Choosing to outsource your employee relocation program is a considerable but necessary task to remain competitive in your search for top talent. For employers that have already selected a relocation supplier, the most important step in your relationship now begins: Implementation.

Implementation consists of developing or sharing your existing relocation policies with your supplier, customizing the supplier’s technology to match these policies, process-mapping workflows, determining invoicing and expense requirements, and everything else that gets your relocation program up and running.

For any relocation supplier, the fundamental role and purpose of a formal implementation process is to ensure the guidelines and controls are in place to provide your employees consistent and top-quality relocation services while meeting your performance standards.

Implementing a New Relocation Management Company

In a typical implementation for relocation services, the supplier collects all necessary information on your current relocation process to understand the following:

• A process map of the current state of your relocation program
• The need for policy creation and benchmarking against your competitors
• Exceptions that might occur when your policies don’t always match employee needs
• Identification of expenses paid and the delivery method
• Integrating payroll system(s) and confirming tax gross-ups provided to your employees
• Confirmation of any third-party contracts, partnerships, processes, and spend for companies such as real estate brokerages, van lines, and international service providers working directly with your employees

Implementation Plan

A good rule of thumb to implement relocation services is to break the process into more manageable phases. At WHR Group, we break the implementation process into six different phases for our new clients:

1. Start-Up: Schedule an on-site meeting, complete all contracts, and prepare a formal implementation guide based on your policy and contract terms.
2. Transition: Finalize implementation schedule with start/finish dates, and establish the process for relocations already in progress with a corresponding schedule.
3. First Steps: Draft process flows for all services, and identify deliverables for any preferred third-parties.
4. Payroll: Outline the invoice, payroll, and expense process with all deliverables.
5. Technology: Ensure relocation supplier’s IT staff will update company technology with your policy specifics plus financial requirements.
6. Training: Supplier to conduct internal training on your policy and procedures, schedule training with your relocation/admin team on using supplier’s technology, schedule an internal meeting to review process on exceptions to your policy, and ensure a fundamental understanding of your culture and needs with each supplier staff member on your account.

Relocations in Progress

If you already have a relocation supplier but are transitioning your program to a new supplier, make sure this new supplier has a plan in place for employees already in the midst of their relocations.

This transition plan might look similar to WHR Group’s, which ensures the least disruptive process as possible for all relocating employees:

• Homeowners: These relocations should remain with the current supplier through the home sale process.
• Non-homeowners or Renters: These relocations should remain with the current supplier, unless they are on hold and can be easily transitioned to the new supplier.
• Expense Process: If possible, these files should be completed with the current supplier through cut-off at year-end (or your fiscal year) to avoid confusion with two different teams calculating tax and providing reports.
• Transportation: For household goods moves in progress, the employee will most likely complete this phase with the current supplier. For moves that have not yet started, transportation services can be transitioned to the new supplier based on status and timing of other relocation services for each employee.

Typical Implementation Timeline

Depending on the size of your relocation program, the typical implementation process is 4 weeks. This encompasses the full process, from the first on-site meeting to “go live”.

This timeline is, of course, dependent upon many factors—specifically the availability and access to your key shareholders. The relocation supplier should coordinate your timeline to include specific meetings with the appropriate people for their input into all relocation processes. These meetings can vary dependent upon the scope, complexity, and size of your relocation program, but the impact to your schedule should be nominal if planned appropriately by your relocation supplier.

The full implementation plan with your relocation supplier might look like this:

The implementation timeline can be adjusted based on your company’s needs. In special circumstances—such as an underperforming existing supplier—WHR Group has implemented new clients in 1 – 2 weeks.

Implementation Fees

Relocation suppliers should not typically charge fees related to implementing your program or setting up technology.

The supplier’s goal is to limit takeover expenses. However, based on services transitioned and your employees’ progress in their relocations, a service fee may be applicable. Make sure to review these with your new supplier early in the implementation process, as full-service fees might not be applicable.