What Exactly is Corporate Relocation?
Corporate relocation can be a confusing subject. There are obviously instances when an entire corporation decides to pull up stakes and move—the way Boeing moved its headquarters from Seattle to Chicago (and from there to Arlington, VA), or the way Tesla moved operations from Palo Alto, CA to Austin, Texas. That certainly happens, and records show that since 2019 there have been close to 700 corporate relocations in the United States—a remarkable figure, and one that goes to show just how seriously businesses take the question of where they should be based.
Read Here: Advantages of hiring an efficient corporate relocation company
Domestic relocations of entire corporations are the most common type, but in an increasingly globalized international system, it’s not at all unusual for companies to shift all or at least some of their operations to a different country. The insurance giant Aon, for example, moved its HQ from Chicago to London in 2012, and Burger King transferred many of its corporate functions to Canada after it merged with the fast food chain Tim Hortons in 2014.
But “corporate relocation” also extends to the much more common practice of moving a corporate employee from one location to another while covering or subsidizing the cost of the move–and providing various add-on services designed to make the whole thing go smoothly.
How Common is Corporate Relocation?
By some estimates, corporate relocation, as an industry, is now worth tens of billions of dollars annually. It’s serious business, in short, for any business big enough to have employees working in different cities—or different countries. And if you happen to be an employee of a large corporation, steel yourself for the possibility that you too will be faced with the prospect of having to relocate to a new city, a new state, or even a new country. Millions of workers in the US experience corporate relocation every year. So it happens. A lot.
How Does Corporate Relocation Benefit Employers and Employees?
The goal of moving employees and their loved ones, and especially their personal possessions, is to get those employees back to work—often in a new job—and up to speed as quickly as possible. Maintaining productivity depends on the corporate relocation process moving quickly. Lost time, after all, is lost productivity. A smooth relocation helps employers save money.
At the same time, the more seamless and painless the moving process is for the employees, the better it is for everyone involved. (It’s worth noting that more than 10% of employees who are transferred end up leaving their employer completely within a two-year period, implying that relocation—done badly—plays a role in employees deciding to change jobs).
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In some sense, corporate relocation can be thought of as a recruiting, hiring, and employee management tool—something that helps companies optimize their workforce and reduce their labor costs. This is why corporate relocation is offered to everybody from the newest employees to top-tier managers or specialists who provide unique value to their companies.
At the same time, it’s a way for organizations to avoid the hiring process altogether if they want to. After all, transferring employees is all about finding the ideal role for the people you already have. It’s about distributing, not replacing. Ultimately, relocation–when done correctly–benefits both the company and its employees.
What Does Corporate Relocation Usually Involve?
Every company or corporation favors different packages or policies when it comes to relocating their employees, but most relocations are built around the following five elements:
- Moving employees and their loved ones to the new location.
- Moving their personal possessions—which, most of the time, involves moving all of their personal possessions.
- Helping employees locate decent housing that can be purchased or rented, depending on each employee’s preference, the duration of the assignment, the nature of the local housing market, etc.
- Helping employees with temporary housing and short-term storage prior to moving into something longer-term. Short-term corporate housing options tend to be more plentiful and attractive when larger corporations are involved.
- Helping employees settle into their new community by offering guidance on everything from schools and recreation to social activities and public events.
Know More Here: Expat Moving Services by IVL
Some corporations have hard-and-fast rules about how their relocation benefits must be used, while others are much more flexible and allow tailoring so that the unique needs of each and every employee can be met.
Needless to say, a smooth corporate relocation is highly conducive to ensuring that employees emerge from the experience happy, relaxed, and productive. And, of course, the happier they are, the more likely it is that they will remain employees. As noted, the correlation between corporate relocation and employee churn is very real.
What Are the Main Types of Corporate Relocation?
Corporate relocation packages come in all shapes and sizes, but most still adhere to one of three basic formulations:
- A lump sum payment – In this case, employees receive a fixed amount of money for the purpose of relocating, but are otherwise pretty much on their own. Very few (and often zero) additional services are provided. Many employees and their families actually prefer this approach, given that so many individual services—including relocation services—are easily accessible online and offline. Many people like to handle things themselves and enjoy trying to secure a good deal from a moving company, a landlord, etc.
- “Full coverage plus” – This full-service package is typically reserved for the most important executives and other corporate “superstars,” i.e., people the corporation would have difficulty replacing and wants to keep happy and focused on work. This type of package includes payment of all moving costs, temporary housing costs, personal transport costs (airfare, etc.), but also the provision of a range of associated settlement services to make life easier for the employee and his or her family. Generally speaking, the employee simply submits receipts and the employer reimburses the employee.
- “Partial coverage plus”— As its name implies, this is a hybrid package: employees receive a fixed amount of money for the basics of their move but also receive access to experts who can help them. This model is gaining ground in the corporate world as it delivers something between full autonomy and reliance on third-party expertise.
Will My Employer Pay All of My Moving Costs?
As you might expect, different types of employees are able to access different types of relocation packages. No one will be surprised to learn that brand-new hires being transferred to company HQ somewhere in the Midwest rarely receive the “full coverage-plus” service. Similarly, a major financial corporation’s CFO isn’t going to receive a lump sum relocation payment along with a slap on the back and a hearty “Good luck!” The type of package an employee receives is almost always tied to his or her perceived value to the company. There’s nothing sinister about this. After all, covering costs associated with relocation can be onerous for employers, and it makes perfect sense that they spend more on those who are more difficult to replace and who generate unique levels of value.
