CapRelo Blog

When you’re looking for a reliable global mobility management company, there are numerous factors to take into consideration. At the top of your list should be the company’s financial standing.

Relocation is much more than just the physical move from point A to point B. At its core, a global mobility management company provides the support and stability an organization needs to ensure a smooth relocation. This includes providing services and reinforcement for business objectives, strategic training purposes and filling any potential gaps—all in addition to getting employees and their families and belongings from one location to the next. Most importantly, the mobility management company manages a number of financial aspects to support your global mobility program. Without a strong financial foundation, a mobility management company simply cannot operate effectively.

Why It Matters

One of the first things you should do when selecting a global mobility management partner is to research the company’s reputation for its professional and financial stability. If it’s not stable, how can it provide that security to you and your company? The global mobility management company may be responsible for managing the distribution of expense reimbursements to your relocating employees and payments to third-party vendors for the services they provide. Each of these transactions is an essential part of a relocation. When the company is financially stable, you can be confident that everyone is getting paid the right amount at the right time and that the process will continue uninterrupted.

Selecting a provider based solely on cost provided no insight as to its stability. Instead, consider its financial strength to ensure that your mobility management company can provide financial services for all the necessary pieces of the relocation puzzle, regardless of any external factors that may impact changes in the market.

Where It Helps Meet Objectives

Productivity is a common concern for all companies, regardless of industry: It drives the bottom line. During a relocation, the objective is to provide a smooth transition for your employee so that productivity is not affected and business continues as usual. As Czech Republic resource Expats points out, choosing an experienced and fiscally stable global mobility management company is of paramount importance. Support from a seasoned and financially sturdy mobility management company establishes a strong web of technical and human resources to provide the support necessary for continued productivity.

A mobility management company must have access to funds to make payments to employees and third-party vendors on time. Financial stability ensures there are no complications or hiccups regarding payments, helping everything run as smoothly as it should.

Financial support prevents delays in business goals and deadlines by acting as a safety net in the event of relocation mishaps. Without this support, it’s difficult to guarantee a mobility management company won’t go under in the midst of a move. Imagine an employee arriving to an unfamiliar country only to learn his or her belongings are stuck in customs, or even worse, were not even transported because suppliers were not paid. Stress from these types of situations negatively affects productivity.

Similarly, a global mobility management company should follow best safety and security practices to ease any anxiety related to the move, so employees can focus solely on getting acclimated and jumping right back into work.

Having the confidence that your mobility management company can provide the support needed to maintain productivity, meet business goals, ease the anxiety of relocating employees and fill any remaining gaps is essential.

We will be at several events next month and would like to connect. Hearing from you gives us insights into what global mobility trends matter to you. We look forward to seeing you and continuing to build our partnerships. 

Houston Relocation Professionals Educational Luncheon and Relo Rodeo Round Up

Date: March 5

Location: Houston Marriott Medical Center/Museum District, Houston, TX

Attendee: Meredith Morris

HRP's spring event starts with an afternoon educational luncheon at the Houston Marriott focusing on economic updates and what's next in global mobility technology. Following the educational sessions, attendees will make their way to the private HRP tent in the Champion Wine Garden at the Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo for music, rodeo food, and networking.

Find out more and register here.

Charlotte Metro Area Relocation Council Winter Spectacular Social Event & Quarterly Meeting

Date: March 6 & 7

Location: Queen Park Social (Social Event) and TIAA Bank (Meeting), Charlotte, NC

Attendee: Drew Richards

The CMARC spring social event will be a fun evening of bowling and networking prior to the quarterly CMARC meeting. The next day's meeting will include lunch and an educational forum covering topics ranging from global mobility practices, immigration and taxes.

Click here to learn more and register.

New York City Organization of Relocation Professionals Spring Event

Date: March 12

Location: Deloitte, New York, NY

Attendee: Pete Larkin

Details are not yet available for NYCORP's spring event, but registration is currently open.

Register here.

2019 Philly SHRM Symposium

Date: March 20 & 21

Location: Sheraton Downtown Philadelphia, Philadelphia, PA

Attendee: Drew Richards

The Philly SHRM Symposium will include educational sessions presented by business leaders, HR practitioners and professionals, consultants and more that will provide attendees with tools, strategies and actionable insights. The event will include keynote addresses by entrepreneur Daymond John and President of the Philadelphia 76ers Chris Heck.

