Know the Steps in Planning for Talent Relocation

Talent Relocation has always been a challenge for business looking to enter into new markets. Although employers may have a successful plan on how to take their business further, they also need to have strategies to know how to move their workforce successfully.

In this article we’re going to discuss the most effective steps you could follow for relocating your best talent. In addition, you can gain some understanding on how a service provider can be of great help. Let’s observe:

• Know the Steps in Planning for Talent Relocation
• How can you start the planning process?
• 1^st step: Initial communication
• 2^nd step: Create retention strategies
• 3^rd step: Mobilization and accommodation
• 4^th step: Hiring
• 5^th step: Workforce Integration
• How can Connect Resources assist you with relocation?

1. Know the Steps in Planning for Talent Relocation

Expanding your business can be stressful. It’s something to be excited about but you also have to be very careful on how to plan your Talent Relocation effectively. In this regard, your in-house HR team is the one who plays a central role on relocating your workforce.

If you want to achieve a successful market entry, you must be sure that your employees have a smooth transition. Therefore, your HR management should develop outstanding strategies to carry out this process as easily as possible.

1.1 When should you start planning your workforce relocation?

It’s never too early to start planning the relocation of your employees. Once you have decided you want to enter into the UAE market, you must begin planning how you’re going to move your workers to this new location.

There are several factors you have to take into account when it comes to employee relocation:

• Visas and work permits
• Accommodation (home search, utilities, transportation)
• Travel expenses
• Cultural training
• Family relocation, if applicable

In addition, to all of these aspects you also have to consider the HR factors. For example, how to draft contract employment in compliance with local law, which benefits you’re going to offer, how to manage your international workforce, etc.

As you can see, you should be prepared to spend a few months developing your plan and implementing it.

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2. How can you start the planning process?

Once we know all the aspects we have to take into account with Talent Relocation we may wonder where to begin.

You must start your planning before making any announcement to your workforce regarding the relocation. This is because you’ll do that after that. Here we have some of the factors you must consider when planning:

• Why have you decided to relocate your talent?
• When do you want to relocate your talent?
• What is the budget for relocation (including benefits)?
• How do you plant to share the news to your employees?
• Are all of your employees going to move? Or are you planning to relocate just a few of them?
• Do you plan on hiring in the new location?

Keep in mind that moving employees to another location is a huge deal. Therefore, you should be very careful on how to develop a solid plan.

2.1 Why do you need the planning process?

Perhaps you may feel that you don’t need to spend time on planning. But this isn’t true. The result of your planning process should be a solid HR relocation policy and procedures to ensure everything is well understood and goes as planned.

The HR policy is a document where you lay several aspects such as the benefits for your employees who relocate, the amenities available in the new location, family issues and more.

If you don’t have an HR policy or program for your relocation, you should develop at least two as the following:

• HR Policy about group-move where you state the benefits for employees who relocate
• HR program about group-move where you state the available positions, communications activities, which workers will move, etc.

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3. 1^st step: Initial communication

After having developed your relocation policy and procedures, the main step is communicating the decision to your employees.

Many companies that plan their relocation never make the initial communication to their employees. Instead, they begin with the process and employees find out later. This can be very detrimental for your employee retention and for achieving a successful relocation.

Here are some considerations you must have with your Talent Relocation and communication:

• Clarify the reasons for the mobilization to enter a new market
• Respond to your employees’ concerns regarding the relocation
• Ask your employees who will relocate what do they expect in the new location to strengthen their morale
• Appoint an HR manager who can respond to additional questions about relocation aspects

By making the employee relocation process clear to everyone, you can ensure a smooth transition. You could also set up an information desk where employees can clarify their concerns. Although relocation may seem daunting for your employees, once they have the knowledge they can be more prone to accept it gladly.

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4. 2^nd step: Create retention strategies

The second step for your Talent Relocation is to engage your current employees so they decide to stay. Once you have communicated your intentions to your workforce, they may have some doubts about the process.

It’s important to clarify them but it’s also crucial to make them know the benefits of relocation. You may want to retain your critical talent, but maybe some of them may have concerns and even a few may not want to relocate.

Therefore, you have to recognize that there are some employees you’re going to lose. For this reason, you have to plan in advance so you can create retention strategies. Although you may lose some employees it’s ok because you can later hire in your new location.

