More than ever, it is important to keep your assignees happy. They have all been affected by COVID-19: some had to quarantine, while others were not able to visit family in their home country due to travel restrictions.
How do you keep your assignees happy? This question keeps Global Mobility awake these days. AIRINC’s surveys show that most companies are focusing on “care of employees” more than they were a year ago. Companies are looking for the best ways to enhance the employee experience. There are many ways to do this depending on factors such as company goals, available resources, and number of assignees, but I want to touch on the most common approaches.
Communication is key. It is important to communicate regularly with your assignees, getting their feedback and informing them of policy changes. Some companies are improving communications by streamlining the employee’s point of contact or by providing a single point of contact. Also, surveying your expatriate population to understand their expectations and needs is another good way to improve the employee experience. Mentorship is an excellent way to keep your assignees happy as they will be assigned a “go to” person who understands their concerns/issues and can provide guidance as they have had similar experiences.
Flexibility also improves the employee experience, like offering policies that allow employees some choice of benefits. Most frequently, we see companies providing employees flexibility in how the relocation support is delivered. Some provide a cash lump sum. Others allow the employee to choose between a cash lump sum or relocation services managed by the supplier. Another option is to provide a managed lump sum by offering a capped relocation budget against which employees can request supplier-provided services of their choice.
Are you struggling to keep your assignees happy or are you looking for ways to enhance the employee experience in line with your company philosophy? Feel free to reach out to us—we are more than happy to discuss the best way to help you reach your goals.
