By Janie Pritchett-Clark

Starting a new job in a new city is exciting. And stressful. Psychologists rank relocation near the top of stress-inducing events, and changing jobs right up there with it.  “The relocation process contains three of the top seven most stressful times in someone’s life – moving, new job, selling and buying a house,” says Michael Crouch, Relocation Coordinator with Winter Moving & Storage. “Who and how the relocation process is handled directly affects the employee and employer.”

As a growing region, Northwest Arkansas sees more than a fair share of families moving in to take that new job. They come from every corner of the world and seem to expect culture shock when they get here. Their mantra may well be: “Keep me whole!”

Reports from The Employee Relocation Council, ERC,  (www.WorldwideERC.org) show companies, on average, give employees five weeks to move and report to their new job. Transferees typically receive a relocation bonus (often a month’s salary) for incidentals incurred in the move, such vehicle registrations, utility hook-ups and carpet/drapery installations. Many companies buy homes from relocating employees if they cannot sell it on their own, and only about one in ten don’t provide any home assistance at all.

According to Weichert Relocation Resources, one of the larger relocation and assignment management companies, polls show that many companies have been forced to restructure their relocation strategies because of the economy. Housing prices have had a huge impact: nationwide, families are often unwilling to move because of the devalued mortgage market. Overall, companies adopted tighter list-price guidelines and restrictions to their relocation policies, added or increased loss-on-sale assistance, and increased temporary housing allowances just to stay competitive.

According to John Winter, president of Winter Moving & Storage in Bentonville, companies who use a specific van line carrier to handle their relocations can reap many benefits, including “cost control, efficient record keeping, effective communication, continued quality of service, improved employee productivity, and a positive reputation among the work force.”

He suggests you choose quality of service over pricing. “There are many high risks with less expensive companies that can result in catastrophic consequences.”

“When choosing a company to assist in relocation, research their quality-criteria statistics, accolades, and reputation,” says Crouch. “And make sure all their employees have had proper training and background screenings.”

Linda Hobkirk is a Certified Relocation Specialist with Coldwell Banker Faucette Realty in Rogers. As standard of service, these specialists know the relocation process and can assist with the details of the buying or selling of relocation employees’ homes.

A real estate company with certified relocation specialists can help make this part of the process smooth. “Agents trained in relocation are familiar with the relocation policies and handling of the documents, which are many,” says Hobkirk. “Communication with a relocation counselor and agent can help keep stress levels low for both the employer and employee. Even with employees seasoned in relocating, each city and state is different.”

“A well-defined policy and a helpful relocation staff can bridge communication between company, employee and van lines,” says Crouch of Winter Moving & Storage. “Having one consistent point-of-contact can make the move more efficient, and keep everyone on the same page,” he says. “Employees want ­– and need – to know what to expect. An employee who feels the quality of the move is important to the company is likely to feel more loyalty and goodwill towards the company.”

How can companies help new employees settle in?

• Consider the family. Look for ways to socialize the family to the community. Helping families feel welcome can take the stress off the employee from the home front and make them more productive on the work front. Your efforts can be as simple as a list of community events, contact information, organizations, schools, clubs, etc. Go the extra mile and ask another employee or family member to engage the family in activities.

• Pack a punch. Unpacking is chaos that impacts typical family chores like cooking and laundry. Consider packing a welcome package with the basic necessities for the kitchen and bath (tp, paper towels, detergent and trash bags). Add refrigerator magnets to local utilities, pharmacies, pizza delivery, and coupons or gift cards for nearby restaurants.

• Be prepared for the first day. Make sure the employee’s office or desk is ready for them to start anew. Their space should be a clean, well stocked, and functioning workstation.

• Avoid immediate deadlines. Every one is eager to get to work, but moving is an exhausting experience. Give your employee a few weeks before scheduling big projects and deadlines.