POLICY


Gaining approval and buy-in, and launching the policy After consulting relevant parties and writing (or rewriting) the proposed policy, it is important to gain approval for it and ensure buy-in from senior management and the specialist in-house and external stakeholders, as well as the end users. Before launching the policy, it


is important to set context for it by highlighting the drivers for its introduction or review alongside the benefits that the policy will bring to the organisation and the individuals affected by it. It is also important to provide, as far as is possible, a cost-benefit analysis, or at least to demonstrate how the success of this initiative will be measured. A consultation process is advisable,


to take on board feedback received and ensure that the approval is in place for the launch. It is unlikely that any policy design will be right first time, so it is important to be prepared for rewriting and amending, adding and subtracting elements, and even rethinking sections of the policy. At this point, the fine tuning could well reveal the need to incorporate more detail and depth, or, if the policy is viewed as being too prescriptive, to generalise sections so that they become more applicable in practice. A delicate balancing act will be needed, as the policy has to


be fit for purpose but not be so general as to lead to innumerable exceptions further down the line.


Communication is key When the policy is ready to be launched, it is important to ensure that all parties who will be involved with it receive the details and understand them. For example, any service providers who are involved in implementing policy, as well as internal stakeholders involved in the relocation process, such as payroll and legal teams, need to be informed of any changes. If the policy relates to international mobility, it is critical


to inform the host operation’s HR and line managers who are to receive the international assignees and their families of any policy changes, so that they can implement the policy correctly. It is also important to spell out how any policy revisions will be addressed for existing staff who are currently subject to a previous policy (whether existing transferees are moved across to the new policy and, if so, if this is carried out in a phased manner or not). Good communication is critical to success. An explanatory


document or a presentation may go some way towards explaining the changes, but it is more likely that discussion will be needed to ensure full understanding. Webinars and online chats may prove useful in communications, particularly if operations are spread widely across the globe. Relocating individuals must receive up-to-date letters and


contracts as necessary. It is good practice to ensure policy transparency such that the policy is freely available, for example on the organisation’s intranet. To ensure that all those affected by policy changes are notified,


it is helpful to keep an up-to-date database. A communications plan and an implementation timeline are also likely to prove valuable. If the policy relates to a group move, whether this


be domestic or international, it is important that the timing of the communication is consistent such that all those affected are notified at the same time, to ensure a clear communication path that minimises rumour and dissent.


Feedback and evaluation The notion of ‘plan, do, review’ applies to relocation policy design. Evaluation of the policy in action, and tailoring of issues to improve their effectiveness, is critical to ensure that the policy remains effective and up-to-date. The benefits of the policy, as previously articulated in gaining


buy-in to its design or review, need to be assessed in practice. Has the policy achieved what it set out to facilitate? Is it cost-effective? To find out, mobility professionals need to ensure that they capture


and respond to feedback, and that they take steps to measure (in any appropriate way that fits with the organisation’s structure, culture and strategic direction) the return on investment in employee mobility. Policy design is not a single, one-off, event but a continual


process-review exercise that aims to enhance employee and organisational effectiveness in the long term. Hence, it is important to remember that, in going forward, the policy


is not a static document and, while continual alterations are not ideal, it will be necessary to monitor each aspect of policy content and ensure that it meets organisational and employee needs, and responds to change. An ongoing monitoring process can operate via data collection,


with feedback and measurements of return on investment collated to form part of a future review exercise. A process map which addresses the relocation journey can prove particularly helpful in identifying blockages or bottlenecks where policy redesign could make a significant improvement to mobility in the future.


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44 | Re:locate | Autumn 2016


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