Category: Corporate Relocation

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Corporate Relocation

Why Companies Should Choose an Industry-Leading Expense Management Program

An industry-leading expense management program will provide a number of benefits for companies. To effectively manage relocation program expenses, a company must devote a significant amount of internal resources. Departments and functions include Human Resources, Accounting, Accounts Payable, Payroll, Tax, and Auditing. Complexity increases in cases of global expense management issues such as foreign currency conversions and payments. Companies should choose industry-leading solutions to ensure department needs are met.

What is the GMS Expense Management Program?

The GMS Expense Management program provides companies with a full and robust cloud-based technology solution. The award winning, world class MyRelocation® portal provides:
  • Online expense submission
  • Easy expense tracking
  • Anytime, anywhere, any device accessibility
  • Payroll reporting that is fully secure
  • Exception cost tracking
  • Custom reporting options
  • Easy to use dashboard

How Does the GMS Expense Management Program Reimbursement Process Work?

The reimbursement process is quick and easy for transferees, for any location where they reside. GMS Expense Management is able to handle multiple currencies, so transferees can submit expenses without having to convert currencies on their own. Reimbursements and invoices are processed within one to two days. All reimbursements are transmitted through Automated Clearing House (ACH) or global wire transfer for quick turnaround. Lump sum payments can be processed before the transferee’s start date.

ACH Network

The ACH network is central to US commercial transactions. Reimbursements are made through direct payment via electronic transmission in an ACH transaction to the transferee’s bank account.

Global Wire Transfer

With a global wire transfer, the transaction is paid for at the sender’s bank. The recipient’s bank receives instructions for deposit. The recipient’s bank then deposits money from its own reserve account to the transferee’s account. Following the global wire transfer, the two banks settle payment on the back end of the process.

Lump Sum

Some companies may provide a lump sum payment to a transferee. GMS Expense Management can easily process lump sums before the transferee’s start date, unlike typical company accounting systems.

How is Invoicing Handled?

The GMS Expense Management program is fully customizable to meet any requirements for coding, frequency, and format. GMS offers several flexible funding options, as well as easy payment terms. GMS also offers prepaid card solutions that provide even greater flexibility for companies and transferees. With a prepaid card, money is already available on the card and transferees have instant access to funds.

How Does the GMS Expense Management Program Integrate with Payroll?

Important payroll functions such as tax calculations and reporting are quick and efficient with GMS expense management. The GMS approach includes:
  • Year-end employee tax reporting
  • US W-2 compensation data calculations, accumulation, and reconciling
  • Regularly scheduling payroll and wage updates
  • Tax assistance calculations that are consistent and flexible
  • Tax coding done in accordance with US Internal Revenue Service guidelines
  • Estimates for assignment and tax costs
  • Expatriate compensation balance sheets and worksheets

Auditing Process

Beyond auditing actual to claimed expenses to ensure receipt accuracy, GMS expense management provides several value added services. Confirming expenses comply with company policy is critical to ensure fair and equal treatment for all employees. The program documents all exceptions to ensure proper approvals are in place. By integrating the company’s policy within the expense management program, it is easy to identify business expenses as compared to those that are truly relocation expenses.

What Should Companies Seeking to Outsource Their Expense Management Program Do?

Companies that are seeking to outsource their expense management program should look into the GMS Expense Management program. GMS provides an industry-leading technology solution for employee reimbursements. Also, GMS provides accurate tax accounting and reporting. Industry standards guide the conduct of all necessary audits to ensure accurate program implementation. Customized reporting options meet each department’s needs for information critical to their function.

Conclusion

GMS’ team of corporate relocation experts has helped thousands of our clients outsource their expense management program. Our team can help your company understand how to benefit from industry-leading expense management solutions. GMS was the first relocation company to register as a .com. The company also created the first online interactive tools and calculators, and revolutionized the entire relocation industry. GMS continues to set the industry pace as the pioneer in innovation and technology solutions with its proprietary MyRelocation® technology platform. Global Mobility Solutions is proud to be named and ranked #1 Overall, and #1 in Quality of Service by HRO Today’s 2019 Baker’s Dozen Customer Satisfaction Survey. Contact our experts online to discuss your interest in the GMS Expense Management program, or give us a call at 800.617.1904 or 480.922.0700 today.
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Corporate Relocation Corporate relocation tips Relocation Best Practices Relocation Challenges Relocation Management Relocation Programs

What are the Top 5 Points a Company Planning to Relocate Should Consider?

