Bringing attention to several companies within its partnership network, WHR Group, Inc. is pleased to announce the recipients of its 2018 Partner in Quality Awards.

The Partner in Quality Awards are an international evaluation of WHR Group’s Global Partner Network for those partners that demonstrated a commitment to exceed customer satisfaction and service excellence. The Partner in Quality Award requires a minimum of 20 transactions over the course of the year and ranking within the top one percentile of the relocation partner’s service category.

In analyzing WHR Group’s partnership network, it was determined that the below partners consistently demonstrated quality, and WHR Group was pleased with the results generated for its client’s and their top talent. WHR Group works to partner with companies that offer and match the stellar customer service satisfaction scores that WHR Group is known for in the relocation space, and feels it is important to recognize those partners that do exceed expectations.

The slideshow below contains testamonials from a selection of of our winning partners. Check out the text list for links to the webpages of all of our winners.

The 2018 Award Winners are:

• Merchants Moving & Storage Company in Racine, WI
• Ebby Halliday Realtors in Arlington, TX
• Avery-Hess Realtors, Inc. in Woodbridge, VA
• Nomad Temporary Housing in San Diego, CA
• Russ Lyon Sotheby’s International Realty in Scottsdale, AZ
• New World Van Lines in Chicago, IL
• Ward North American in San Antonio, TX
• Paramount Transportation Systems in San Marcos, CA
• ReloTrans in Newburyport, MA
• F.C. Tucker Company, Inc. in Indianapolis, IN
• Berkshire Hathaway Homeservices Arizona Properties in Scottsdale, AZ
• Going-There Global Destination Services in Miami, FL
• Moderna Relocation in Pittsburgh, PA

As you may have heard, we have some exciting news! WHR Group has been named a Top Workplace by the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel for the sixth consecutive year. We are humbled and proud to have received the Top Workplaces Award, but for us, it isn’t about winning; it’s about our employees.

What is a Top Workplaces List?

The Top Workplaces lists are based solely on the results of an employee feedback survey administered by Energage, LLC (formerly Workplace Dynamics), a leading research firm that specializes in organizational health and workplace improvement. Any company can be nominated and it’s free to participate.

Here are just some of the great things our employees had to say about WHR Group in the Top Workplaces 2019 Survey:

“I enjoy the people I work with and find meaning in assisting our clients/transferees through a stressful period.”

“I feel I am always challenged. There is always something new to learn.”

“I like problem solving and helping people.”

“It’s a great place to work. My projects keep me busy all day and I get to do a lot of multitasking which keeps things interesting all the time.”

“I like it here and I think the job is fun and rewarding.”

“[I] believe that my manager takes an active interest in my personal and professional growth.”

The importance of a great workplace culture

Did you know the average person spends roughly 90,000 hours working over their lifetime? When you spend that much time working you want to be happy doing it. But, according to the Gallup World Poll, less than 20% of workers feel actively engaged at their place of employment.

These statistics are the reason why it is so important to focus on culture in the workplace. As a relocation management company, WHR Group helps other organizations find and retain the best talent, which we couldn’t do without finding and retaining the best talent for ourselves. Our goal is for our employees to enjoy coming into the office, to be engaged, and to be proud of the work they do, because, honestly, WHR Group wouldn’t be where we are today without them.

What does this mean for our employees?

You can’t have great culture without great people.

Being placed on a Top Workplaces list for six consecutive years is truly amazing and, really, it’s because WHR Group takes the feedback it receives from its employees and acts on it. WHR Group’s passion has always been Advancing Lives Forward. We embody this not only for our client’s transferees, but for our employees. We look to challenge, engage, and drive our employees to be successful, to grow in their careers, and provide opportunities for them to do so.

What does this mean for you?

We’re all about putting the right people in the right positions and when we hire someone we are looking to see if they’re hardworking, proactive, trustworthy, and most importantly, empathetic. At WHR Group, we believe relocation can be taught, but to be an empathetic person, that is inherent by nature.

“What WHR Group does, is pretty simple, we Advance Lives Forward. That’s what we’re about. Whether it’s our clients, whether it’s our transferees, whether it’s our own employees, whether it’s the vendor partners that we work with, we want to make things better than they were when we got them, and that’s what we feel that we do,” said Paul De Boer, President at WHR Group. “We help people through a very significant, emotional life event – that’s changing the location where they live, where they have roots, where they’re grounded in a community. To be able to take them from that point to a new point, get them settled, get them established, in a very good manner and in a very customer service and customer centric way – that’s what we do and that’s what we deliver on.”

WHR Group emphasizes relationship building, both within our organization and outside of it. Our employees truly are behind our success and our growth year over year. The Top Workplaces award is special to us, but not as special as the employees who made it happen. So, here’s to WHR Group’s employees: Thank you for being fantastic!