International Van Lines: The Corporate Relocation Pro
International Van Lines serves over 180 countries around the world, but when it comes to corporate relocation, most of our clients are moving from one part of the United States to another. From San Francisco to Austin for example. Or from New York to Charlotte. Or maybe from Chicago to Orlando. IVL ensures that every corporate relocation goes as smoothly as possible. We’ll get your stuff to where it needs to be–on time, on budget, and in perfect condition.
IVL is the No. 1 US-based commercial moving company as ranked by major national and international publications like Forbes, USA Today, US News, and Consumer Affairs. It’s a ranking we’ve held for a long time, and it’s a ranking we plan to keep.
Contact IVL directly for an initial estimate or quote and feel free to tap us for additional moving tips.
Remember: if you need to move your entire life from one side of the country to the other, lickety-split, worry no longer. Contact IVL today to discuss corporate relocation options. You’ll be glad you did.
Why Choose IVL Over Other Professional Movers?
When it comes to corporate relocation, IVL gets you from Point A to Point B fast. Working with both major employers and their employees, our task is to move your stuff and, in some instances, provide you with useful and timely storage options. At all points of the move, we treat your personal possessions as if they were our own. This we guarantee.
IVL has the knowledge, experience, personnel, and infrastructure that no other company involved in corporate relocation and storage has ever managed to equal. IVL’s versatility and flexibility mean that we’re in a position to handle any type of relocation, anywhere, and at any time. It’s our strength as an organization that makes us so capable, and it’s these capabilities that ultimately reinforce our strength. We’re so confident about what we do because we’ve done it so many times before—flawlessly.
Read Here: How International Van Lines Crushes the Competition
When it comes to international long-distance relocation, IVL typically relies on either air freight or ocean freight, and often both. Within North America, however, relocation is usually accomplished with the help of our fleet of long-distance moving vans. Regardless of the transport method or methods used, your belongings are in the very safest of hands.
So regardless of whether your employer is sending you to New York, Chicago, or LA – or, perhaps more likely, St. Louis, Pittsburgh, Cleveland, Cincinnati, Columbus, or Milwaukee (all still among the most popular corporate HQ locations in the country), no professional moving company knows the logistics of corporate relocation like International Van Lines. In this area, like so many others, IVL has no peer.
How Much Does Corporate Relocation Typically Cost?
The cost of relocating corporate employees obviously varies based on where those employees need to go (inside the US? West Coast? East Coast? Abroad?). Other important factors include the transportation method(s) used, the size and weight of the load or loads, fuel charges, and any fees, taxes, or charges imposed by other entities (foreign governments for example).
At IVL, we take pride in full transparency when it comes to pricing and billing. This is why all charges–including the final invoice–are never a surprise.
Have a look at our moving cost calculator to get a sense of what your corporate relocation is likely to cost. And click below if you need a rough estimate or a more formal quote.
Click here for a free moving quote or contact IVL directly at (877) 647-1336.
IVL team members at HQ in Coral Springs, FL (with founder and CEO Josh Morales, fourth from left)
What Corporate Relocation Services Does IVL Offer?
Whatever your relocation needs may be, remember that IVL offers comprehensive corporate relocation services. Other moving companies offer some of these services, but none is as well-equipped to handle corporate relocation as IVL. Check out the list of relocation services below, and for more specific information, contact IVL directly, and also click here and here.)
IVL’s Corporate Relocation Services in Full:
- Full packing and unpacking services. IVL’s packing services are unmatched!
- Furniture disassembly and reassembly.
- Full ocean and/or air freight services for international relocation, as well as top-tier truck and van services for long-distance corporate relocation inside the US and other parts of North America.
- Debris removal.
- Varied storage options (see below).
- Roll-on-roll-off (“RoRo”) vehicle transport service is generally a feature of international relocation and the most cost-effective way to ship a vehicle overseas. We also offer container and consolidated shipping options.
- Customs clearance management (if required).
- Liability protection including full value protection of customers’ personal possessions.
- Custom moving and storage options for expensive, fragile, and/or uniquely personal items, including musical and scientific instruments, high-end electronics, artwork, antiques, documents, and medical devices.
- Comprehensive corporate relocation and military relocation services.
- Live chat and customer service 24/7.
- Easy shipment tracking!
Once again, try IVL’s online pricing calculator to get a sense of what your move is likely to cost, and feel free to contact us directly for a moving estimate and/or moving quote.
For the sake of efficiency, IVL sometimes partners with local movers in specific circumstances. In addition, IVL typically asks for a deposit—usually about one-quarter of the moving quote—though this is obviously refundable in the event of a cancellation.
Is IVL Also a Storage Company?
IVL isn’t a storage company per se, but we offer a wide variety of storage options to clients–both companies and individual employees–involved in a corporate relocation. These include temporary storage and long-term storage. We also make use of storage-in-transit (SIT), a very temporary form of storage generally lasting several days that helps us coordinate delivery of your personal belongings to the new location.
Climate-controlled options are available for especially sensitive items (artwork, documentation, antiques, scientific instruments, etc.). Long-term storage usually involves a warehouse with a sophisticated security system; PODS are often used for short-term storage; and trailers often do the job when SIT is required. IVL is prepared for every eventuality. A customer’s moving date and move-in date sometimes fail to line up, for example, and then there are all of the variables associated with transport over long distances. Cross-border relocations can be especially complex, so it’s always important to have storage facilities available.
Is IVL Fully Accredited?
Yes. IVL is licensed by DOT, FMC, and AMSA.
Does IVL Have a Solid Customer Rating?
At Trustpilot, IVL’s average rating is excellent and consistently superior to all rival moving companies.
Wondering if IVL is right for you? Contact IVL today. For a rough estimate or free moving quote click here!
