Relocation packages... what to expect

HangTime · 3 Feb 2020 at 21:10

Background: My employer is looking to relocate some jobs to other parts of the country. It is still early days and not sure what roles are impacted but it is conceivable that people in my team or potentially even myself could be. Let's assume for the purposes of this thread that my role was impacted, albeit probably a long way off.

None of our other offices (current or proposed locations for new office) are commutable so if my role was relocated I would have to move or take redundancy. Due to proximity to family/friends I would be not be desperate to move but equally I would be open to the possibility if the package was attractive enough, as I currently have a long commute that could be drastically reduced by relocation.

However I'm not really sure what to expect from relocation; my gut feeling is they probably wouldn't make me an offer attractive enough (as my demands probably quite high to ensure I could pay for good accommodation without being out of pocket) but not having experienced this before I am unsure. The company have said it is too early and information will be provided in due course but of course now the news has broken everyone starts thinking ahead. Part of me thinks I should be able to request more than the redundancy payout would be, on the basis that if they made me redundant they would then have the hassle and cost of having to replace a high performing employee.

I know ultimately nobody can tell me the answer as it will depend on the employer, but still curious as to what packages others have been offered in this situation?

CapitalOne · 3 Feb 2020 at 21:15

From what I have seen, they will make you redundant and simply advertise for someone at the new location, complete with an appropriate salary for that area, no relocation. It’s happened many times from London to cheaper, near London areas.

Do you know the reason for the relocation?

Wish you all the best though.

HangTime · 3 Feb 2020 at 22:48

Medium term cost savings, due to desk costs and salaries [sometimes] being lower in other locations.

Ev0 · 5 Feb 2020 at 22:35

Where I’ve seen relocation packages for new roles, rather than an internal restructuring, they’ve never looked like much that would be tempting to make it worthwhile

Slade2 · 8 Feb 2020 at 01:08

In my limited experience of relocation packages its perhaps 6 months rent on a house near to the location of the job so you then dont have to worry about where you are going to live. Sometimes they will give you this as a lump sum to help with the upheaval of the move but who moves right away? it does take time. Like people have said they do tend to be used less and less now. A friend of mine got a decent one when he emigrated to New Zealand though.

wesimmo · 8 Feb 2020 at 01:13

CapitalOne said:
From what I have seen, they will make you redundant and simply advertise for someone at the new location, complete with an appropriate salary for that area, no relocation. It’s happened many times from London to cheaper, near London areas.

Do you know the reason for the relocation?

Wish you all the best though.

I'd keep this in mind, I have no idea what your situation is it how highly you're thought of, but it is a fairly common tactic.

Redundancy and a slight change in JD, if not actual work, and title and they reduce their salary cost.

Martynt74 · 12 Feb 2020 at 12:55

Where i've worked in the past there's been the covering of relocation costs (up to £8k i think is tax free), but no lump sum financial incentives to the employee to try and tempt them to move.

Bickaxe · 15 Feb 2020 at 13:45

Depends on whom you work for.

This has happened to us twice;

Going back about 13 years when my partner moved from Scotland to Wales (Civil Service), an approved company bought her flat so she had funds to buy in her new location. Rent (1 year) and moving expenses (solicitors, shipping etc..) as well as new flooring (no idea why) were paid for. The company that bought her flat would then sell it and anything over what they paid out originally would then be forwarded on to her (we bought a new kitchen).

The second time (2015 same Civil Service Agency) and the rules had changed. I think rent was paid for 6 months. She got time off to find somewhere to rent down here. Nothing else.

In both cases, relocation was only paid if your current address was over a certain distance from your new place of work (this has caused many questions when a few offices merged into a new location and working from home came in).

delta0 · 27 Feb 2020 at 08:07

There is also the 50 mile relocation rule that may mean they won’t offer any support for relocation if it is less than this distance as the crow flies.

HangTime · 6 Mar 2020 at 17:30

The locations under consideration are all more than 50 miles further away as the crow flies from both my current place of employment and my home. Best case would be a 4hr commute each way if they picked an office next to the train station in the closest town under consideration (unlikely, more likely 5hr and perhaps unable to reach the office by start time), so it would be a case of either I move home or get made redundant. I suspect in most cases the latter would be more appealing.