will be bought or rented is a choice for both you and your employee to make. You might even have to find them some temporary accommodation at the beginning of the assignment before somewhere more permanent can be found. International moving and shipping costs can also be much more expensive than domestic moving costs, and it could also be a huge help to your employee if you assist in these costs.
5. Cultural Training
In a lot of international assignments, any failure tends to hinge on a lack of cultural fit. Cultural training and language classes can be a huge help not only to secure the success of the assignment, but also to ensure your employee retains their wellbeing while on assignment.
Your employee on an international assignment is an important investment for your company, and helping to ensure their wellbeing with some added financial assistance is vital to securing the success of the assignment. By assisting your employee with a carefully crafted employee relocation package, you can be sure to reap the rewards and gain a return on your investment.