News Archives

Moving to a Winter Wonderland

by WHR Global | Dec 27, 2018 | News

One of the largest obstacles in relocation is preparing for a new way of life in a different destination. Relocating employees can struggle with issues ranging from selecting a school for their children to finding their new favorite grocery store. A complication that many face is moving to a new climate, specifically a colder one. Being that we’re located in Wisconsin, we know all too well what the cold weather can bring and the importance of being proactive in this demanding climate. For those who didn’t grow up in a town that experiences snow, it might be hard to know where to begin in the planning process.

When it comes to prepping for the move itself, here are some elements to keep in mind that often go overlooked:

1. Watch the forecast: This might seem like a no brainier, but it’s easy to breeze over this in the midst of relocating. Consider checking once a week in the lead up to the move, then checking every day the week prior. This can provide an idea of the pattern of weather and what to expect when you arrive.

2. Check the snowplow schedule: Everything may have been carefully planned out; deadlines were met and movers arrived on time. What may have been forgotten was to plan for was last night’s snow plows. The snow is now on the side of the streets, blocking ways to enter the property safely. Make sure to check your community’s snow plow schedule ahead of time and check for updates upon arriving.

3. Bring a warm beverage: Warm up from the inside out with a hot chocolate (check out a WHR favorite ) or maybe a hot apple cider. Bring it along, then keep extra warm on the stove top. Hint: offering some to the movers might help them to keep a strong spirit while doing heavy lifting.

The move has been successful, and everyone is settling in. Here are a few things to be aware of:

1. A change in clothing: One layer of clothing may not be enough anymore. An additional sweater under your jacket goes a long way. A new jacket might be in order but try to purchase a jacket after the move. Jackets sold in warmer climates may not have the right gear for your new cold climate. Don’t forget to add gloves to the shopping list; hands and feet get colder than most think.

2. Practice driving in the snow: Find a nearby lot and see how the car operates in the snow. Once comfortable, practice on side streets or slower roads to be around other cars. Having a 4-wheel drive car will also go a long way! Also, consider contacting your local auto shop to discuss snow tires.

3. The winter blues are real: It’s important to be aware of Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD), or more commonly known as seasonal depression. The Mayo Clinic describes SAD as a type of depression that is related to changes in the season. Some individuals feel a change in attitude and habits such as oversleeping, changes in appetite, and a feeling of low energy. Being conscious of this can help to bounce back and appreciate the winter, rather than dread it.

Don’t let this intimidate you. While living in the cold is a difficult transition, there’s also plenty to appreciate; from building a snowman, to snowboarding, to being able to witness the changing seasons. Don’t be afraid to get out there and experience the snow in your new community.

Discover How Relocating During Non-Peak Months Can Improve Your Relocation Experience

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An Emphasis on COLA (Cost of Living Adjustment)

by WHR Global | Dec 4, 2018 | News

Creating policies that are competitive, compliant, and up-to-date for our clients is a top priority at WHR Group. By using the results collected from WHR’s 2018 Mobility + Culture benchmark study, we hope to do exactly that. The study has served as a tool to help us identify ways that we can enhance relocation programs and policies to ensure they are the best fit for the employees of current and future clients of WHR.

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WHR’s recent blog post outlined a handful of questions within the Culture Guide section of the study. These questions help us gain insight into what is important to companies when creating a relocation program or choosing a relocation management company. One question focused on whether the primary function of the company’s relocation program was to recruit new employees or retain existing employees. Questions regarding a Cost of Living Analysis (COLA) and its impact on employees were also included in the study. It was reported that 56% of companies that are retention focused offer a Cost of Living Adjustment.

Companies surveyed for the Mobility + Culture Benchmark study were instructed to ask their employees for the top reasons why they would deny relocation. A top reason for denial was due to the cost of living in the new destination being too high. Of the companies that reported this reasoning for denial, 75% of them do not offer COLA in their relocation policy. If these companies were to reorganize their relocation programs to accommodate for the cost of living, they might see more participation in relocation.

