June 21, 2010 by MSI
As domestic relocation activity stalled over the past two years, global assignment activity continued to increase. In today’s marketplace there are more corporate stakeholders leading or engaged in the management of global mobility than in years past, paralleled with a greater number of employees on international assignment for their company. Whether its an employee’s first assignment or their tenth, one critical component to ensure a smooth and successful transition is the initial needs assessment call, which is either provided by the company’s outsourced relocation management company, or a corporate representative, if the program is managed in-house.
What is a needs assessment call? It’s a survey identifying the relocation assistance needs of all occupants within a project area who must relocate as a direct result of the business requirements.
As a relocation management company, our client employee needs assessments are a critical resource to our international assignment manager (IAM) and serve to provide the IAM with a clear understanding of the assignee’s expectations and needs to ensure a smooth transition to the host country. Conducting a thorough needs assessment with the assignee provides our IAM with:
- A full understanding of the assignee’s needs and the needs, as applicable, for their family members as well as their collective expectations for the relocation
- A platform to detail the client’s relocation policy and detail all assignment benefits as well as provide an overall outline of the process and associating timing of key milestones
- A forum to answer any and all initial questions that the assignee may have regarding their assignment or corresponding authorized services (benefits)
- An establishment of communication preferences for the assignee and details around second tier partners and their role in the assignment
- A foundation for open communication and the opportunity to begin a relationship with the assignee
While it’s often a hectic time for the assignee the needs assessment call is a key cornerstone to the success of any international relocation.
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