A company planning to relocate is usually doing so for several reasons. Some companies operate through extensive planning processes and may have short term objectives as well as long term objectives. When considering a corporate relocation, companies must examine several major factors that will impact their decision. Sometimes these major factors have been known to the company, especially if they experience challenges in talent acquisition and management.

Major Factors that Lead Corporate Relocation Efforts

1. Quality of life considerations for their employees.

This encompasses a wide variety of issues including housing and tax costs, commuting times, access to social and educational venues, and environmental concerns. Opportunities for spouses and partners are critically important for relocating employees to ensure success. Family matters and career support for spouses should be a part of any corporate relocation initiative.

2. Workforce issues such as being closer to employees with the necessary education and technical skills.

Companies seeking to hire talented employees often prefer to be near a locale that has a large talent pool of viable candidates for job openings and growth opportunities.

3. Upgrading facilities and equipment is an important factor for any company planning to relocate.

Some companies currently operating in outdated facilities may be at a competitive disadvantage. Their competitors may have newer facilities with access to new technology, high-speed communication, and other updated amenities. As such, the company can easily upgrade facilities and equipment during a relocation.

4. Access to new markets is a major factor for corporate relocation.

The ability to reach new clients and gain exposure in a new location can help a company reach corporate objectives quickly and successfully. In some cases, a corporate headquarters move is made to provide greater access to capital and financial decision makers. Many large companies have facilities in various locations to gain unique advantages specific to those areas.

5. Cost considerations may be a factor in some corporate relocations.

Many companies take the cost of a location into account. They want to assure continued success as they respond to rising costs and increasing competition

Once a company planning to relocate reaches a decision, there are many points to consider. As it plans for a corporate relocation, a company should consider each point to ensure it is fully aware of potential issues, plans are in place, and preparations are sufficient to ensure a smooth relocation experience.

Top 5 Points a Company Planning to Relocate Should Consider

1. A project team should be in place to plan the relocation.

There are many aspects to consider. Several elements in corporate relocation may take a considerable amount of time for review, discussion, and formulation of plans. Companies considering a corporate relocation should have a written plan. Also, they should review this plan for accuracy to ensure it meets stringent corporate, customer, legal, and operational requirements. Important consideration should be given to the relocation budget. Companies should be fully aware of all the costs their corporate relocation will incur.

2. Contingency planning should be an integral part of a company’s corporate relocation plan.

Outside factors such as weather may severely impact the ability to move people and equipment in a timely manner. For each contingency, companies should identify a proper protocol to ensure the relocation goes back on track as soon as possible.

3. Disruptions may occur.

Proper planning should include a review of backup systems for information networks, customer communications, and employee outreach. In all cases, everyone should have a way to contact the company to ensure business remains ongoing during the relocation.

4. Technology systems are usually the most critical component for a company to consider during a relocation.

Connectivity, security, adequacy of backups, and ability to restore systems should be reviewed to ensure full compliance with corporation needs, customer requirements, and business continuity plans.

5. Communication is a key point for any company planning to relocate.

A company planning to relocate must ensure employees, customers, vendors, and others receive information about the move. Often this is a good opportunity for positive Public Relations (PR) efforts that can highlight the corporate relocation’s benefits in many ways, while giving the company greater exposure to tout their growth and initiatives. Companies should consider the audiences that will receive their message. They should also determine how they will express the traditional PR messages of who, what, where, how, and when.

What Should a Company Planning to Relocate do?

A company planning to relocate should identify all of the factors leading to the corporate relocation decision. Also, the company should consider all of the Top 5 Points that may impact the relocation. Companies considering a corporate relocation should work with a qualified Relocation Management Company (RMC) that has knowledge and expertise in all of the planning and processes inherent to relocation. Corporate relocation experts provide valuable insight. As a result, they can help a company’s corporate relocation process run smoothly, quickly, and with the least amount of disruptions. Engaging a Relocation Management Company early in the process will ensure a company has a knowledgeable partner that can guide them through all phases of the corporate relocation.

Conclusion

GMS’ team of corporate relocation experts has helped thousands of our clients develop plans and processes to ensure a successful and efficient corporate relocation. As a result, our team can help your company planning to relocate understand how to proceed with a corporate relocation. This will keep your company operating at top capacity before, during, and after the relocation.

GMS was the first relocation company to register as a “.com.” The company also created the first online interactive tools and calculators, and revolutionized the entire relocation industry. GMS continues to set the industry pace as the pioneer in innovation and technology solutions with its proprietary MyRelocation® technology platform.

Global Mobility Solutions is proud to be named and ranked #1 Overall, and #1 in Quality of Service by HRO Today’s 2019 Baker’s Dozen Customer Satisfaction Survey.

