5 Essential Steps to Survive the Relocation Busy Season

ESSENTIAL STEPS

to SURVIVE
the RELOCATION BUSY SEASON
Written by Paige Holden, CRP, GMS and Roxanne Korostowski, CRP

A publication of Relocation at the speed of life.

Table of Contents

Essential Steps to Survive
the Relocation Busy Season
Introduction 3
Chapter 1. Understand Your Transferee Base 4-9
Chapter 2. Bring the Team Together 10-12
Chapter 3. Manage the Expectations of Transferees 13-15
Chapter 4. Must Do’s for Communicating the Policy 16-17
Chapter 5. Prepare to Troubleshoot Along the Way 18-20
Conclusion 21

Introduction
April is here and we know what that means! Taxes are due, spring flowers are blooming
and you’ve just realized that 100 of your employees all need to be moved during the
summer months. Panicked? Don’t be. You are not alone.

About 80 percent of all relocations occur during the summer. No matter how much we
wish moving and relocation would be consistent throughout the year, or how sensible
we know it is to move during off-peak seasons, the crush is inevitable for a variety of
reasons: families don’t want to move their kids during the school year, summer months
are often slower for other industries, the housing market may be more lively, etc.

So, we need to accept it. And know what is coming.

With this kind of volume, houses flood the market, moving companies hit capacity and
schools need to be found quickly. Problems are inevitable but they don’t have to be
catastrophic if you prepare for the rush ahead of time.

Whether you are new to relocation or you are an industry veteran, this ebook will serve
as a guide on how to get organized, manage expectations and trouble shoot problems.
Think of it as a first aid kit for surviving the relocation busy season!

SHARE Essential Steps to Survive the Relocation Busy Season 3
this!

Understand Your
Transferee BASE

When busy You cannot properly execute any relocation without knowing who you are
moving. When busy season hits, you are no longer dealing with one or two transferees.

season hits, Instead, you are dealing with whole groups of people, so the challenge is figuring out
how to satisfy the majority.

you are Transferees can be segmented in all sorts of ways (homeowner, non homeowner,
single, family, etc.) but it’s really important to remember that transferees will talk to one
no longer another about the benefits they are receiving. If you split your base between single and
family, for example, there may be backlash from singles who feel discriminated against
dealing because they did not receive the same level of benefits as someone with a family.

with one To diffuse the “it’s not fair” chatter as much as possible, the most efficient way to
segment your transferee base is by level within the company. The three most common

or two groups we see are college recruits/entry level new hires, middle managers/skilled
employees and senior executive/C-suite. To gain a better understanding of your base,

transferees.
here is a breakdown of what you need to know for each level:

this!

College Recruits: It is graduation season and that means a lot of companies
will be looking to hire and relocate new talent. If you are planning to move recent
grads, there are a few questions you will need to answer sooner than later
(if you don’t know already).

Questions to consider:

• here are your grads coming from? Will they all be from
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the same school? Same region?

• re you hiring any grads that are studying on international visa? This may require
A
immigration assistance, which would need to be processed in advance (3-4 months).

• hat are their current living accommodations? Some grads may be living at home,
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while others will be leaving an apartment. This could impact your housing benefits.

• an you get an idea of how much “stuff” will have to be moved? Summer season is
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the busiest time of year for moving companies, and small shipments are the hardest to
move. Knowing this in advance will help you manage expectations for your transferee.

The challenge: There are two major challenges to be prepared for when moving this group: lack of moving knowledge,
which can lead to waste and angst and small shipments which are difficult to move in the summer.

The takeaway: It’s important to make sure that the entry-level policy is not too rich, but still competitive with other
companies fighting for the same talent. A comprehensive look at what will be most beneficial for your specific base
will help you define the most meaningful benefits for this group. Education about moving will be critical.

this!

??
?
?? Middle Managers/Skilled Employees: You may be practiced
at moving this group as they are likely to be transferred at any point during the year.
That said, summer season volume will highlight the many challenges that this diverse
group of employees will face:

Questions to consider:

• s the group at a salary range where they are likely own a home? This will impact
I
housing benefits.

• re most of your transferees, new hires, lateral moves or promotions? This will affect
A
willingness to move, flexibility and overall attitude.

• o they have a family? Family concerns are the greatest barrier to a successful
D
relocation. Spousal assistance, school finding and elder care assistance may be helpful.

• re your transferees financially able to move? With many homes underwater, it’s
A
important to understand if it is feasible for your transferees to move at all and, if
it’s not feasible, if and how you will help them.

The challenge: This group is the most challenging group to assess because there are so many variables. HR should be
prepared for financial issues, family concerns, resistance to lateral moves and real estate challenges that may be difficult
to solve within policy budget parameters.

