RELOCATION only spending a few days on business in a country.” “The trailing family or partner can often become isolated and will not have the same support infrastructure as the assignee.” Ng agrees. She says cost-conscious organisations may try to save money on adaptability assessments, crosscultural training, spousal assistance and language training for these transferees. “Relocation assistance is usually concluded after the transferees find their properties and schools, and assignees and families may feel a sense of being lost after they have checked into the property,” she shares. “It is not uncommon that assignments failed after the first few months if transferees or their families did not have adequate support and cannot get used to the new host location.”
Going the extra mile Chee recounts an instance where Sante Fe was authorised to assist an assignee with orientation and settling-in services. For example, the company was able to arrange for sourcing, delivery and the assembly of furniture for the employee’s new home. A security deposit was also arranged, and a local account manager working on the relocation was able to be at the property to oversee the entire process. “We do try to accommodate such unique requests as much as possible as we understand that relocating to another country involves many emotional aspects,” Chee shares. “Within reasonable limits, we will always get the company or employee’s HR representative to discuss the predicament and we will arrange for solutions accordingly.” With the housing rental market
currently soft in Singapore, rental prices remain stable and are even dropping in some areas. Despite this, Ng notes that there have been some unrealistic expectations and requests when finding accommodations. Assignees relocating to Singapore also seem to have a preference for two-bedroom private apartments in central areas, Ng says. Some specific accommodation demands include having no wooden furnishing, no steps on the property, or the installation of a pool within a landed property. These are among the requests that Asian Tiger has accommodated. “Where possible, we will do our best to source or negotiate on such properties,” Ng explains. “However, as these are not common requests, we will advise the transferees appropriately and keep them updated at all times.”
Working collaboratively with HR As much as the HR departments are mainly in charge of an employee’ relocation process, relocation companies like Asian Tiger and Santa Fe work alongside the departments to ensure the process remains within budget and according to policy guidelines. After a briefing from the HR or mobility team, Asian Tiger usually takes over the communication with the employee and administers the authorised programmes. However, the HR team will be kept in the loop and updated on key milestones of the relocation process. For instance, Asian Tiger will update the office at the point of home selection, signing of the tenancy agreement, and move-in dates. “We also position ourselves as the main point of accountability for the transferee,” Ng shares. “If the transferees need any additional support from HR, we can assess the requests and provide advice
UAE listed as top global career destination The United Arab Emirates (UAE) has been listed as the top emerging market destination globally for professional fulfillment. The Global Shapers Annual Survey 2015 cited that the UAE outshone China, Brazil, South Africa and India. The top attributes that employees look for in a global employer are: • Career advancement: 48% • Company culture: 38% • Training and development opportunities: 32%
as deemed appropriate and facilitate the communication between the company and the transferee.” Depending on individual business requirements, Santa Fe’s global assignment management programmes enable companies to outsource as much of the management processes as they need. Chee shares, “Santa Fe’s global assignment team provides personalised relocation services, managing every aspect of the assignment with minimal resource requirements from the business”. Among the things that Santa Fe assists HR in are: controlling costs, assignment administration, programme consultation and planning, and supporting employees on assignment. In terms of controlling costs for example, Santa Fe works with the HR team to manage the costs of global assignment programmes. It does so via tracking and reporting costs, monitoring supplier costs and implementing appropriate costsaving initiatives.
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