Contact our experts online to discuss your company’s corporate relocation, or give us a call at 800.617.1904 or 480.922.0700 today.

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Choosing a Relocation Company Corporate Relocation Corporate relocation tips Relocation Best Practices Relocation Management Relocation Policy Review Talent Mobility

The Future of Corporate Headquarters

Many companies face challenges when considering where to locate their corporate headquarters. Major global companies such as Amazon, Apple, General Electric, and Google have recently announced expansion or relocation efforts that will take them to their next-generation workforce.

Recent expansion and relocation efforts for corporate headquarters have focused on major metropolitan areas.

Corporate Headquarters of Major Companies

Amazon

Amazon plans to create a second corporate headquarters location in Arlington County, Virginia’s Crystal City neighborhood. The location is across from Washington, D.C. The company said it will receive $573 million combined from Virginia and Arlington in performance-based direct incentives. These incentives include Amazon creating several thousand jobs at the new location. Notably, although Amazon had originally also chosen a second location in Long Island City, Queens, New York for another headquarters, mounting opposition led the company to pull out of its plans. This speaks to the importance of building local support among all stakeholders for any new corporate headquarters development.

Apple

Apple is planning to expand its presence in Austin, Texas with a $1 Billion new corporate headquarters campus. Apple’s future plans will eventually make it the largest employer in Austin. The new campus will accommodate 5,000 employees to start, and feature capacity for up to 15,000 employees.

General Electric

General Electric relocated its corporate headquarters to Boston, Massachusetts in 2016 and instantly became the state’s largest public company. Company officials noted that the Boston metropolitan area’s concentration of top universities and startup technology firms was the main attraction for their relocation. The move is seen as a way for the industrial conglomerate to rebrand itself as a forward-looking technology company. Although GE continues to face challenging markets and a changing economic future, the fundamental reason for the company’s move is shown in their intent to remain in Boston.

Google

Google plans to spend $1 Billion to expand the company’s New York City Hudson Square facility. The campus will be the main corporate location for its New York-based global business organization. The company will double its New York City workforce.

Corporate Headquarters Require Workforce with Significant Skills and Education

Companies looking to expand or relocate their corporate headquarters require employees with skills and education. Typical functions at these locations may focus on executive and managerial roles, product engineering and development, talent acquisition and talent management, sales and marketing, corporate communications, legal concerns, and finance. Many of the positions within these functions require degrees from institutions of higher education. Employees must be proficient with technology across multiple platforms. They must also display a broad range of soft skills including verbal and written communication, coaching, and leadership. Any company looking at a new location should work to keep current employees with desired skills and education during the relocation.

What Should Employers Seeking to Expand or Relocate Their Corporate Headquarters do?

Companies that are looking to expand or relocate their corporate headquarters should work with a Relocation Management Company (RMC) that has expert knowledge and extensive experience in corporate relocation services. Corporate relocation programs provide companies and employees all of the resources and tools they need to ensure a smooth and successful relocation process.

Choose an RMC that provides ongoing employee support services, supplier management, relocation benefits, and expense management. Employers should provide many resources for their relocating employees and their families. As a result, they will feel confident in accepting their new assignments and enthusiastic about the company’s corporate headquarters relocation.

Conclusion

GMS’ team of corporate relocation experts has the knowledge and expertise to help your company manage its corporate headquarters relocation budget. We will also offer your employees the best relocation experience during a corporate headquarters expansion or relocation. This will increase your company’s ability to retain current employees as well as attract new hires at your new location.

Contact our team of experts to discuss how we can help your company’s corporate headquarters relocation budget stay within company guidelines, or call us directly at 800.617.1904 or 480.922.0700 today.

Request your complimentary relocation policy review

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Corporate Relocation Domestic Relocation Global Mobility

Seven Tips to Help Your Company’s New Human Resource Mobility Manager Get Up To Speed

Portrait of a group of happy colleagues standing together in a modern office

Strong economic growth helps companies increase sales, meet corporate objectives, and expand their operations. As companies grow, their need for employees with exceptional skills and talent increases. New hires, transferees, and promotions impact all departments, including Human Resources (HR) and the HR Mobility Manager.

However, growing companies cannot easily provide employees with a lot of time for long learning curves. The speed of business, as well as expanding competition, mean new hires, transferees, and employees new to their positions must hit the ground running. Your company’s future depends on a robust, well-functioning, and highly productive talent acquisition program.

Companies with successful talent acquisition programs understand their relocation policies are critically important to attracting and retaining those with the highest level of skills and experience. How can a new HR Mobility Manager get up to speed quickly and efficiently so talent acquisition programs and relocation policies are fully effective?