Reasons to Offer a Cost of Living Adjustment

Relocation is already a long and stressful process for the employee and their family. By offering a Cost of Living Adjustment benefit within a relocation program, a company can demonstrate to the transferee that they understand they are asking the employee (and their family) to make a huge life change. This leads to a possible positive affect on the company’s retention rate because the transferee feels less alone in their adjustment to a new way of living.

Organizations that that are more concerned about recruiting new employees could also gain from offering COLA within their relocation programs. By showcasing that a company offers more benefits within a relocation program, the organization is being proactive and competitive within their industry.

The Impact of an Integrated Relocation Strategy

It’s clear that we’re facing a talent shortage. In 2012, the McKinsey Global Institute reported that by 2020 the global economy could face 38 to 40 million fewer workers with college or postgraduate degrees than employers will need. Additionally, we’re facing 45 million too few workers with secondary education by 2020. As baby boomers exit the workforce and technology continues to advance, the demand for highly trained, sophisticated workers increases. These pains are heard all the way to the board room, where senior leaders frequently cite finding talent as their most significant challenge.

The mountainous talent challenge seems impossible. What do we do? Use the tools we have. If you’re already offering relocation, increase your attention to the program. We believe it’s important to view relocation as a strategic enhancement to your company’s acquisition plan, not an uncomfortable, expensive necessity. By using data from benchmark studies, you can quickly compare your program to your competitors and make changes accordingly. This can give you an edge in recruiting or retaining your top talent.

At WHR Group, we place the utmost importance on culture as it relates to your relocation or mobility programs. Understanding an employee’s needs and wants can go a long way in creating a fitting relocation program, and we believe this goes hand in hand with our dedication to advancing lives forward.

Corporate Culture & Your Relocation Program

by WHR Global | Nov 27, 2018 | News

Corporate Culture refers to the beliefs and behaviors that determine how a company’s employees and its management interact and handle business. Corporate culture is often implied, rather than expressed or defined, and it is something that develops organically over time. A company’s culture reveal itself in a variety of ways from dress code to the treatment of clients.

We’ve seen the results when relocation policies and programs match corporate culture and wanted to see how other companies stack up. That’s why we surveyed some of the largest and most successful companies around the world to participate in the 2018 Mobility + Culture benchmark study. Our unique Culture Guide analyzes each respondent’s cultural values through eight A/B style questions.

**Do you prefer your partners to be High Tech or High Touch?**

Is your company’s primary focus on technological advances or on relationship building? Of companies surveyed, 85% prefer to partner with high-touch companies. At WHR Group, we understand that relocating can be stressful on the transferee and their family. We heavily rely on the relationships that we build with our clients and their employees so that we can assist and help them to move forward in the best way possible.

While relationships and person-to-person communication is large component to how WHR handles relocation, technology is the tool that allows us to bring every factor included in the relocation to one destination. Our business is based on a “high-tech, human-touch” model, where we blend our intelligent, proprietary relocation technology with a dedicated team of real estate licensed relocation experts.

**Do you primarily focus on budget or employee satisfaction?**

When asking companies if they are primarily focused on budget or employee satisfaction, only 13% reported that there is more concern about budget. It’s clear that surveyed companies also understand the stressful nature of relocation and have placed their importance on employee satisfaction in their programs.

At WHR, we also value our employees. This is realized through our 5-time award winning culture in the Top Workplaces program by the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel. By hiring based off of WHR’s core values, we are able to guarantee the best service you will ever experience, regardless of the industry. Our inherently empathetic employees create high-touch relationships with transferring employees, creating a stress-free relocation experience.

