It’s not easy to adjust to life overseas for relocating employees. Professionals dealing with the mobility needs of the employees must be attuned to handle all possible challenges and know the right way to balance the specific needs of the individuals with the policies and norms of the company. Let us list down a few areas where employees may find difficult to cope with a new environment and how the HR processes should tactfully handle corporate relocation services.
Striking the correct balance
Employees are likely to experience difficulties in a new country, a new city. Most often they’re evaluated on their technical skills and readiness to go. However, there are many other areas that need to be considered and most importantly it is necessary to appraise if they’re well-equipped to venture for a life in a new country.
Assessment processes in such cases help. There are a few easy steps that can be merged into the pre-departure process. The good part is these necessarily do not require a hefty budget and are good enough to be considered for increasing the willingness of the relocating employees.
Questionnaire on self-assessment
This is mostly focused on the employees and their respective families. The questions will be framed so that their lifestyle pattern and certain aspects of their home life can be recreated in the host country. This will also focus on the potential impact on the partner’s career, which is a relevant concern for many of the relocating families.
Timing
There has been a rise in the decision-to-departure timelines. For example, let some room to manoeuver, keeping in mind the dual-career families. This will provide the employees, who have relocated along with their families, much freedom and flexibility to prepare for the changes ahead. And make sure talent can access chances at a time not only from a professional point of view but also personally, so they are able to handle a move and accomplish tasks at their best potential.
Assessment of candidates
Candidate assessment programmes organised by corporate relocation specialists help to identify the strengths of the relocating individuals and the challenges that they may encounter in the new location. A specialist can help to deliver the assessment and guide on every step of the way to alleviate the risks of failure.
Specific roles and responsibilities
An unresponsive and indifferent partner is often common and that is understandable as well. A spouse might often hesitate to move to a new location and that must not in any which way have a bearing on the relocating employee’s ability to perform at work. However, all said and done, unhappy home life can also spill into the workplace. If everyone isn’t prepared for the transition, a relocation process might not succeed after all.
Earlier expat package deals offered multiple benefits and many other incentives for the employees who are undergoing relocation. Not many organisations can provide this luxury with certain economic pressures leading to restricted budgets. Sharing accountability while preparing an assignment and success between the organisation and the family will lead to a more rewarding relocating experience.
Cultural Shock
Moving abroad comes with adapting to the local culture and that can be challenging at times. Some employees might not take this comfortably and convincing them to take on such training might not be particularly easy. Many employees deal with certain culture shocks, which they have been unprepared for. This kind of conclusion leads to much disappointment when the employee finds that there are many differences that they are unprepared for. It helps to be flexible and open to accepting changes so that adapting to changes becomes easier.