The Advantages of Hiring a Relocation Consultant

Are you thinking about relocating your employees abroad? Are you looking for a relocation consultant? In this article you will learn what exactly a relocation consultant is and why it is better to hire a relocation consultant or employer of record to relocate your team.

Let’s get started.

What is relocation?

So what is relocation? That’s a good question. When companies need to relocate an employee to another part of the country or the world, they need the help of a relocation company or employer working on their behalf.

When an employee relocates within a country, it can be anything from selling a house or terminating a lease to finding a new home and transporting household goods to the new location. But that’s just a small part of what Swapp Agency does. We work in more than 170 countries and support employees relocating to different parts of the world.

When an employee moves overseas, they have to take care of work visas and immigration paperwork, and often they have to learn a new language. We also help with simple things like getting groceries, enrolling children in a foreign school and hundreds of other details.

What kind of background do I need and how do I know if I am a good fit?

Swapp Agency is always looking for bright minds who enjoy continuous learning and can provide excellent service. We have a very diverse workforce with people from many different backgrounds. If you are interested in learning more about our opportunities, you can contact us through our website.

Now let us take a look at the history of employee relocation to show you all the benefits of relocation services.

History of employee relocation

The relocation industry began to establish itself after the Second World War.

As companies needed to relocate their key employees to other parts of the country, they initially simply paid to move a person’s possessions and bring them to the new location. However, because people owned homes and had other ties to their communities, this became a more complex process than simply moving them to the new location.

The relocation industry began to officially take root in the 1960s. Companies began buying the homes of their employees and reimbursing other costs as well.

Some of the financial aspects of relocation became tax-advantaged, so the industry matured over the following decades and companies began to outsource this function. Even though internal employees can provide these services in-house, it was deemed more cost effective and efficient to outsource these services.

In the 70s and 80s, various move management companies were founded, some of which focused entirely on outsourcing.

How Can an Employer of Record Help You with Relocation?

Today, there is a great mix of competition and collaboration in the relocation industry. As Employers of Record look to increase their revenue, they need to offer a higher level of service and management of the relocation. An Employer of Record has local knowledge and experience to support the employee during the relocation process.

There are so many players and functions involved in a relocation. It makes a lot of sense for a company to use an Employer of Record as it gives the employer a single point of contact for all their relocation needs.

An Employer of Record works with many different types of providers for every employee relocation including realtors in the old and new location and third-party services like auto shippers. For example, mortgage companies, title companies, spousal support providers, travel coordination, temporary living providers, school selection, and many other providers. An Employer of Record will also provide their client company with payroll and tax services.

As domestic markets for relocation services matured, another aspect of mobility was also growing. Companies crossed borders to relocate and enter new markets. This meant that employees crossed borders to set up the organizations, hire local workers, establish business and government relationships, etc.

Once cross-border assignment management was needed, Employer of Record stepped in to fill that need by providing all domestic services but also coordinating internationally:

• Immigration support;
• Compensation management;
• Payroll and reporting;
• Provider of destination services;
• Language and cultural training;
• Management of tenancies;
• Ongoing assignment support.

Ultimately, Employers of Record have become partners to their clients, acting as their backroom for all relocation functions, whether domestic or international. These relationships are critical in meeting clients' staffing needs and aligning their workforce with the strategic direction of the organization. This is more than just an administrative function, it is designed to fully support a company’s bottom line.

There are a number of organizations that can guide you through this entire process. Employer of Record is one of them. They can provide you with relocation services in more than 170 countries. Swapp Agency has extensive experience in helping companies relocate their employees. We will use all our expertise to help you relocate to any country in the world.