Hiring the best and brightest employees for your company is no easy task, especially when geography presents a roadblock. Whether you’re growing or expanding your business or retaining your top performers, employee relocation is a common tactic to ensure your business is equipped for greatness, no matter where you’re based.
Bekins Van Lines has decades of experience with corporate employee relocations. To make the move less of a burden on your company and employees, we handle all the logistics, from packing to storage and planning. Here’s what you need to know about relocating an employee.
Why Companies Relocate Employees
Corporate employee relocation is when companies move workers to a new location, either in a different city, state or country, for business reasons. Sometimes it’s to open an office in another city or to continue someone’s work duties through a promotion or consolidation. Other times, it’s to represent the company on an international assignment in another country.
By hiring someone from out of town and relocating them to your headquarters, you can expand your access to top talent, ultimately improving your business. On the other hand, when adjusting for an office opening or international business, an employee relocation expands your market reach.
Professional job relocation can offer many strategic benefits for companies, though it may not always be appealing to staff. When relocating employees, assistance and incentives can go a long way in sealing the deal.
What Is Employee Relocation Assistance?
Moving is a stressful task for someone who still needs to be focused at work. Relocation assistance can help. Ultimately, your relocation package should cater to the needs of your employees.
What’s Included in a Relocation Package?
When asking an employee to move cities for a job, be prepared to include these elements in the relocation package:
Professional Employee Relocation Movers
Be prepared to pay for moving expenses, including the cost of hiring a moving company. Partnering with a trustworthy moving company is key to providing a smooth employee relocation. Bekins has worked with hundreds of clients relocating for work, which means we know what services and protocol to deploy when an employer calls. Efficiency is vital, and we take that seriously.
Packing and Unpacking Services for Employee Relocations
Under normal circumstances, packing is a time-consuming task that can take days. But if you’re hiring an employee with a looming start date, you should consider covering packing and unpacking services to help speed the process along. Movers will strategically pack belongings before the trip and unpack them upon arrival at the destination.
Short-Term Temporary Housing Arrangements
If the move is on very short notice, your employee might not have time to find a new house or apartment. Including at least a 30-day home rental or interim hotel stay in their relocation package will give them a month to find more permanent housing. For homeowning transferees, you could also reimburse real estate moving expenses that come with selling a home on short notice.
Spousal Job Support and Family Member Assistance
When an employee moves for work, it can put strain on their family. Family assistance can take many forms, including school-finding services for children, utility setup assistance, healthcare provider locating and cultural integration assistance. If the employee’s spouse is looking for work in the new area, you can also provide job search and resume-building help. Moving has psychological effects for family and children, so being considerate about supporting family members can go a long way.
Travel Expenses and Moving Assistance
The most basic employee relocation package should include some form of moving assistance. Whether that’s car mileage or airfare reimbursement or hiring movers with moving insurance, you’ll want to make sure your employee can settle into their destination with ease. In 2025, the IRS recommends a standard mileage rate of 70 cents per mile for all business-related miles. You can also reimburse the cost of gas, toll booths and parking, so long as receipts are provided. International travel expenses may include the cost of a passport or necessary visas.
Hiring a reputable mover like Bekins will also ensure your employee is ready to go on their first day, while also providing some peace of mind for their transition.
Miscellaneous Expenses
Moving on short notice can put a strain on your employee’s finances. Provide a meal allowance for groceries or food bought during a designated relocation period. Additionally, a few days of paid time off may be a smart idea to handle the move without interfering with daily work duties.
International Relocation Considerations
An overseas relocation can pose reasonable challenges for you and your employees. Immigration laws in various countries require particular foreign work visas. Customs compliance is crucial, so you’ll need to ensure that your relocation experts are trustworthy in this matter.
Culture shock can also be a challenge, especially if your employee is unfamiliar with the language and customs. An international relocation can also pose a significant challenge to family members and children, making the emotional strain a crucial consideration. A short-term assignment may be easier to manage, but longer-term assignments require more empathy, planning and relocation expenses.
Bekins’ years of expertise enable us to support long-distance mobility. Your moving coordinator will serve as a point of contact throughout the process if you have questions or concerns.
The Average Cost to Relocate an Employee
How much does it cost to relocate an employee? Well, relocation costs will depend on several factors. Some companies choose to provide a lump sum to cover relocation costs (which may not cover additional expenses), while others prefer a reimbursement policy (which requires meticulous record-keeping on the employee’s part).
Bekins partners with a financing firm with rates as low as 0% APR to prevent overbearing out-of-pocket moving expenses. Whichever reimbursement method you choose, here’s what to keep in mind about the cost of the relocation experience.
Average Domestic vs. International Costs
For a domestic move, the average cost to relocate an employee can range anywhere from $5,000 to $30,000 (or more if they’re a homeowner). This number will depend on how far the employee lives from the move location, what they require for their move and extra expenses as they get settled in.
An international relocation may be a more expensive venture. Between travel, short- and long-term housing, immigration, household goods transportation and other expenses, international relocation can cost up to $80,000, based on industry data.
How to Save Using Professional Relocation Services
If relocating employees seems like a hefty business expense, we understand. However, some strategies can help you cut costs in the long run. For starters, be flexible with your employee relocation policy. What suits one person might not suit another. At times, outsourcing relocation services is more convenient.
Partnering with a professional relocation service can offer assistance in handling the moving logistics, housing arrangements and transportation, rather than leaving all the details up to the employee. Having a middleman to focus on the relocation will ensure the basics are covered most efficiently and at the best price.
When to Outsource Relocation Services vs. Manage In-House
Outsourcing relocation services adds convenience and efficiency to your timeline. These companies typically have the expertise to manage the relocation details and the contacts to best navigate home transitioning, moving services and other aspects of relocation. If your HR department already has an appointed relocation expert who can collaborate with your transferee, you could also manage the job in-house.
How Relocation Services Make the Process Easier
Navigating an employee relocation is difficult when employers and employees don’t live in the same area and you have a company to run. Third-party employee relocation services cover those nitpicky details and offer logistical support.
Bekins has a team of dedicated moving coordinators and a nationwide agent network to delegate tasks and foresee any additional help that may be required throughout the transition from packing and transportation to specialty moving and coordination. Our agents can tailor a corporate relocation to fit the needs of your employee and get them settled for their first day.
Relocating an employee also requires emotional support for families. With relocation services, neither you nor the transferee needs to worry about the physical and emotional logistics. Bekins has over 130 years of trusted service in commercial, residential and corporate moves. We pride ourselves on our white-glove approach that makes the process smoother and less stressful for everyone involved.
Why Partner with Bekins Van Lines for Employee Relocation?
Every Bekins corporate relocation program quote includes competitive, transparent pricing and a customized experience. Personalize your employee’s relocation package to include all the services they need for a smooth transition, including packing, transportation and planning.
Bekins’ movers and agents handle each move with compassion and efficiency. Our nationwide network supports corporate transitions whenever and wherever you need. Structured relocation support can help garner trust with your employee and build a solid relationship as they transition into their new role.
If you’re considering an employee relocation, explore our relocation services or connect with a local agent for a free estimate.