Global Mobility Solutions’ team of global relocation experts believes these seven tips are the most helpful for new HR Mobility Managers:

1. Set up a meeting with your Relocation Management Company (RMC).

The first thing a new HR Mobility Manager should do is meet with their RMC’s Account Manager and Relocation Coach responsible for servicing their account. The relocation experts servicing their account will have in-depth knowledge of the company’s relocation policies. They will also be able to speak to what is working best for the company, and share helpful recommendations that will benefit the company’s talent acquisition program and relocation policies.

2. Examine past annual reviews and become familiar with reports.

Annual reviews and reports from their RMC provide a quick summary of important measurements, including:

  • Annual Spend
  • Volume of Relocations
  • Relocation Policy Tiers
  • Policy Exceptions
  • Industry Trends

3. Review customer satisfaction ratings.

Every relocation should have input from the transferee as to their level of satisfaction. Ratings may provide insight regarding relocation policy issues; transportation including packing, move, and unloading; and satisfaction with elements of the relocation process such as expense reimbursement processes and community tours. Information should also provide insight into the resolution of any service challenges, which in turn may help guide future relocation policy development.

4. Set up training for the online portal so you can access relocation tools.

Your company’s RMC should have a robust and industry-leading relocation technology solution. The technology should be fully secure, with simple processes and easy to use tools for both employees and transferees. The training should include:

  • How to Initiate a Relocation
  • How Transferees Submit for Reimbursement
  • Viewing Transferee’s Status
  • Running Custom Reports

5. Learn the history of your company’s relocation policy.

Your RMC Account Manager understands the details and nuances of your company’s relocation policy. They can help you understand the history of your policy, including what the most recent revision was, and why the revision was necessary. Your RMC may also have specific policy suggestions that are helpful to your company. They have knowledge about your company and the industry it is in, as well as experience in the relocation industry. They understand what works best for your company’s relocation policy, especially as it relates to your talent acquisition program.

6. Interview your HR Department to learn which improvements should be made to the policy.

Other members of your HR Department may be good sources to learn which improvements are necessary for your company’s relocation policy. They may have experience working with transferees and issues such as policy exceptions. Ask the other employees in your department these questions:

  • What Works?
  • What is Not Working?
  • Is the Relocation Budget Sufficient?
  • Do the Relocation Packages Include Enough Benefits to Draw New Hires?
  • What is the Expense Management Turnaround Time?
  • How Does the Invoicing Process Work?
  • What Other Ideas Would They Suggest?

7. Be sure your RMC shares industry updates and trends on a consistent basis, and consider joining Worldwide ERC.

Your RMC should share industry updates and trends on a consistent basis. As experts in the relocation industry, you should be able to rely on your RMC’s knowledge and experience. Your RMC should help design your company’s relocation policies using best practices to promote successful relocations. Another helpful resource for relocation industry information is Worldwide ERC. Consider joining this leading industry association to gain access to useful information and expand your networking opportunities.

Conclusion

Global Mobility Solutions’ team of global relocation experts has helped thousands of our clients when new HR Mobility Managers come on board to work with our team. We can help your company’s new HR Mobility Manager get up to speed quickly and efficiently, so talent acquisition programs and relocation policies are fully effective. Learn best practices from Global Mobility Solutions, the relocation industry and technology experts who are dedicated to keeping you informed and connected. Contact our experts online or give us a call at 800.617.1904 or 480.922.0700 today.

Request your complimentary relocation policy review

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Choosing a Relocation Company Corporate Relocation Domestic Relocation Global Relocation Relocation Policy Review Relocation Programs

Advantages of an Expedited Bidding Process

Handsome businessman talking with phone sitting with laptop on the backseat of the car

More companies are using an expedited bidding process when it comes to outsourcing their relocation program to a Relocation Management Company (RMC). This fundamental shift in a company’s approach to outsourcing relocation has many benefits, including significant cost and time savings. As the pace of business continues to increase, expedited bidding has proven to be a boon for companies that are looking to enhance the management of their relocation program.

Global Mobility Solutions’ team of global relocation experts benchmarked 48 companies that have utilized this process to determine the reasons why this approach has risen in prominence in today’s relocation market. Our team has identified five distinct reasons for the increased utilization of expedited bidding.

Five Reasons Why Companies Prefer an Expedited Bidding Process:

1. Companies Buy Solutions, Not Parts

Purchasing relocation management is a much different process than sourcing parts or equipment. Companies understand that ensuring the right fit for the right reasons is the most important factor when sourcing employee-facing services.