**Is your program designed to be proactive or reactive?**

Being a “proactive” company means that the corporation actively plans ahead, and they are preparing for the needs of their employees. Of companies surveyed, 67% of them related to this culture. At WHR Group, one of our core values is to be proactive, and this is executed every day. When a transferee’s file is initiated, a call is made within 24-hours to introduce the Counseling team, and to explain what the employee can expect throughout the life cycle of the relocation. The initial call is a critical time to reveal any potential issues, set expectations, and lay the foundation for a smooth relocation.

At WHR Group, we place the utmost importance on culture as it relates to your relocation or mobility programs. We believe this goes hand in hand with our dedication to advancing lives forward.

See how WHR Group has became a leader in the global mobility industry with these 6 policies.

Values in Action

by WHR Global | Nov 19, 2018 | News

Hard work, empathy, proactiveness, and trust are more than descriptive words at WHR Group. They are the core values in which business is ran. When evaluating candidates, WHR uses the Culture Index™ to identify and measure character traits. We believe that these words shouldn’t only apply in the office, but they should be entwined in WHR employee’s everyday lives.

Corporate responsibility is more than a catch phrase at WHR Group and, to us, the time to give back isn’t inclusive to just one season. Being proactive in giving back is a task that should be executed 365 days a year.

Placing Trust with Mayo Clinic

Founder and CEO of WHR, Roger Thrun, has been diagnosed with cancer four times over the past eleven years. Because of this, the plight of pancreatic and gastrointestinal cancers has been deeply felt within the organization that he founded. Dr. Mark Truty, a surgical oncologist at Mayo Clinic’s Rochester campus, has been there for practically every step of Roger’s journey. After receiving the treatment first-hand, Roger recognized the amazing strides that Dr. Truty and his team have made. Learning that 350 (and counting) patients have been directly impacted by the research and tools provided by Dr. Truty’s lab, Roger realized the demand to help keep the lab alive through ongoing contributions.

Practicing Empathy at the Women’s Center

According to the National Sexual Violence Resource Center, one in four women in America have been victims of severe physical violence by an intimate partner in their lifetime and 91% of victims of rape and sexual assault are female. Domestic Violence is a silent crime that often goes un-talked about and may be closer than most think. The Women’s Center of Waukesha is an independent, non-profit human service agency founded in 1977, whose mission is to provide safety, shelter, and support to empower all impacted by domestic abuse, sexual violence, child abuse, and trafficking. The Center is a necessity to the community that is actively helping those escape from toxic relationships and helping them to move forward to better future. While it’s next to impossible to imagine what victims go through, we do our best to support the services and tools that have the potential to help victims push forward. In addition to our regular giving, this year WHR will donate gifts to the adults, teens, and children served by the Center for under the holiday tree. We hope to spread the warmth and joy of the holiday season to those who often face uncertainty.

Demonstrating Hard Work at St. Marcus Lutheran School

In Milwaukee, 80% of students in 96 schools come from a low-income home. These schools serve approximately 30,000 students and among them is St. Marcus Lutheran School. In the past, St. Marcus has seen large downfall and low enrollment rates – there were just 54 students in 1998. In 2002, Principal Kole Knueppel called friend Henry Tyson with the hope that we would be the Vice Principal at St. Marcus. Tyson has a strong background in philanthropy work and has a passion for helping those around him. Being that St. Marcus was an 80/80 school with less than 100 students, Tyson saw this as a ground-floor opportunity to help change lives. Today, there are over 1,000 students with two campuses hosting K3-8th grade students, with the goal of preparing students for high school while molding leaders for the community. The partnership between St. Marcus Lutheran School and WHR Group is young and there is a lot of excitement to see both the relationship and the school grow.

While these three causes may differ greatly, they also have one thing in common: there is a witnessable and direct impact made with donations and other contributions. WHR knows exactly where money is going and that a difference is being made. We are proud to support these and many other organizations.

We carry our mission and values with us in and out of the office. Take a look at what is important to us.

