If you frequent this blog, you are probably quite accustomed to hearing the term relocation technology. While this term is familiar to most, the depths to which it reaches are not always touched upon. And believe us - the depths to which it reaches are great.
Instead of telling you about relocation technology, let's try a different take on the subject, and talk about some myths that revolve around relocation technology.
Myth #1: Relocation technology isn't applicable to the types of people at my company.
Relocation technology is applicable to everyone! Whether your employees are new hires, mid-level, executive level, renters, or homeowners, relocation technology has solutions for everyone. Relocation technology is useful because it is valuable to each demographic of employee in different ways.
Relocation technology offers hyperlocal city content which is extremely useful everyone, especially to your Millennials and generations that value the social scene a city has to offer. On the contrary, a relocation technology platform can also provide information for your transferees with families about school systems, spousal support, and things of that nature. A good relocation technology platform has solutions for anybody that could conceivably use it.
Myth #2: Relocation technology is only useful for the transferee.
Wrong! Relocation technology is beneficial for both employee and employer. Sure, the interface itself is geared towards your employees and ensuring that they have a seamless transition from Point A to Point B, but there is also a lot that relo tech can offer employers and companies.
For example, you have the opportunity to see a visual path of where your employee should be in relation to their move, and where they actually are. This is helpful because you can see and avoid red flags before they become a problem. If a transferee is scheduled to be at their new job in two weeks and they haven't looked into finding a home yet, you can guarantee that their concentration is not going to be on their new job, it's going to be on finding a home.
Additionally, you can see which vendors are most useful to your transferees and craft your relocation policy around the things that your employees value the most. This gives you a huge opportunity to make a good impression on your employees or new hires long before they even set foot in the door.
Relo tech also gives you options for expense tracking. You can get feedback on employee spending, which helps you trim down the size of the lump sums you offer for relocations. It makes budgeting more efficient for both you and your employees.
Myth #3: I can't use relocation technology at my company - we already work with an RMC.
If you believe this myth, then today is your lucky day! Plenty of companies that use a relocation technology also work with a relocation management company (RMC). Companies pair the two together to offer the most comprehensive and robust relocation policy at their company. Relo technology works alongside RMCs to fill in each other's gaps. For example, relocation technology excels in providing educational content for transferees, giving them resources even after the initial move.
Myth #4: I want my employees to have access to an actual person, not just a computer program. Relocation technology doesn't provide that.
We understand that not everything can be solved with technology - that is why there is an integrated moving concierge within the relocation technology platform. The moving concierge is available for your employees to contact whenever they have a question that cannot be answered by the relocation platform.
The concierge is well versed in all things relocation-related, so you can assure that any question they have will be followed through until there is a solution. This person is able to talk to them about housing, time-specific needs or questions, onboarding procedures, and anything else in regards to their move.
Myth #5: I need help onboarding my interns, and relocation technology is just for full-time employees or new hires.
Your interns are actually a perfect fit for relocation technology! This is true for a couple of reasons. First, interns are likely of a younger generation, and they find no problem at all in figuring out how to work with the interface. They connect well with technology and can easily navigate its portals, so giving them a platform such as a relocation technology will likely resonate the best with them.
Secondly, the information provided by relocation technology is extremely relevant to them. Don't operate under the assumption that, just because they're interns, they don't share the relocation needs of full time employees. What it comes down to is simple:
Moving is moving. No matter which way you spin it.
This being said, everyone needs access to the same sort of resources and information. Relocation technology allows you to give your interns a resource that will be invaluable to them, and you won't have to hold their hands throughout the entire process.
Millennials love the do-it-yourself option. Think about the self check-out aisle at grocery stores - younger generations get so excited about these types of things. They love and thrive in having all the control, so a relocation technology is the perfect solution for them.
Myth #6: Relocation technology gives people the same information HR can.
Relocation technology is more than just a checklist and a list of vendors to call. Relocation technology walks your employees through their move, step by step. While HR can offer help and give tips, helping a large quantity of people with relocating is a huge task, and it should not have to be handled by one department, let alone one person.
Allow relocation technology to do the work for you. Relocation technology gives each person undivided attention and allows them to be as interactive as they want to be within the system. Think of relocation technology as tool your HR team can use to improve relocations. The two work extremely well together.
It's easy to get caught up in myths, especially those that pertain to something as new and rapidly developing as relocation technology. The simple fact is that relocation technology, all technology really, develops at a quick pace. Myths that used to be true are frequently eradicated with improvements, and some myths were never even true in the first place. Relocation technology can do a lot for your employees, so stay up to date!
Learn more about these myths and get a step by step guide to relocation technology and its many uses below!