2. Complimentary Mobility Consulting

Policy reviews, program design and recommendations, and policy development and revisions can easily be part of this process. This also allows companies to evaluate an RMC’s experience, knowledge of the relocation process, and the quality of their consulting work.

3. Faster Relocation Program Implementation With an Expedited Bidding Process

Over 90% of companies that utilize an expedited process are able to complete their implementation within 22 days. The speed of this approach allows companies to achieve immediate efficiencies in their programs.

4. Avoiding Formal Requests

Utilizing an expedited bidding process helps companies avoid the administrative burdens and resource-intensive approach typical of the more formal Requests for Information and Requests for Proposals.

5. Immediate Cost Savings

Competition inherent in this process often results in cost savings. Improved fee structures and reduced direct costs result in up-front savings for the client. Savings allow clients to increase their focus on strategic business initiatives while the RMC manages their relocation program.

What Should Employers do to Utilize an Expedited Bidding Process?

Employers should utilize an expedited bidding process as they consider outsourcing their relocation management. A Relocation Management Company with extensive knowledge of the global relocation market and the experience of moving hundreds of thousands of employees will provide the best resources for expedited bidding processes. An experienced RMC can also easily guide companies through the process and achieve highly successful results.

Conclusion

Global Mobility Solutions’ team of global relocation experts has helped thousands of our clients with their relocation programs. We can help your company understand how to gain the most benefits from utilizing an expedited bidding process. Learn how to choose the best Relocation Management Company from Global Mobility Solutions, the relocation industry and technology experts who are dedicated to keeping you informed and connected. Contact our experts online or give us a call at 800.617.1904 or 480.922.0700 today.

Request your complimentary relocation policy review

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Corporate Relocation Domestic Relocation Domestic Relocation Tips Global Relocation Global Relocation Tips Relocation Programs

What are the Benefits of Outsourcing Relocation Programs?

Businesspeople in a meeting

What are the benefits of outsourcing relocation programs? Companies that want to stay ahead of their competitors and attract highly qualified employees offer a well-designed corporate relocation program. Employees are looking for relocation programs to provide a wide range of benefits and services to ensure they have an easy and smooth relocation process. Companies that offer a relocation program that is managed entirely in-house face several challenges in trying to meet the demands and expectations of a widespread workforce. There are many benefits to  outsourcing relocation programs that companies should consider as they review their offerings.

There are five key in-house relocation program challenges, and five crucial benefits that outsourcing provides to help company relocation programs be successful:

1. Program Managed by Various Locations or Individuals

Local HR teams may have different interpretations of programs and policies, so variations may impact the benefits transferees receive.

Outsourcing Benefit: When choosing to outsource, company relocation programs benefit from central program management with local support. At all times, a consistent and coherent program is administered and fully supported in all locations, with no variations by locale or individual interpretation.

2. Employees or Local HR Assume Additional Responsibilities

A company choosing to offer an in-house relocation program must rely on current employees and local HR teams to assume additional responsibilities. Some current employees may not have experience with relocation programs, so there may be a learning curve requiring additional time and training.

Outsourcing Benefit: Teams of fully trained relocation experts handle the interpretation and delivery of policies, ensuring employees receive the same benefits across the board.

3. Frequent Exception of “Special Deals”

In-house relocation programs are susceptible to frequent exceptions of “special deals” when employees try to find ways to help transferees and their families with unique challenges. Companies often do not have the resources to understand the unique challenges posed with relocation and how they have been addressed by other companies, likely resulting in unforeseen and unbudgeted obligations.

Outsourcing Benefit: Relocation experts with significant industry experience can use their knowledge to help companies understand how best to manage exceptions, minimizing expenses and process disruptions.

4. Relocation Costs not Effectively Tracked

Over 70% of companies that manage relocation in-house are not aware of their program’s internal operating costs. Without effective relocation program expense tracking, the true costs are hidden and thus cannot be effectively controlled or minimized.

Outsourcing Benefit: “Best of the Best” providers are utilized so transferees and their families receive exceptional services while costs can be fully identified, tracked, and reviewed for budgetary impact and program performance.

5. Increased Likelihood of Assignment Failures

Companies offering a relocation program hope their transferees have a successful relocation. However, the likelihood of assignment failure is high due to the in-house team’s lack of experience and knowledge when helping transferees and their families understand and address the unique challenges they face during the relocation process.

Outsourcing Benefit: Companies can benefit from an outsourced solution that specializes in unique relocation needs including tax issues, visa applications, and compliance reporting. Working with relocation experts who have extensive experience in these and other areas can help a company avoid risk related to transferee’s requests for guidance and advice.