5 Steps to Improve Employee Satisfaction with Corporate Housing

by WHR Global | Nov 1, 2018 | News

We have yet to relocate an employee who is excited about moving into temporary housing. Let’s face it, they want to be in their own homes, in their own beds, surrounded by their own belongings. Unfortunately, it doesn’t always work out that way. Things come up throughout the relocation – closings get delayed or employees can’t find new homes in the allotted timeframes. And in many cases, you need your employee to start in the new location as soon as possible.

Either way, temporary or short-term housing is often necessary for relocating employees. Moving into corporate housing is not an ideal situation; however, this benefit can greatly affect the overall satisfaction and happiness of your relocating employees. Just knowing the benefit is available should significantly reduce employee stress levels.

Ideally, we’d be able to time the relocation perfectly without the need to use temporary housing. And even though this doesn’t happen every time, it’s important to have a plan in place so we can make your employees’ relocations as smooth and stress-free as possible.

Step 1: Make temporary housing part of your relocation policy

Temporary housing comprised 67% of all exceptions reported in our 2018 Mobility + Culture Benchmark Report. That’s a lot of employees requiring temporary lodging or extending stays due to unforeseen circumstances. This tells us that it’s a benefit not to be excluded lightly, especially if employee satisfaction is one of your top priorities.

Adding this benefit to your relocation policy offers you and the employee numerous benefits. The employee can use their time in temporary housing to become acquainted with their new location and avoid the pitfalls of moving into an area they don’t like. Your employee also benefits from not having to worry about any home-selling or purchasing delays, as they will have somewhere to go if something should temporarily fall through.

Your company will also reap the rewards of including temporary housing in your policies. Exception reviews and management take a lot of time – time that you could spend doing more important things. Additionally, you’ll be able to control cost by capping the temporary housing benefit and/or limiting timeframes based on your relocating employee’s needs.

Step 2: Learn about your employee’s needs

Speaking of employee needs, it’s important to remember that every relocation is different. Employees may have families, pets, disabilities, and/or lifestyles that require the use of specific corporate housing units. Before choosing a unit on your employee’s behalf, it’s imperative that their needs are learned. This process should be managed by your Relocation Management Company (RMC) through the employees’ dedicated Relocation Counselor. Part of the Counselors’ job is to learn what the relocating employee will need out of their corporate housing.

Do they have children?

Does the employee need to live within a certain school district for their children?

How many bedrooms are required for the family?

Do they have pets? If so, how many?

How many cars will need parking permits?

Does the unit need to be handicap accessible?

There is no one-size-fits-all solution when drilling down into what your employees need. At a bare minimum, the needs assessments ought to include considerations for reliable transportation, differences in family dynamics (for example, a two-child household versus a five-child household), and distance from the office. Accounting for these three basic needs goes a long way to ensure that employees are happier and more successful in their new roles.

Step 3: Location, location, location

Location is another huge consideration when selecting temporary housing options for your employees. No one wants to commute an hour and a half to work every day. Most employees like to live as close to their new office location as possible; however, the reality is that there are plenty of situations when it’s too expensive or just doesn’t align with their lifestyle.

The cost of housing is most problematic when deciding which location works best. It is best practice to cap temporary housing benefits, so a prime housing location close to the office may not suffice. It’s important to make sure your employees understand how close their temporary home will be to the office. If being closer to the office is important to them, explain that they may have to forgo included amenities.

Step 4: Don’t forget the amenities!

You want your employees to feel as much at home as possible while in temporary housing. After all, the less stress they experience at home, the less stress they’ll carry with them to work.

While learning about your employee’s needs, your RMC should also learn about your employee’s goals and aspirations. What will make them feel most at home?

Do they want an on-site gym?

How about a dog park within walking distance?

Should the unit be close to available public transportation?

Learning just a few of the little details about the relocating employee will greatly impact their satisfaction with their corporate housing.

And it’s not just amenities for the actual relocating employee that we discuss. The needs and desires of their family must be considered as well.

Do they need to be close to a daycare center?

Would they like to live close to a public park?

What are the area schools like?

