Employee relocation isn’t what it used to be—Tips for getting it right

Like most aspects of the workplace, employee relocation has undergone major changes in recent years. Some of the reasons for employee moves have stayed the same, but the rise of remote work means employers are sometimes coping with new motivations for employee moves. Despite the changing environment, the costs—both to an employer’s budget and in terms of employee satisfaction—mean employers must be especially careful when helping employees make a move.

Changing environment

Employee relocation isn’t new, but not so long ago it was more often initiated by the employer—or, if initiated by the employee, it was usually as an effort to get a promotion. But as remote work has gained ground, some employees ask to relocate for personal, rather than career, reasons. Often, employers are willing to help employees make the change.

Weichert Workforce Mobility, a provider of relocation services, looked into how employers are handling employee-initiated moves and what employer practices led to success. The company’s study, reported in February 2024, found that more companies are at least considering helping employees who ask to relocate.

The Weichert survey found that 95% of companies that support employee-initiated moves do so to retain talent, and 47% of employers that back employee-initiated moves want to support an employee’s desire to develop skills.