Conclusion

The most successful companies outsource their relocation programs so employees and their families have access to industry-leading resources and expert guidance. The corporate relocation experts at Global Mobility Solutions (GMS) help our clients understand how to create and administer a relocation program that gives them a competitive advantage and provides the highest level of relocation benefits and services for their employees.

To learn more about the many benefits outsourcing your corporate relocation program can provide for your company and employees, contact our team of experts online, or call us at 800.617.1904 or 480.922.0700 today.

Request your complimentary relocation policy review

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Corporate Relocation Domestic Relocation Global Mobility Relocation Management

What is Employee Relocation or Workforce Mobility?

Young couple unpacking cardboard boxes at new home.Moving house.
Young couple unpacking cardboard boxes at new home.Moving house.

Employee relocation or workforce mobility refers to the processes or relocation services involved in the transfer of employees or potential employees from one location to another. Additional terms that refer to these processes may include:

Some of these terms may be used interchangeably. However, the terms global relocation and North America relocation may differ in the range of services commonly required for relocating an employee. Reference to global relocation is usually as an umbrella term, and includes North America relocation processes. Reference to North America relocation usually excludes processes commonly needed for international employee relocation such as visa acquisition, repatriation, and language training.

Generally, a company’s management of workforce mobility accounts for ongoing employee support services, supplier management, candidate selection, relocation benefits, and expense management. Corporate relocation programs vary between companies due to size, need, or destination.

The overall process of employee relocation is usually divided into one of four service brackets including:

Pre-Decision Services:

According to Worldwide ERC data, the average cost to relocate an executive level home-owning employee is approximately $97,000. For this reason, companies seek assurances that an employee is a good fit for relocation. Pre-decision services aim to uncover any potential issues that may arise prior to the employee’s relocation. As a result, these services reduce the risk of a failed relocation. Some of the most common reasons for failed relocations according to Worldwide ERC include:

  • Negative home equity
  • Slow real estate housing market
  • Family resistance to move
  • Spousal employment
  • High costs of housing

Examples of a few common pre-decision services include:

Candidate Assessment – Services that assess candidate expectation, skills, personal qualities, family circumstance, and financial preparedness.

Cost of Living Analysis – Cost of living comparison of origin and destination cities to help determine acceptable or competitive salary range.

Market Analysis – Determines the likely home sale timeline and identifies potential home sale challenges such as negative equity.

School Reports – Public and Private School reports provided to the relocating employee to aid community selection.

Moving Cost Estimates – Cost estimates on household goods transportation, helps budget for relocation costs.

Community Search and Tours – Coordinates community orientation tours to familiarize relocating employees to their new location, and assist in selecting an area that fits their particular interests.

Origin Services for Employee Relocation

Origin services account for all services necessary at the transferring employee’s origin location. Some of these services include:

Expense Management – Establishment of expense reporting and management services for both the company and employee. Also, this is designed to track and contain costs during the relocation process. Utilized throughout the entire relocation process*

Home Sale Assistance – May include connecting employees with real estate agents, home marketing assistance, and home buying programs.

Household Goods Management – Management of household goods transport from origin to destination. May include procurement of van line services, replacement insurance, and guaranteed “not to exceed” estimates for goods transportation.

Visa and Immigration Services – For international relocations, visa and immigration services organize company and employee documents required for visa acquisition.

Property Management – For employees not selling their home. May include rental marketing assistance, tenant management, vacant property management, landlord consulting, and property maintenance.

Destination Services for Employee Relocation

Destination services account for all services necessary at the transferring employee’s destination location. The range of destination services sometimes includes a further segmentation of “settling in services.” These services are aimed at helping the employee and their family acclimate to their new location. Some of these services may include:

Home Finding Services – Services include connecting employees with real estate agents at destination, home buying assistance, corporate housing, temporary housing, rental assistance, and home finding tours.

Settling in Services – Services that aid employee acclimation to their new location including access to online resources, attaining local driver’s license, child care, connecting utilities, and locating a primary care physician.

Vehicle Lease or Purchase – Services that assist relocating employees acquire a vehicle including loan support, and lease negotiation.

Family Assistance – Services that assist the relocating employee’s family, including spousal employment support, counseling services, and stress management assistance.

Return or Repatriation Services

In most cases, employee relocation services for individuals returning from temporary North America assignments are equivalent to services provided at departure. While there are some short term North America relocation programs among companies, the majority of return services handle an employee’s return from international assignment. International assignments are usually classified into one of four categories:

  1. Extended Business Travel (EBT): an assignment of 3 months or less.
  2. Short Term: An assignment lasting 6 months to a year (range may go up to 2 years).
  3. Long Term: An assignment lasting 2-3 years.
  4. Permanent: An assignment lasting 3 years or more.

