All organisations need the right talent in the right location. While this problem can usually be resolved with meticulous sourcing, recruitment, and hiring, sometimes, it may be necessary to relocate employees to increase performance and productivity in a particular branch.
However, asking employees to migrate to the UAE or any other country is not as straightforward as it seems. Even if you offer them a higher position and salary package, they won’t immediately jump at the chance since they have several things to consider and think about.
Knowing the common concerns and worries that relocating employees have can help you be prepared to deal with those. This, in turn, can make it easier for you to assuage their fears and have an easier time getting a ‘yes’ from them.
Concerns Employees May Have About Relocating Abroad
Below are the top five concerns employees may have about taking up a position in a different country and some tips for addressing these to assuage their worries:
1. Expenses related to moving
Overseas international relocation comes with plenty of expenses.. Anyone moving has to shoulder various expenditures related to packing and shipping belongings, buying other things needed for the move, airline tickets, rental, and furnishing their new home.
No matter how big the compensation package you offer, your employees will still be concerned if it will be enough to cover all these expenses.
When the employees are unsure if they have to manage their relocation needs on their own, they will be apprehensive about taking your offer.
Including details about what your company will cover in the relocation package will give your employees a good idea about the amount of financial help and other forms of assistance they can expect when they move.
With this information, the employees won’t have to worry about shouldering all moving-related expenses, putting a dent in their budget.
Keep in mind that the cost of moving is often a deal-breaker in workforce mobility. If your company doesn’t offer to cover relocation expenses, your employees will hesitate about relocating.
As such, when creating your relocation package, research the costs associated with travel expenses, moving and shipping services, and corporate or temporary housing, among others. Once you have the figures, come up with estimates that will work within your budget and will also cover everything.
2. Work permits, visas, and other immigration matters
Employees who are part of your workforce mobility plan also want to be assured that they won’t encounter any difficulties and can work immediately once they arrive at their destination.
When your employees have to process all of these themselves, you can be sure they will turn down your offer to move to another place.
Having someone handle all the immigration-related processes of employee relocation will be an attractive bonus for them. With these tasks out of the way, they can concentrate on doing their usual work and have more time preparing for the actual move.
To further ease your employees’ worries, make sure they receive a relocation schedule that includes a timetable to process their entry visas and work permits. They should also get regular updates regarding these matters so they’ll know when to speed up their moving preparations.
If you don’t have an HR staff or any employee who can handle immigration assistance, consider outsourcing it to a relocation company that offers those services.
3. Healthcare
Relocating employees typically want to know how healthcare will work in their new location and what will be covered.
Ensuring your employees that you’ll always prioritise their well-being is a must if you want them to accept your relocation offer.
Aside from including comprehensive coverage in your relocation package, consider customising those as needed. For instance, if an employee has a chronic illness or allergies, ensure their insurance covers these particular conditions.
Make sure you also give the employees as many details as you can about their healthcare policy so that they will have one less thing to worry about.
4. The well-being of their family
If an employee is relocating with their family, you also have to assure them that you are concerned about their spouse’s and children’s well-being.
Keep in mind that if your employees have a happy family, they will be more motivated and productive wherever they are. Because of this, you also have to lend a hand in their family’s transition.
You can do this by including school search assistance for your employees’ children in their relocation package.
You can also provide dual-career assistance for employees whose spouses are leaving their work because of this move.
5. Cultural adjustment
Your employees may be more concerned about the logistics of their move during the preparation or initial stages. However, they may also have worries about how well they’ll acclimate to a new environment and culture, especially if they are relocating with their families.
Providing your employees cross-cultural training can help them and their families experience a smoother transition. These programs will give participants a clear picture of what they can expect in their new home.
Participants will also get tips and strategies on adjusting to a new culture and lifestyle, enabling them to make a smoother transition.
A provider of destination services can schedule cross-cultural training or orientation for your employees if your team is not trained or equipped to give them.
Taking steps to deal with these concerns will go a long way in getting your employees to agree to move and work in another location. As such, when creating your relocation package, make sure it addresses these five issues.
Get in touch with our team to know more about our workforce mobility services.