The takeaway: The more you know about these transferees, the better off you will be down the road. In person meetings and
pre-decision assessments will shed valuable insight on the specific challenges each transferee will face. Benefits will need to
be far more comprehensive than those offered for college grads.

this!

Senior Executives/C-Suite: These folks are used to getting what they want, when they
want it, and most companies will pay for it. Like all other transferees, they will want to move in the middle
These folks of the summer when it is most convenient for their families.

are used to Questions to consider:

getting what • hat if they own a $1M+ property? Can your company afford to offer them a Home Sale Program that rich?
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they want, • re you recruiting at this level or moving a current executive? Executive recruits are in high demand and the
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when they relocation package is a big part of the overall compensation package, which has to be competitive.

want it. • Do they have a family? Working spouse? Elder parent? Child?

• re they financially able to move? Despite being some of the highest paid transferees, this group may still be
A
facing a negative equity situation or have other financial tie-ups that can impact the relocation.

The challenge: This group has very different challenges just because of who they are. Their relocation packages are a
big part of the negotiation process and are typically very lucrative. They are used to and expect to have everything done
for them—even personal items that pertain to their home sale. They do not like delays and they rarely hear the word no.

The takeaway: The good news is that, unlike the middle management group, the relocation package is usually rich
enough to offset specific challenges, including housing. Relocation managers will still need to explain the package and
be diligent in managing expectations, even if it is intimidating to do so.

this!

O ce you have a general understanding
n
of the groups you are moving, you can
identify and prepare for the potential
challenges that may occur at the height
of the busy season. This brings us to
step 2!

this!

Once you understand your transferee base, it’s time to bring your team together
to map out a game plan. We cannot stress enough how important it is that
everyone, from HR and recruitment to the third party relocation company, is on
the same page regarding the transferees that will be moving, the policies being

This is a used and any anticipated challenges. Here is what should be discussed:

The transferee base and determine potential challenges. It’s important to fill your
good time to relocation partners and service providers in on who will be moving so that they can better
understand what will be needed and give you and your team much needed support. For
dust off your example, if your third-party relocation company know there will be a lot of college recruits
this summer, they can start working with their network in advance to start identifying

relocation housing communities and gather information about the area.

Review your relocation policies. This is a good time to dust off your relocation policies
policies and and give them another look. Are they still competitive? Do they meet the needs of the
employees that you are transferring? Your relocation provider will inform you of any new
give them best practices, industry trends, benefits, etc., in order to make sure you are using every
tool possible to meet the needs of your employees or to compete for top talent.
another look. Be an editor. Carefully re-read your relocation policies. If you and your relocation team
find holes in the current policy, now is the time to fix them. At the very least, be sure to
review the policy for clarity. Nothing should be left up to interpretation.

this!

Establish a timeline. Let your relocation Evaluate your reporting needs. What information
service provider know when most of the moves do you need for reporting back to management? Is
will occur. This will help them organize their your relocation provider capturing all of the data you
internal teams and alert their suppliers so that want during the initiation process? Are there any
they can do the same. This is also a great time unique reporting requirements for a certain group of
to discuss a realistic timeline for dealing with transferees? If you let your relocation services partner
each individual move. For example, if you are know in advance your potential reporting needs, then they
relocating a lot of homeowners, this is a can ensure that the information is captured and begin
great opportunity to understand how the developing any ad hoc reporting before the relocations
current housing market trends might impact start. Once busy season gets underway, it is more difficult
the transferees’ ability to sell, and how that to go back and find the right information.
might impact the transferee personally
If possible, it’s great to have these meetings face-to-face.
(and the business).
If that’s not possible, be sure leave enough time to finish
the discussion so that the appropriate measures can be
taken sooner than later. For those who want to be super-
efficient, it is never a bad idea to loop in any department
managers, executives and/or recruiters that will be
impacted by relocations. This will ensure that everyone
understands what is being offered to whom and why,
which can minimize exception requests later on.

this!

Manage the
Expectations of
Every Potential
Transferee

Prior to initiating the relocation process, it’s important that the transferee understands the challenges
involved in relocating because these challenges will be heightened during busy season. Here are some
issues that you should discuss with each transferee:

Home selling competition. Spring into Summer is peak season for the real estate market. On the one hand, this is
good because there may be more candidates interested in buying the transferee’s home. On the other hand, the amount
of competition can be daunting. In today’s market, it’s critical to manage transferees’ expectations about what they will
be able to sell their house for and what, if anything, the company will provide in case there is a loss on sale.

Household goods moving in peak season. Unfortunately, moving companies are not FedEx. While relocation providers
work hard to ensure household goods vendors are timely, there are no guarantees during the summer that every move
is going to fit into the exact schedule that the employee wants. It’s really best to explain to transferees up-front that their
goods will be delivered at some point during a spread of days and that late shipments do happen during the summer.
This conversation is especially important for transferees that have smaller shipments or are working with a lump sum.

Peak Season
this!

