The first few days of an international relocation tend to be exciting yet trying. To reduce stress and help employees adjust to their new environment, most companies provide a series of destination and settling in services to the families. Usually this means allowing employees to spend two to four days at their new location handling all of the time-consuming errands that need to happen before they can begin getting into a routine.
Settling-In Services
When it comes to day-to-day tasks, it is easy to take for granted how embedded we are in our location. During an international relocation, it can take a great deal of time to find a new bank, locate new housing, negotiate leases, get children enrolled in schools and more. All of these tasks need to happen before the employee starts work lest they need to leave repeatedly during business hours to address them. By allowing employees several days to get all of this done, they can start settling in sooner rather than later.
Lease/Tenancy Management
Most employers provide assistance in locating housing and managing leases. Best practices during an international relocation say that the company should sign the actual lease, and the company should pay the rental amount and utilities on behalf of the employee. Should there be any issues later with about the employee relocating to a new assignment or otherwise leaving before the end of the lease, the company will be in control of the situation. The company should also be the manager of all maintenance and other issues related to the lease while the tenant is still in place.
The goal is to simplify the international relocation process for your employees while also minimizing your risks in the host country. By allowing your expatriates time to adjust and get settled, you help them to return to productivity faster, ease the family’s transition and reduce the risk of a costly failed assignment.
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