For more information about the event and to register, click here.

Arizona Relocation Alliance Spring Cactus Conference

Date: March 21

Location: Sheraton Mesa Hotel and Sloan Park, Mesa, AZ

Attendee: Patrick Cacho

The ARA Spring Cactus conference starts in the morning with breakfast, networking and a corporate roundtable with experts discussing HR strategies and hot mobility issues. In the afternoon, attendees will enjoy a preseason baseball game at Sloan Field, the spring training home of the Cubs. 

Find out more and register here.

Delaware Valley RElocation Council Spring Summit

Date: March 26

Location: Desmond Hotel, Malvern, PA

Attendee: Drew Richards

The DVRC spring event includes educational sessions on the impact of worldwide current events on global mobility programs and mobility industry trends, followed by a game of Global Mobility Pictionary. The event also includes a silent auction and cocktail reception.

Click here to learn more and register.

Greater Houston partnership Business Beyond borders Meeting

Date: March 29

Location: Partnership Tower, Houston, TX

Attendee: Meredith Morris

This luncheon meeting in the Greater Houston Partnership's "Go Beyond Series" will focus on Brexit, including insights on and implications of the referendum. 

Find out more and register here.

If you can’t attend, please be sure to follow CapRelo on Facebook and Twitter for updates.

In recent years, a number of large-scale international emergencies have unfolded. Six major hurricanes rocked the globe in 2017, taking thousands of lives and causing billions in damage. Many nations around the world are also struggling with prolonged challenges: armed conflicts, health crises, poverty, political turmoil and more. Each of these challenges adds a layer of complexity to corporate mobility and duty of care.

Before enterprises can effectively develop and deploy systems for keeping employees safe while working globally, they should identify the specific risks that may be involved. This depends largely on location. For example, countries such as Switzerland, Norway and Singapore—which rank among the safest expatriate destinations in the world—pose different security challenges than countries like South Africa, Brazil and Nigeria, where there are historically more serious hazards.

Once these specific risks are identified, employers must create flexible emergency plans; must communicate them effectively to their employees; and then give them access to the appropriate resources they would need in case of an emergency.

It is also essential to establish an effective system for tracking employees on global  assignments. To ensure employee safety and well-being, employers need to know where
they are and what they are doing. Whether a company uses an Excel spreadsheet or an
online tracking software system, the data must be available instantly, 24 hours a day, from
any location in the world, to reference during emergency situations.

Ensuring a Safe Employee Relocation

A reliable mobility management partner can help businesses develop and maintain high duty of care standards. With technology and services to assist mobile professionals all over the world, mobility management providers help keep relocated talent safe and achieving optimal productivity. For employers, managed corporate mobility services can connect them with real-time data that leads to groundbreaking insights about their global mobility programs.

The political and economic changes of 2018 confirmed that global mobility needs to be a focal point in 2019. As the year unfolds, there are critical areas of change within global mobility that our team at CapRelo is facing head on.

Any major tax and political change can quickly prompt a sudden need to stabilize assignments.  Anticipating external changes, and identifying the potential risks and rewards, is the best way to maintain the strength of a global mobility policy. While CapRelo works with our clients to identify and address external influences, we also look to both our clients’ overall goals and those of their employees to ensure the success of assignments.

Another trend we are prepared to encounter in 2019 is the increase in junior professionals who are embracing global mobility. With the mobility population becoming younger, it is important to understand that this is a generation that is more inclined to travel, especially as many have few ties to keep them from doing so. As these young professionals become a larger influencer on global mobility policy, it is crucial to adapt to their desire to experience culture, seeking a more authentic experience rather than a gated expat community. Focusing on the emerging destinations of 2019, such as India, Brazil, and Thailand, will serve to prepare us for the global mobility trends to come.

Innovation continues to be one of the most important areas for global mobility professionals to conquer in 2019. With digital technology at the forefront of our service delivery model, a brand new website and our employee-focused mobility management software solution, CapRelo’s adaptive technology continues to meet this fundamental demand of 2019.

As we face these industry changes, the people who comprise our CapRelo teams across the world continue to keep us grounded and help us guarantee High Tech. High Touch. Higher Satisfaction. 