Settling-in. Settling-in is a challenge for most transferees, regardless of the time of
year. However, it can be even more daunting for those coming from another country. It’s
critical that they have a realistic expectation of the environment that they are moving to
and the accommodations in which they will be living. Finding schools, gyms, religious
establishments and grocery stores, not to mention setting up accounts and licenses, takes
a good deal of time so they should be prepared to set aside a few days to get acclimated.
Settling-in Services can be a great help towards making good use of their allotted time.

Start dates. It’s a great idea to decide on their start date in the new location right away
and then help them work backwards to ensure that they use their time wisely. For example,
if they need to start on September 1st, then they need to list their house early spring at
the latest.

Present the location honestly. Are you moving transferees to a hardship area? What
about from a city to the country side? We cannot stress enough how important it is that
you present the location honestly. It is better to know right away if the transferee feels
they cannot adapt to the new location then to gloss over the issues and deal with a failed
relocation later. This is even more important when you are moving people internationally.

Every transferee is going to be different, so you may need to adjust the conversation based
on their questions and needs. Pre-decision counseling with an expert is often very helpful
in this stage. At the very least, always be honest. If they feel that they cannot do the move,
it is best that they self-select out of the relocation. Or, they may love what they hear and
decide they can’t wait to move! Either way, be sure to give them enough time to discuss
expectations with loved ones so that they make the right decision for their families.

this!

Must Do’s for
Communicating
the Policy

Once the employee has decided to transfer, they must know how much support they will receive. It’s a
good idea to engage your relocation services provider right away. Remember your new hire or employee is
anxious to get started so each additional day of not hearing from anyone can seem like an eternity to them.
Here are some more tips:

• o be sure that the benefits are very clearly defined in
D • o encourage them to ask the relocation provider
D
the relocation policy and that the transferee receives a questions as they come up
hard copy as well as electronic access to their policy
• o provide a benefits summary sheet in the meeting
D
• f possible, arrange for an in-person meeting to go
I and also electronically
over the policy to try and get a feel for any potential
• o provide education materials if possible. For example,
D
exceptions that may be forthcoming
a sheet on how to budget a lump sum may be very
• o let the transferee know that the relocation provider
D helpful for transferees who have not moved before and
will be scheduling a convenient time to explain the policy do not know what things cost
benefits in detail and answer questions

this!

Prepare to
Troubleshoot
ALONG the way

Even the best companies hit snags during the busy season so it’s important
to have a plan for dealing with problems and special requests. Feel free to ask
your relocation services provider for guidance, best practices, alternatives and
potential extended implications. Here’s a road map for dealing with problems:

Be prepared. Problems happen to the best of us. It’s not fun for anyone when
something goes awry, but it also shouldn’t come as a surprise. If you go into the busy
In the season prepared for hiccups, you won’t be thrown when they happen. In the event that
a problem occurs, stay calm. Be sure to get all sides of the story regarding the issue
event that so that you can explain what happened clearly and calmly to the transferee and work
towards a resolution and not play a blame game. If everything goes smoothly, more
a problem power to you.

occurs,
Decide which items are exception worthy. It’s prudent to have a good idea about
what items might be considered critical enough to warrant an exception approval.

stay calm.
Remember, granting one exception sets a precedent for future similar exception
requests. They should never be granted on a whim.

this!

Identify if the problem is real or perceived. Transferees are under a lot of stress when they move
and they may think something is a major problem, even if it’s a minor issue. It’s best to ask a lot of
questions and speak with everyone in order to get to the bottom of the issue before rushing to judgment.
For example, as soon as their household goods move is booked, the transferee may receive a “delivery
spread.” If this is the first time that they are moving, the transferee may react thinking that they have to
be available during that entire time period when in actuality the actual delivery date(s) will be confirmed
as they get closer to the move.

Determine how to fix the problem. If the problem is real, then call your relocation partner and figure
out how to fix it. Is it possible to mitigate the issue through negotiation with a vendor or sub-vendor?
Can you provoke a mea culpa from the offending party? If the problem is not fixable through negotiation,
but it’s important enough to solve, then it may be time to move forward with an exception.

Cover your bases. If an exception is requested, confer with your management team to discuss the
impact that granting the exception might have on your company as a whole (since it may become
precedent). We advise that you do this before discussing the exception with the hiring and/or department
manager or transferee so that you do not create any false pretence or make promises you cannot keep.

this!

Conclusion
W anticipate that this summer is going to be busier
e
than the past few summers. Now is the time to get
your ducks in a row so that you are prepared for the
rush. Having a game plan, and a team at the ready,
will help you stay calm throughout the busy season.
We hope you found this eBook helpful and fun.
When in doubt, always remember:
“Smile, breath, and go slowly.”—Thich Nhat Hanh

this!

5 Essential Steps to Survive the Relocation Busy Season

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