Here’s some advice regarding your employee relocation policy and retention strategies:

• Explain to your employees how you can smooth the transition to the new place
• Offer cost-of-living adjustments to employees who will relocate
• Add additional support to your employees who will relocate with their families. It could be something like school placement or elder care.
• Tailor the benefits to address the needs of your workforce

The idea of creating employee relocation strategies is to lessen the worries and complexities of the process for your workforce.

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5. 3^rd step: Mobilization and accommodation

Once you have your Talent Relocation strategies and benefits, the next step is to plan the mobilization and accommodation.

Moving employees to another location is a complex task. This is because you have to plan how you will ease the transition to your employees and how they will settle in. Keep in mind that this is a crucial task because if you don’t help them settle in smoothly you are at risk of them resigning.

For this reason, you have to plan how to provide support for your employees once they get to the new place. In addition, you should also consider legal and immigration matters.

5.1 How are you going to mobilize your talent?

For your workforce to enter into the UAE they need to have an entry permit. Once they have entered the country they can begin the process for obtaining their visas and work permits.

Next, they must get their Emirates ID, bank account, and any other additional document. In this regard, it’s important to plan how you can go through all of these immigration procedures.

Here in Connect Resources we can provide support on how to obtain everything your employees need to work and live legally in the UAE.

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5.2 How can you provide family support in relocation?

If your employees are moving with their family you need to know how to support them. When your employees’ families are well-integrated you decrease the risk of your employees leaving their job.

For this reason, it’s crucial to consider aspects such as the following:

• Home search
• School search
• Support for special needs children
• Daycare arrangement
• Career training for spouses
• Cultural training for the family

5.3 Why should you worry about accommodation?

Another critical issue to smooth the transition of you employees and their families. If they can settle in properly and they’re comfortable you’re going to succeed. Therefore, you could look for offering accommodation such as temporary furnished apartment or help them find a long-term accommodation.

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6. 4^th step: Hiring

The next step for your Talent Relocation consists on planning your hiring strategies. As you may know, some employees may not want to relocate. Or, perhaps you have some critical positions you have to fill in the new location and for that you need to hire new people.

In this regard, you have to instruct your HR professionals to understand the labor laws so they can stay in compliance. In addition, it’s important to define the compensation and benefits you’re going to offer.

Therefore, you have to define a streamlined and seamless hiring process to ensure you get the best talent. Here we have some valuable advice regarding this matter:

• Set up a legal team that is always up-to-date with changes in local regulations
• Know how to draft compliant employment contracts for your new hires
• Define the vacancies and job positions that you need to fill, as well as the role and skills
• Define the ideal candidate for each vacancy
• Plan how you’re going to carry out the hiring and relocation process
• Appoint recruiters and managers to handle the entire process
• Plan your onboarding process. This is for your new hires to have a better understanding of your company’s culture

Hiring is a highly important step in your employee relocation process. Be aware that if you make a bad hire you may lose money, so try to focus on finding the right match for your business.

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7. 5^th step: Workforce Integration

Lastly, the last step of your Talent Relocation is carrying out the integration of your workforce. In your new location you’re going to have current employees (foreign staff) and new hires, who may be foreigners or locals.

Therefore, you must know how to improve the communication among your workforce so they can work better. It’s very important to know how to create a solid workforce so you can have higher chances of succeeding.

Here are some tips on how to achieve workforce integration:

• Organize outside event to help your relocated employees and new hires to get to know each other
• Team-building activities are great for strengthening the bonds between your employees
• Instruct your managers to communicate clearly to the employees and encourage communication between them
• Create an awards system that makes your team work harder and together

It’s important for you to focus on achieving a solid workforce because this impacts your productivity. You could also include your integration activities in your employee relocation policy. This is for your employees to know that you take very seriously the process.

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8. How can Connect Resources assist you with relocation?

Once you know your goals with Talent Relocation, you may want to receive assistance to achieve them. Here in Connect Resources we can provide the best mobilization and relocation services for your business.

We can ensure your workforce has a smooth transition so they can give their best performance. If you need a partner for relocation support we can become your trusted service provider so you have one less thing to worry about.

Would you like to contact Connect Resources for talent relocation services? You can call at +971 433 166 88 or send an email to contact@connectresources.ae, and you’ll talk to one of their representatives that will gladly answer all of your questions.