We will be attending and/or sponsoring the following upcoming event. If you’re attending, look for us and say hi, because it's a great opportunity for us to stay abreast of the latest global mobility trends, as well as develop and strengthen trusted partnerships. 

Bay Area MObility Management 2019 Annual Mobility Conference

Date: February 20

Location: Hyatt Regency San Francisco Airport, Burlingame, CA

Attendees: Patrick Cacho & Scott Esser

The BAMM annual conference will feature industry updates, a keynote address from attorney and NFL referee Ed Hochuli and educational sessions on topics ranging from tax law, diversity and inclusion and global immigration.

Find out more and register here.

If you can’t attend, please be sure to follow CapRelo on Facebook and Twitter for updates.

I am pleased to announce the launch of CapRelo’s new website. Having been in the works for the better part of 2018, we’re entering the New Year with the arrival of a new site that offers a seamless, more intuitive user experience. 

You may also notice that CapRelo has debuted a new logo and fresh branding to accompany our new website. This look is more modern and we hope demonstrates a company that is constantly evolving and moving forward. 

Our goal with the new site is to allow visitors the ability to easily navigate CapRelo’s extensive offerings in the global mobility space. With a fully responsive experience, custom video content, and updated blog, among other new content and features, we hope our customers and partners around the world find it easier to get to know CapRelo.

As always, CapRelo continues to be both high tech and high touch. Our global teams, who earn a 99% customer satisfaction rating, look forward to connecting with you personally in 2019. In the meantime, we invite you to explore the new CapRelo.com.

Taking the time to screen potential expatriates prior to a global assignment can go a long way to ensuring assignment success. Find out more:

Millions of American professionals relocate annually, many taking on exciting international assignments. U.S. businesses are just as excited about these global relocations. After all, global mobility can lay the groundwork for expansion and revenue gain.

But businesses must understand that expatriates can encounter serious safety hazards during and after relocation. Companies organizing and managing global mobility and assignment processes are responsible for addressing these dangers and ensuring employee safety.

Duty of care encapsulates these obligations. Both businesses and relocating employees should clearly understand what duty of care constitutes before navigating employee mobility strategies.

Corporate Responsibility During Employee Relocation

Duty of care, in the context of corporate mobility, is the obligation to protect those under your charge. Organizations sending teams abroad must take on this complex responsibility.

Businesses must also consider employee well-being, which includes not only physical safety but also emotional and mental wellness. Moving to a foreign country can be a stressful experience, especially moving to one with an entirely different culture than what you’re used to. Businesses should address this issue by providing comprehensive resources to help relocating employees cope with the stressors that accompany international assignments.

With specific employee safety and well-being concerns in mind, companies can begin to formulate strategies to address them in a formal duty of care policy that should be incorporated into business travel and global mobility policies.

While there are legal obligations that companies must meet, they should go beyond what’s legally required of them, not just for the employees’ sake, but also for the success of the company. Relocation is an investment, and providing for the productivity and safety of those who relocate will protect and nurture that investment.

But what does that strategy entail? Providing access to reliable mobility vendors is a good start. Employees moving abroad should be able to connect with mobility management companies and other vendors involved in the relocation process.

Employers should also consider offering property insurance to their relocating talent. Although this may not be a legal requirement, providing this option sends the best message about a business and its brand: We recognize what you, our employee, and your family are undertaking for the benefit of our organization, and we will do our part to allay concerns about your belongings during and after your move.

How to Find Assignment Success

Even employees who are seasoned travelers and excited about embarking on global assignments can experience nervousness and may have trouble living abroad and adapting to unique cultures and customs in the long term.

Adjustment is critical for assignment success. Employees who do not adapt well to their new surroundings may underperform. Anything an employer can do to prepare relocating employees for any initial culture shock, such as offering language and cross-cultural training before the move, can help them immerse themselves in their new communities sooner with greater ease.

Employers can also ensure their assignment policy includes provisions that address duty of care and promote assignment success beyond basic personal safety, such as:

• Evaluating health and medical care laws and customs in the host location to ensure the medical insurance offered to employees and their families is sufficient.
• Ensuring employees' personal information is secure during the relocation process.
• Providing additional benefits tailored to the assignment location, like winter driving courses for locations in cold climates.