For EBT, short term, and long term assignments, repatriation plans have become an industry recognized necessity for effective employee retention. According to Atlas surveys, around 40% of expatriate employees leave their sponsoring company after assignment. Repatriation services seek to close this gap. They also help organizations maximize their workforce investment. As a result, they retain employees that have acquired substantial knowledge capital. Repatriation is a dynamic service area that has wide variation. For example, repatriation counseling helps employees returning from international assignment manage cultural differences, and re-acclimate to North America life. Additional services may include:

  • Lease termination assistance
  • Home services termination (includes utilities)
  • Tax equalization

Workforce mobility seeks to analyze, manage, execute and optimize the processes involved in transferring an employee from one location to another. For more detailed descriptions of relocation services, please visit the following pages:

Global Relocation
North America Relocation

Conclusion

The corporate relocation experts at Global Mobility Solutions (GMS) have the knowledge and expertise to help your company remain competitive, reduce costs, and offer your employees the best relocation experience.

GMS was the first relocation company to register as a .com. The company also created the first online interactive tools and calculators, and revolutionized the entire relocation industry. GMS continues to set the industry pace as the pioneer in innovation and technology solutions with its proprietary MyRelocation® technology platform.

Global Mobility Solutions is proud to be named and ranked #1 Overall, and #1 in Quality of Service by HRO Today’s 2019 Baker’s Dozen Customer Satisfaction Survey.

Contact our team of experts to discuss how we can help improve your company’s corporate relocation program, or call us at 800.617.1904 or 480.922.0700 today.

Request your complimentary relocation policy review

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Corporate Relocation

Top 5 Points for Creating Your 2018 Corporate Relocation Program Budget

Business woman working at home on the computer

It’s that time of year when you might receive a meeting notice titled “2018 Budget Planning Meeting”, or a link to a data entry program, or a spreadsheet with line items for you to reconcile. Where do you start when creating a budget for your company’s corporate relocation program?

Corporate relocation programs often include several activities, all of which can impact your budget. Careful budgeting for 2018 will provide peace of mind over the upcoming year as you anticipate and account for the major points of your company’s workforce mobility requirements.

Be sure to consider these top 5 points as you create your 2018 corporate relocation budget:

Review Historical Data

Closely examine the past few year’s expenses and reports to identify areas that consistently exceed budget, or areas where you can reduce budget. The dynamic nature of the relocation process may result in additional costs related to employee documentation or tax obligations. Be careful to research trends in the data so you can identify areas where your policies might need to adjust, or where a competitive analysis would be helpful. Note specific areas generating out-of-policy costs and be sure to include contingencies in your 2018 budget.

Policy Review

You should review your corporate relocation policy to examine areas that should be adjusted to keep your company competitive with your industry peers. Consider process improvements and new technologies for expense reporting and program management for additional savings and procedural enhancements. Compliance to new or revised regulations might result in additional costs to include in your budget.

Accrual Accounting Requirements

Business expenses are often tracked through several reporting systems. Many companies account for business expenses that occur in one period by setting aside amounts known as accruals against which future expenses are allocated. As you prepare your budget, review the prior year’s accruals and note if you should budget for similar amounts to ensure a smoother expense tracking and recording process, especially in light of cash management requirements.

Large Cost Drivers

Most relocation costs are driven by large cost drivers. Examine the following activities in detail for inclusion in your 2018 budget. Be sure to compare and account for cost differences between global relocation and domestic relocation:

  • Temporary Housing Costs
  • Home Selling and Purchasing Costs
  • Household Good Shipments
  • Tax Implications for the Company and Employee

2018 Workforce Mobility Plans

Has the company announced any strategic initiatives that might result in additional employee relocations? Look for information related to facility planning, sales location development, and company expansion plans. A strategic partnership with another firm might result in temporary or permanent employee relocations. Today’s workforce is more responsive than ever before to changing company requirements, so be sure to plan for contingencies.

Conclusion

Global Mobility Solutions is the corporate relocation industry leader. Our mobility consulting team understands how to create budgets that accurately reflect the corporate relocation market. We have helped thousands of companies determine their budgeting needs, and our team is always ready to assist you in your budgeting process.

For expert guidance on your 2018 budget and corporate relocation policy, contact us online or call us at 800.617.1904 or 480.922.0700 today.

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Top 5 Reasons for Expedited Bidding

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What is Expedited Bidding?