The transition from a home country to another country is complex and could dissuade talent from taking expatriate assignments. Housing, cultural acclimatization, family adjustments, and entering a new work environment are just a few of the factors that need to be considered when going international. To counter this, expatriates are offered benefits and assistance to make the experience as smooth as possible. One of these benefits, tax equalization, takes the guesswork out of the change in income and social taxes that come about when an employee moves across a border.

Businesses often struggle to determine how they are going to fill positions when new opportunities arise overseas. Many multinational corporations turn to their proven domestic employees and look to leverage their abilities to develop markets, monetize product offerings, and grow their business overseas. Considering the benefits of tax equalization can help.

What is Tax Equalization?

Tax Equalization is a method of taxation management where the international assignee is expected to remain at the same level. Relative to the taxes they would have had in their home country. In short, the assignee should not receive a tax benefit, nor should they be taxed at a rate that is detrimental.

As an example, expatriates coming from the United States have a unique obligation to fulfill. U.S. citizens are required to file taxes on their global income regardless of where it was earned, so they don’t have the benefit of being able to break their home country’s tax obligation. Additionally, they’ll have a tax filing requirement in the host country as well.

While the U.S. does provide foreign tax credits that can be applied to the employee’s U.S. return, it may not be enough of a credit to offset their entire U.S. obligation. A company’s tax equalization program reimburses the expatriate for the potential higher taxes incurred. Conversely, if the combined taxes are lower, the assignee will reimburse the company for the difference.

Therefore, the assignee is paying no more or no less had they not left their home country, regardless of the actual tax burden in the home and host country.

How Does Tax Equalization Benefit Expatriates?

Moving your career, and potentially your family overseas is a stressful experience; having systems in place to make the relocation process easier should be one of a company’s top priorities. Expatriates who benefit from tax equalization have less on their plate, as they know they are subject to the same level of taxation as well as the same net reimbursement. Reducing the economic stress an employee is under, helps them focus on the personal and professional development that taking an international opportunity can present.

At WHR Group, we pride ourselves on making the complex simple. This includes our comprehensive global mobility solutions, including tax equalization program help. Regardless of whether the relocation is short-term, localized, or permanent, we have the resources and expertise to make your employees’ experience exceptional.

Relocation expense management is a complicated, stressful process. Relocating employees can have almost a dozen expense reports that they’ll submit over the course of their relocation, which can be difficult for the employee to self-fund. The Federal Reserve’s Report on the Economic Well-Being of U.S. Households in 2017 found that 4 in 10 adults would either borrow, sell something, or not be able to pay if faced with a $400 emergency expense. Given this data, the self-fund of dozens of expenses can hit an individual quite hard. A seamless, efficient relocation expense management process is critical to the overall well-being of the relocation. We’ve compiled five simple tips to address the accuracy and timeliness of relocation reimbursements.

Tip 1 – Over communicate the timeline.

Through WHR’s intricate survey process, we’ve found that there’s a direct correlation between the timeliness of reimbursement and employee satisfaction. We cannot stress enough the importance of a quick turnaround of funds, especially given the above statistic from the Federal Reserve. Overly communicating with relocating employees what the timeline is can help them plan accordingly and know when to expect the reimbursement.

Tip 2 – Ensure accuracy with a dual review.

Accuracy is critical in expense report review so having more than one set of eyes on each item is a must before reimbursing. At WHR, one review is completed by the policy expert and another is done by an accounting team member. This ensures compliance and accuracy.

Tip 3 – Have a simple, easy-to-use, accessible employee interface.

Deploy an online expense submission system that can be accessed anywhere, 24/7/365. Giving employees the ability to upload receipts from their phone or tablet saves time and the headache of scanning in countless receipts. This is also helpful while employees are traveling.

Tip 4 – Utilize custom expense reports. 

To streamline the review of expense reports, build custom reports for each relocation policy. This not only ensures that employees stay compliant with policy benefits, but also helps the review process for your team. If you’re using an online technology, be sure that the system has your policy parameters built into it. This will decrease the chances of an exception request, which only increases the time to review and the time to reimburse.

Tip 5 – Correctness and security of payment information.

The correctness of payment information is paramount to accurate, timely reimbursements. At WHR, our proprietary technology requires that only the relocating employee can edit the payment information fields. An authentication code is also emailed to them to verify their identity prior to inputting or editing information. Additionally, security measures to prevent hacking or phishing should be clearly documented and proven through technology audits.

Take a hard look at your current expense management process and see if these tips are being followed. If not, make an action plan to realign your program with these core necessities. Remember: a well-run relocation expense management process can make or break the relocation.

Relocation is an ever-changing, ever-evolving industry. The ripple effect is impactful with each new government regulation or change to the housing market. WHR’s newly developed Relocation Toolbox aims to meet the growing needs of the global mobility professional. It can be daunting to stay ahead of the game or know what’s coming next. The Relocation Toolbox features four tools for anyone to use: The Policy Designer, The Relocation RFP Generator, The Cost Estimator, and The Policy Benchmark Comparison Tool.

