In today’s ever-evolving business landscape, companies often undergo organizational changes that require relocating multiple employees at once, whether to consolidate offices, expand into new markets, or support mergers and acquisitions. These large-scale relocations, commonly referred to as “group moves”, come with a unique set of challenges and considerations. For mobility teams, group moves are more than logistical exercises; they are strategic initiatives that impact workforce continuity, employee morale, and overall business success.
A group move usually entails relocating a specific number of employees. This could involve a small team or, in some cases, hundreds of individuals moving to a new location. While these relocations often occur within the same country, they can also be international. Despite the seemingly straightforward nature of this concept, the planning and execution involved are quite complex. Unlike individual relocations, group moves require a coordinated strategy that balances business objectives with employee needs, all within tight timelines and often under high visibility from leadership.
One of the first steps in managing a successful group move is understanding the factors that can make or break the process. It starts with clear alignment of business goals. Whether you’re moving employees to reduce costs, access new talent markets, or support organizational growth, knowing the “why” behind the move helps shape the overall approach. Mobility leaders also need to assess the demographics of the employee group, considering roles, seniority, and family situations, to determine the level of support each segment will require.
Group Move Policies
Developing a formal group move policy is crucial for ensuring consistency, setting expectations, and controlling costs during large-scale employee relocations. Your group move policy should define eligibility, benefit tiers, support services, and timelines, and may include incentives like retention bonuses. Key differences from traditional relocation policies include fixed timelines, alignment with group move objectives, expanded benefit bands, additional support for families, negotiated supplier fees, provisions for employees who decline the move, home pricing considerations, and attention to the impact on local communities and real estate markets.
Group Move Timelines
Timelines are another critical piece. Group moves often happen in phases, and it’s important to establish key milestones early on. Having a well-structured communication strategy is also essential. Employees need timely, consistent information about what’s happening, how it affects them, and what support will be provided. Without a clear message, uncertainty can quickly lead to disengagement or even attrition.
This is where partnering with a Relocation Management Company (RMC) like WHR can bring substantial value. RMCs specialize in managing complex relocations and can act as an extension of your HR team.
From project planning and policy design to vendor coordination and employee support, an experienced RMC brings structure and scalability to what might otherwise be an overwhelming process.
Working with an RMC allows you to:
- Offload day-to-day logistics and vendor management so you can focus on strategic decisions
- Develop a tailored group move policy that reflects both industry benchmarks and your company’s goals
- Provide employees with hands-on guidance through the entire move, improving acceptance rates and reducing stress
- Access real-time data and reporting tools to track progress, manage costs, and adjust plans as needed
5 Steps in the Group Move Process
1) Pre-Announcement Planning
A solid relocation policy forms the foundation of successful corporate group moves. Understand your organization’s relocation budget, benefits for relocating employees, and plans for those who choose not to relocate. Confidence in your plan and relocation packages contributes to employee satisfaction.
- Employee surveys measuring their satisfaction with WHR’s service, technology, supplier partners, and the relocation benefits your organization offered
- Cost summaries, including multi-currency budget-to-actual spend, budget cost accrual reports, average cost per completed relocation;
- Policy exception requests, including approved and denied exceptions; and more!
Why Group Moves Fail
Even with a solid policy and experienced partners in place, group moves can go off track without the right attention to detail. Common pitfalls include a lack of clear objectives, poor planning, and underestimating the emotional toll of relocation, especially on families; a lack of clear messaging from leadership; applying a one-size-fits-all approach to policy design; and overlooking critical destination details, such as housing shortages or school enrollment challenges.
To increase your odds of success, consider these best practices:
- Start planning early – give your team and employees time to prepare
- Involve your RMC from the beginning – they can provide site assessments, feasibility studies, and communication strategies
- Design policies that are fair, flexible, and aligned with employee demographics
- Communicate regularly and transparently – don’t leave employees guessing
- Use feedback and data to make informed adjustments along the way
At the end of the day, a well-executed group move is more than a transition – it’s a statement about your company’s values, culture, and commitment to supporting your people. When done right, it can strengthen employee engagement, preserve business continuity, and lay the groundwork for future success.
How Relocation Management Companies Help
Relocating a large group of employees is complicated and challenging, but it does not have to be stressful. It is important to select a relocation provider with thorough group move experience that can manage the employee transitions while simultaneously supporting ongoing business goals and objectives. This is particularly true in the new location, to offer employees a sense of team support in every aspect of starting their new careers in a new state together.
RMCs assist in defining move objectives, advising on communication plans, designing effective policies, and managing logistics. WHR’s global footprint ensures the capability to handle group moves of all sizes and complexities. RMCs also establish procedures to assess employee relocations, determine relocation policies, and project acceptance rates.
What to Look for in a Provider
Select a provider with extensive experience, user-friendly technology tools, relocation policy design expertise, and a transparent reporting process. At WHR, our team is committed to delivering exceptional service and peace of mind to your relocating employees. From policy development to planning and execution, we help your company achieve its corporate objectives during a group move.
If your organization is planning a group move, or even exploring the possibility, our team at WHR is here to help. With extensive experience in managing large-scale relocations, we’ll work with you to develop a strategy that ensures a smooth, thoughtful, and successful move for both your people and business.
Ready to learn more about our move management services?
These five tools allow you to answer a few short questions about your company’s global mobility program and will send you a custom report based on your answers
U.S. Domestic Relocation Cost Estimator
Interactive Repayment Agreement
Domestic Relocation Policy Designer
Relocation Benchmark Comparison
RFP – Relocation Request for Proposal Generator
