Employee Relocation Checklist

Cambridge, famed for its prestigious university, is proving to be an increasingly popular business hub, driven by a booming digital economy and growth in key sectors including science and technology. The city’s burgeoning technology industry has earned it the moniker “Silicon Fen”. Many businesses are now looking to relocate staff to the Cambridge area, capitalising on the many benefits of this growing business hub in the East of England.

Are you a manager or business owner considering moving employees to Cambridge from elsewhere in the UK or overseas? Consult our handy checklist to ensure the move goes smoothly. 

Before confirming the move:

Before sending an employee half way across the country (or even across the world), it’s important to consider the practicalities of the move. Ask yourself the following questions and make sure there are logistical measures in place to cover the outcomes:

• How much time will they need to move? This could have an impact on ongoing projects but also on the equipment that needs to be available for them when they arrive. Where possible, give people reasonable notice. If you need to move quickly, consider providing temporary accommodation options and business self storage in Cambridge for their belongings while they find a new home in the area.

• Are they replacing someone currently at the Cambridge location? How will this affect the team dynamic and what can be done to ensure a thorough handover?

• How long is the relocation for? If the move is for a fixed term and they will be returning home when their contract ends, consider secure storage for their equipment or personal belongings near their current location.

• What are the financial implications of relocating – for both the business and the employee? Ensure you have a proper budget set aside for supporting relocations. Cambridge is one of the most expensive places to live in the UK, and this may have a significant impact on your employee’s cost of living. Talk to recruitment consultants in Cambridge to ensure that payment and benefits packages are competitive. After going through the effort of relocating an employee, you don’t want to lose them to a competitor!

• Are there any visa or work permits that need to be handled? If you’re moving employees from an overseas location, make sure that they have support in getting any necessary documents. Additional cross-cultural training sessions or materials can also help them to acclimate.

Before the employees leave:

Once the move has been agreed and arrangements are in motion, it’s time to start preparing employees for their new place of work and putting steps in place to ensure a smooth transition:

• Create guidance materials for both managers and staff that include tips for areas to search for accommodation, useful links for storage of their personal belongings both in their home location and when they arrive in Cambridge, details of local amenities and transportation options, etc. It is important that staff don’t feel abandoned when they reach their new location.

• If staff members have children, help them to find suitable school options in Cambridge. You can arrange meetings with local school authorities to discuss an easy transition for the children, minimising any disruption to their educational development.

• Ensure that staff members have been able to liaise closely with their new managers to smooth the transition period when they arrive in their new location. If they will still have the same direct report, schedule regular progress report meetings both before and after the move to guarantee a seamless transition.

Once the employees arrive:

Even after your employees have arrived at their new location, there are still steps you can take to help them settle in:

• If you are moving multiple staff members, consider providing support surgeries. These types of events can be invaluable as staff members will require extra support through the transitional period. Furthermore, open conversation in this type of setting can raise potential issues sooner rather than later.

• Continue to provide practical support. Helping to cover the logistical costs of an office move can drastically improve employee satisfaction. You might choose to help with accommodation costs, to organise storage of personal belongings through a business solution, or to offer flexible working for relocated employees. Remember that this move will likely have had an impact on their friends and family members too, so anything you can do to keep them comfortable will be appreciated.

If you are relocating employees to Cambridge, get in touch with Storage King for business and personal storage solutions. Our facility is close to the city centre, with manned reception hours, secure units, 24-hour access and refunds for unused storage days.