The Problem

Whether you relocate five people or five thousand people annually, chances are you face similar core issues when running a relocation program:

• Inaccessible or unreliable cost estimates,
• Uncertainty of competitor benefit offerings,
• Unclear on key relocation management company (RMC) differentiators, and
• Apprehension for where to start with writing or rewriting a policy with best practices.

The problem is, it’s difficult to find this information in one location. Some may come from your current RMC – if you’re lucky – and some can come from internet searches. But how reliable is the information? And how long will it take to find it?

The Solution

WHR’s new Relocation Toolbox solves each of the aforementioned problems in a free, simple to use format. Our core values of trustworthiness and empathy are embodied within these tools. Each one has been painstakingly reviewed for accuracy and effectiveness. For example, our Cost Estimator consolidates multiple points of information, some from our proprietary database and some supplied by the user, into a usable report.

The Policy Designer

For companies who are looking to revamp their current policies, or build a new one, the policy designer builds a custom policy with answering just a handful of questions. On average, it takes approximately 3 minutes to answer the questions. Upon submission, you’ll receive a fully usable policy in your email inbox with best practices included.

The Relocation Request for Proposal (RFP) Generator

Running a relocation request for proposal (RFP) can be a daunting task. Before completing the generator, we’d recommend that you read our recent blog on the pro’s and con’s of going out to bid. If you’re set on running an RFP, think about why you’re running it. Then, include that information in your RFP (we’ve included a spot for it in the document you’ll receive!). This is critical information not only for the participating RMCs, but also for your company to get everyone on the same page in a clear manner. The RFP Generator contains best practice questions as well as customized sections based on your unique program needs, and takes only 3 minutes to create.

The Cost Estimator

There is a plethora of reasons why you would need an accurate, upfront relocation cost estimate. For example, perhaps you’re evaluating two candidates. If cost plays a large role, you can run each instance through the Cost Estimator to better guide your decision-making process. Having clear cost consciousness allows for better budgeting and understanding of where each dollar is being or will be spent. Our Cost Estimator features proprietary data from thousands of relocations to build the most accurate, effective cost report within minutes.

The Policy Benchmark Comparison Tool

Relocation benchmark studies are common, but often require you to sift through pages and pages of content that may or may not apply to you. WHR’s Benchmark Comparison Tool creates a custom report for you to see a side-by-side comparison of your program to our most recent Mobility + Culture benchmark study. The Mobility + Culture benchmark report featured companies from across the United States, with both domestic and international relocation programs. Participating in full benchmark studies can be cumbersome and time consuming; our Benchmark Comparison Tool features a stripped down version of our study with only the most important questions asked. The survey takes approximately 5 minutes to complete, with the side-by-side report emailed to you within minutes.

Our Promise

As trustworthy, hardworking individuals, we believe these tools will elevate any global mobility program to the next level. We know that information and data can be hard to find, and it is our goal to make information always transparent and readily available to not only our clients but the greater public. WHR’s Relocation Toolbox truly meets the need of today’s global mobility professional.

Every spring, Major League Baseball (MLB) teams meet to practice and play exhibition games at Spring Training. For the forty-four days from February to March, pitchers, catchers, and position players compete for spots on MLB rosters. Talented athletes from around the world put on their cleats and compete; not only against other teams, but also against their own teammates. Spring Training is especially important for young or inexperienced players — this is their one shot to prepare for the long 162-game season. At WHR, we view the seasons of winter and spring similarly. This is our chance to prepare rookies and veterans alike for the long peak summer season.

WHR’s relocation training regimen can focus on a variety of topics such as real estate markets, tax code changes, or service delivery. Counselors that focus on international assignments undergo further tax and immigration trainings. Our in-house information technology team also conducts an annual information security review for both physical and electronic controls. The office is a flurry of knowledge and information exchange as teams digest and learn new information.

Rookies who have been with WHR for less than one-year attend WHR’s in-house Real Estate School. It’s a 14-week course designed by the Wisconsin Realtor’s Association, with guidance provided by WHR leadership. Weekly discussions connect the core topics of disclosure, agency relationships, valuation, and offers to purchase within the relocation home sale process. At the end of the course, students take the Wisconsin Real Estate Licensure exam. WHR Veterans who already have their license complete continuing education on a biannual basis to maintain their credentials.

While we’re busy getting our Counselors ready, we’re also taking time to evaluate and advise clients on policy updates and creating process efficiencies. We take our partnership with our clients very seriously and understand that both parties need to be trained and ready for peak summer volume. Analyzing last year’s results and predicting results for the upcoming year are critical to a successful program.

It’s clear that taking a proactive approach to both the peak season of relocation and the long season of baseball will make a big difference in the success of each. Spring preparedness lays a solid foundation for a great season. We’re excited for the new season of relocation and the amazing team we’ve put together for 2019!