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Reducing Moving Costs Through Government Relocation Incentives

Check Out These U.S. Cities with Relocation Benefits Programs

Moving to a new place for a new job can be an excellent move for your career and your personal life. Starting somewhere fresh can give new beginnings and new opportunities. But what if the new company does not offer a competitive relocation package? Relocating for a position can be expensive, especially for an employee paying out of pocket; however, if the employee faces a once-in-lifetime job opportunity that cannot be turned down, making the decision even harder. 

A lot goes into the relocation process, from the home sale and purchase costs, movers to travel funds, and even food and temporary housing costs come into play. Even if the new job does not offer the employee relocation benefits, it might not be the end of the opportunity just yet. 

Many U.S. cities and states offer relocation incentive programs to take advantage of. Corporate relocation state subsidy programs are designed to help cover the cost for people moving for a job opportunity. Depending on the program, these incentives may apply to the entire state, region, or city. Here are some cities with the best relocation programs, with many of the programs focused on enticing remote workers in today’s new normal.

Cities & States with Relocation Benefits Programs

When looking for a new job, consider these relocation incentive programs offered by each city or state. Depending on what the relocation assistance covers, it could significantly reduce the cost of moving while also helping to break a tie between two employer offers.

Tulsa, OK

This remote working program is an innovative one. Tulsa offers workers up to $10,000 cash to help with relocation costs and a free workplace within an office space for any remote worker who moves to and works from the city. All employees have to do to qualify for the program is be at least 18 years old, work remotely in a full-time job, be eligible to work within the U.S., and be able to move to Tulsa within 12 months of accepting the relocation incentive.

Northwest Arkansas

To attract professional talent, the Northwest Arkansas Council offers incentives of up to a $10,000 lump sum for those looking to relocate. Recipients will also be given a free street or mountain bike to use on the new 162 miles of paved trails, the 37-acre Razorback Regional Greenway, and the region’s 322 miles of mountain biking trails. If a bike doesn’t suit the fancy of the moving worker, participants can also choose an annual membership to arts and cultural institutions.

Newton, Iowa

In 2014, Newton, Iowa, initiated The Newton Housing Initiative to boost home buying and construction. Investing in Newton’s infrastructure with a $190,000+ home yields a $10,000 cash incentive plus a “Get to Know Newton” package worth ~$2,500, with discounts at local stores and eateries.

To be eligible for this program, you must buy or build a new home worth $190,000. The reward is given at the final loan signing, and a certified appraiser must appraise the home’s value. The Newton home’s construction has to be completed before you receive the incentive, confirmed with proof of occupancy by the City of Newton. Rental properties do not qualify for this relocation program.

Savannah, GA

The Savannah Technology Workforce Incentive is willing to reimburse relocating employees up to $2,000 of relocation expenses. To qualify, applicants must be willing to work with a technology company in the region, be self-employed, or be remote workers looking to relocate to Savannah. Additionally, the employee must relocate within 12 months, have a minimum one-year lease or purchase property, and have resided in the county for 30 days before being able to apply

Tucson, AZ

Thinking of living in the desert? StartupTucson offers incentives totaling up to $7,500 in cash and moving services. Relocation funds, internet setup, and housing support are just some of this program’s benefits

The Shoals, AL

Another program geared toward remote workers, this relocation benefits package, is willing to pay moving employees $10,000 cash, which can go a long way in the low cost of the living area of The Shoals. To be eligible for the money, workers must have a minimum annual income of $52,000, be able to move within six months, be full-time employees, and be at least 18 years old. $2,500 of the incentive is given upfront for moving costs. The rest is given in two payments, the first after six months and the last after a year.

GMS Can Help Relocating Employees Utilize Relocation Incentive Programs

Are you a company that has been exploring innovative new ways to utilize a remote workforce? GMS can help you craft creative relocation policies while maximizing the relocation incentives programs offered by various state and local governments across the U.S. Contact us today to discuss how your company can obtain and retain the best talent from anywhere in the country and how to do so affordably.

Or if you’re an employee looking to take advantage of relocating on remote work policies, then feel free to contact as well. GMS is happy to announce our new Employee Choice Program, where we help remote workers get network pricing on moving services as they relocate to an unknown destination.

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Best Practices for Relocation: Multiple Bids for Household Goods Moves

It is no secret that competition leads to an array of benefits, including significant savings for the end user. We have seen the opposite when a company owns a monopoly on a product. Examples can range from Mylan raising the price of retail EpiPens over 400% in a very short time to dealing with customer service of the only cable provider offered in a neighborhood. Having one choice has never worked out well for consumers. The same applies to corporate relocation.

A lot of relocation management companies (RMCs) either own, or are owned by, van line companies. Therefore, when a client company wants to move its employees, the employees do not have a choice of van lines. The RMC and the van line know that the transferee is at their mercy with regard to price, scheduling, and customer service.

However, some RMCs use a multiple bid process in order to ensure that transferees are getting the best price and service. There are some significant benefits to having van lines compete for relocation business:

  • It encourages the providers to “sharpen their pencils” to provide the lowest reasonable cost
  • It ensures adherence to a company’s relocation policy guidelines
  • It is a way to eliminate any service day surprises

This is all accomplished by having at least two carriers meet with the transferee to create estimates based on how much needs to be moved, what needs special handling, and to where it all needs to be moved. Then the RMC audits the estimates to look for inconsistencies, for example:

  • Do the pickup and delivery dates correspond with the move?
  • Does one company estimate more crates than another?
  • Does one company show specialty items that the other company may have missed?
  • How close are the estimated prices?

Auditing the bids ensures an apples-to-apples understanding of the van line options and helps weed out the opportunity for overages.

Each carrier understands that its objective is to win the business. Therefore, they try to provide estimates that are fair and accurate with relatively no cushion to the costs. Many relocation policies that deal with van lines will also include a “not to exceed estimate” guarantee. This ensures relocation best practices are followed and provide the best solution.

Companies that utilize a multiple bid process save an average of $1,547 per move! This breaks down to an average of $1,473 to $1,604 for household goods movement and an average of $175 to $289 for car shipments per move.

While cost is very important, so is the transferee’s experience. By allowing the transferee to meet with multiple van lines, he or she will feel more engaged in his or her relocation process. In some cases, the transferee is actually empowered to choose the van line they prefer. Even if an estimate is slightly higher than another, if it falls within a certain percent (based on the client company’s relocation policy) of the lower bid, a transferee may select the more expensive carrier if he or she feels more comfortable with that specific household goods mover. This promotes an overall good experience, because transferees tend to be happier if they feel that they are being heard throughout the relocation process. And we all know that happy employees are productive employees.

Global Mobility Solutions (GMC) is the pioneer of the “Freedom of Choice” model in relocation. By following relocation best practices and providing multiple bids for an array of providers, client companies and their transferees have saved money on services like household goods movement and, of course, mortgage loans. GMS continues to be an innovator of workforce mobility programs in an effort to make relocations easy and practical for clients and their employees.

Learn more about the multiple bid process for household goods movement, as well as other relocation services.

Need to include multiple bids in your relocation policy? Ask for a complimentary policy review.

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