HRO Today November 2016 - 40

Mobility
the services Avery Dennison was offering were in line
with other similar organizations and even competitors.
" We went through in detail, looking at every service
and benefit that we offer and we came up with a more
reasonable-being cost conscious but still offering
enough support-program, " she says.
Armed with information, HR leaders can stay
competitive with their offerings. " Education to the
business is essential for a successful mobility program.
If the business does not understand the costs and
the impacts of mobility on both the business and the
employee, then the opportunity exists for inappropriate
decisions to undermine or scuttle the success of
the business undertaking, " says Cara Skourtis, CRP,
GMS, vice president, knowledge and experience for
NuCompass Mobility Services Inc. " Understanding
what the required costs are, what the appropriate level
of employee support is along with any 'nice to have'
components, and how to balance these for a successful
relocation or assignment should be the objective. "
Avery Dennison determined that offering employees the
opportunity to select services most important to their
circumstance was a good fit. " We now use a core-flex
approach, which means that we can create a package
that fits best for the employee while still working within
a budget if necessary, " says Blais.
There's growing interest in core-flex programs, as they
tend to benefit both the employee and the bottom line.
" Core-flex policies with tiers have proven to reduce cost
for U.S. domestic relocations and we're now starting
to see companies adopt this concept for international
assignments as well, " says Scott McCain, SVP of global
growth and consulting for Paragon Relocation.
In addition to reviewing different programs to ensure
they align with organizational culture and budgetary
needs, companies should also keep a keen eye on
expenses to help stay within the given cost parameters.
Three approaches have a major impact:
Using cost estimates. Bill Graebel, CEO of Graebel
Relocation, says cost estimates provide a pivotal preview
of what scope of services the assignment calls for
and what fees coming along with them. This sets the
expectations for both the transferee and organization.
Having that detailed cost outline before and after
the assignment paints a transparent picture for senior
[40]
HRO TODAY MAGAZINE
| NOVEMBER 2016
Cost estimates can
provide business
leaders with the
critical financial
information needed
to determine the
overall return on
investment when
creating a business
case for a project or
an assignment.
-Jelena Katic of MSI
leadership. " It's worth every penny because it eliminates
costly mistakes and surprises, " says McCain. " It ensures
that the most cost-effective assignment type and
necessary benefits are utilized. This also improves
assignee satisfaction and lowers failure rates. "
This approach can offer some insight into the potential
ROI of the assignment. " A cost estimate allows the
business to evaluate the expected business benefit of
the relocation event, and determine whether the cost
justifies approving the move, " says NuCompass' Skourtis.
HRO Today November 2016

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of HRO Today November 2016