The Expedited Bidding Process (EBP) is not an abbreviated approach. It is a request for proposal (RFP) that, like a traditional RFP, demands complete and detailed answers from relocation management companies (RMC). However, through expedited bidding, a company’s purchasing department only sends RFPs to a small, select group of key RMCs.

The trend in utilizing an EBP for the outsourcing of relocation management is at an all-time high. Global Mobility Solutions consulting team’s recent study shows that EBP utilization is up more than 200% over the last year. Why are so many companies turning to expedited bidding when looking for a mobility management solution?

Buying Solutions, Not Widgets
Purchasing relocation management is not like sourcing for parts. Ensuring the right fit for the right reasons is key when purchasing employee-facing services.

Courtesy Mobility Consulting
Policy reviews, recommendations, program design, and policy development can be part of the process. This allows for an evaluation of the RMC experience, knowledge, and quality of consulting work.

Immediate Cost Savings
Competition often equates to implicit cost savings through no fee implementation, less administrative burden and time investment, improved fee structures, and reduced direct costs.

Quicker Program Implementation
90% of EBP implementations are completed within 22 days, allowing for immediate efficiencies and realized savings.

Full RFP Avoidance
Eliminates the administrative burden for the purchasing department and reduces the need for extensive resources when compared to a formal Request for Proposal method.

Modern Mobility Made Easy™

What this means for you and your relocating employees

The Global Mobility Solutions benchmarking study shows that companies utilizing an expedited bidding process achieve savings up to 61% over typical RFP costs. Expedited bidding is one of many ways that Global Mobility Solutions recommends to make choosing an RMC fast, easy, and cost-effective. Before you send your next RFP, Download the 28 Critical Questions to ask an RMC. For more information on EBPs, and to learn more about Global Mobility Solutions’ corporate relocation programs, contact us online or give us a call at 800.617.1904 today.

Download the 28 Critical Questions to ask an RMC when submitting an RFP

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Top 5 Considerations When Choosing Relocation Technology

How to get better relocation technology and mobility management at your fingertips

In all aspects of life, technology has made things faster, easier, and more cost-effective. The same is true regarding relocation. Here are some benefits of relocation technology to consider when upgrading your mobility management.

  1. Is it safe, secure, and compliant?
  2. How can it help make my life easier?
  3. How can it help my relocating employees?
  4. Will it integrate with other systems I use?
  5. Is it customizable and scalable?

Safety. To ensure the privacy and protection of your transferees’ personal information, you will want to ensure that your relocation technology has the appropriate level(s) of Privacy Compliance and Service Organization Controls.

Making your life easier. A robust single-platform technology solution should provide human resources, recruiting, and other administrative stakeholders with the tools needed to efficiently oversee relocation, such as:

  • Pre-hire and decision analytics and tools
  • Customizable online relocation initiation and approval process
  • Customizable “at-a-glance” dashboards to easily display the data you want
  • Online relocation cost estimating
  • Detailed and comprehensive performance analytics (SLAs and Metrics)
  • Fully-customizable and robust service and financial reporting suites on demand
  • Online tools and resources to plan and manage your mobility program

With a look at your screen and the touch of a button, you can easily track the progress of transferees, expenses, manage any exceptions, and more.

Helping your relocating employees. Today’s relocation technology should be accessible on any device, including tablets and smartphones. This technology should be available to anyone relocating with your company, including candidates who can benefit from the full scope of pre-employment features offered. Your workforce will move with ease using features like:

  • Virtual Destination and Guides
  • Access relocation benefit details
  • Relocation tools like mortgage vs. rent calculators
  • Online expense submission and tracking
  • Simplified travel booking
  • Real-time expense submissions and reimbursements
  • Language and cultural tools
  • Text and email alerts

It needs to work with what you already have. A good relocation technology solution should integrate with your existing human resources, payroll, and other critical systems and seamlessly enhance your work flow, not complicate it.

You want your solution to grow with your company. As evidenced by many of the preceding bullets, the ability to customize is a key factor when choosing relocation technology. From how you view information on the screen, to the data included on reports, you need a technology solution that gives you what you want, when you want it.

Modern Mobility Made Easy™
What this means for you and your relocating employees

Global Mobility Solutions believes in the use of technology to complement our high touch service model to provide a seamless relocation experience for you and your transferring employees.

MyRelocation™ is our single-platform, online relocation management suite that provides our clients and their transferees an array of decision-making, tracking, and expense management tools – right at their fingertips – anywhere, anytime. To see what MyRelocation™ can do for you, request a quick demo.

Request a relocation technology demo

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