Step 5: Make use of your RMC’s network

After learning the full picture of your employee’s needs and wants, it’s time to select a temporary housing provider. If your RMC doesn’t offer a vast network of suppliers, they probably won’t be able to meet all of your employees’ desires when it comes to temporary housing.

An RMC should fully vet and offer multiple choices for your relocating employees. That’s why we focus heavily on vetting local corporate housing options. We want to help your employees and their families feel at home in their new location. By offering more options, we are also able to provide more cost-effective solutions. At the end of the day, your employees should be able to choose the temporary housing unit that best matches their budget with their needs and desires.

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5 Ways to Improve Your Relocation Exception Management Process

by WHR Global | Oct 25, 2018 | News

Sometimes, no matter how detailed and inclusive your employee relocation management policies are, you run into exceptions or special requests from your employees. This might include wanting to bring children on house-hunting trips, needing an additional month of temporary housing, moving a pet, or asking for an extension on household goods storage. Relocation packages and other moving benefits can vary greatly.

Unique circumstances arise before and during the relocation process. It’s inevitable that relocation support will be needed. That’s why most companies allow for exceptions to their policies.

Our 2018 Mobility + Culture Benchmark Study discovered that only 28% of companies consider themselves as having flexible, easily adapting relocation packages. The remaining 72% tend to stick closely to their outlined programs. Even though most companies are consistent with their relocation programs, 64% said they were more likely to make exceptions to their policies for relocating employees.

Exception management is a crucial component of any company’s relocation program. Policies are created to consider the majority of relocating employees’ needs; however, no two relocations are ever the same.

1. Managing expectations minimizes exceptions

Before hiring a new employee or transferring an existing one, it’s important to thoroughly review and understand expectations between you, your relocation management company (RMC), and your employee. Taking a proactive approach to your employees’ unique needs and concerns is the most effective way you can manage exceptions. Your RMC should also take ample time to review the applicable policy with the transferring employee so that their expectations align with your program’s parameters. Time spent managing expectations is time well spent as it will result in fewer policy exceptions. Important considerations would be relocation support, moving benefits, and potential relocation reimbursement.

2. Be realistic, knowledgeable, and flexible

Knowledge is everything in the relocation process. In the Mobility + Culture survey, we asked respondents to provide the most common exceptions they were making. Here’s what we found:

%

Temporary Housing

%

Benefit/Time Frame Extension

%

Additional Household Goods Services

%

Household Goods Storage

%

Additional Allowances

Simply knowing the most common relocation exceptions can help prepare you for future relocations. You’ll be more realistic when it comes to what you approve, and more flexible in what you offer.

3. Preparing for unforeseen relocation events

No one can predict all possible outcomes of a transfer. What if the old homeowners are not able to close on their new house as quickly as anticipated? What if household goods are delayed for months by customs? Most employee transfer policies do not cover such instances because they occur so rarely.

However, on the off chance that something unforeseen does happen, your RMC must be able to quickly adapt and manage the situation. A closing delay could mean additional temporary housing and additional temporary housing could mean additional household goods storage. The goal of relocation exception management is to stay proactive and anticipate the employee’s needs before they even know what they are themselves. Be sure to communicate with your RMC about some of these possible relocation contingencies and how they are managed.

4. Tracking and reporting

Only 64% of companies that make exceptions to their policies utilize technology for tracking. The ability to track and report exceptions, including ones approved prior to the transfer, provides your company with a baseline of realistic expense expectations. This also allows you to estimate the cost of future relocation exception requests and make policy changes as a result.

5. Make relocation exception policy improvements

We believe (and have seen through our own work) that keeping a close eye on relocation package exception trends within your program may allow opportunities for policy revisions, thus saving you the time-consuming task of processing the same exception multiple times. However, we found that only 62% of companies make changes to their moving package policies based on exceptions. Policy recommendations and improvements should be ongoing and provided by your relocation company. This will ultimately help you control costs and attract and retain your best employees.