HRO Today July/August 2017 - 38

Mobility
the relocation candidate and their family with tools and
services to assist them in having a positive move and
settling-in experience at the new location.
Although many organizations are already focusing on
maximizing the relocation experience, the value of these
efforts cannot be overstated. The process of relocating,
after all, is a complicated one, and even the smoothest
transition is bound to have its challenges.
Employees may worry about their kids making friends
at their new school, whether or not their spouse will
find work in the new location, how they will manage
conflicts working in a foreign culture, and whether their
new health insurance system will cover their pre-existing
conditions. It is the employer's job, in part, to recognize
concerns, no matter how small, and do what it can to
address them. Media agency MediaCom understands
the critical part they play in ensuring the relocation
process is a smooth one for their employees.
" For transfers to be successful, companies must
recognize the many challenges that expats face
and have a policy and process designed to address
these human issues and get employees to a point of
productivity, engagement, normalcy, and satisfaction as
quickly as possible, " says Kristen Dardani, executive vice
president of mobility and careers at MediaCom.
" One of the ways best ways to accomplish this is by
managing transfers and relocations through a dedicated
global mobility team rather than by HR generalists.
Many HR generalists do have mobility experience, but
leveraging experts in the mobility space not only solves
mobility challenges more effectively and efficiently
but also frees generalists to devote all their time to inmarket
issues across their areas of expertise. "
In an ideal scenario, a mobility expert can help the
employee-and the HR team-identify goals and
concerns for the assignment and develop customized
strategies to allow the employee to thrive in their new
environment.
" Relocation is a disruptive event personally and
professionally and the biggest challenges are those
around cultural and host location adjustment, " says
Chris Finckel, CRP, vice president of client development
for Crown World Mobility. " Strategies for being
professionally successful in the home country may not
work in the host location and building networks from
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HRO TODAY MAGAZINEHRO TODAY MAGAZINE | JULY/AUGUST 2017
| JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2017
Organizations that invest
in a strong candidate
experience improve their
quality of hires by
70%
Source: Brandon Hall
scratch is a challenging proposition. This feeling of
being adrift can be overwhelming but there are steps
HR can take. "
Finckel suggests that HR departments take the following
steps to ensure a seamless relocation:
* Encourage employees to participate in the relocation
process. Many assignees are selected for an
assignment, instead of choosing their assignment
themselves. It is important to foster engagement
early on and involve the assignee and their family in
decision-making processes as soon as possible. Doing
so will ensure that the employee feels comfortable
with the relocation as opposed to disconnected from
decisions that will dramatically affect their life.
* Set clear and measureable objectives for the
assignment. The employee will already understand
the purpose of their assignment, but regular check
HRO Today July/August 2017

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