10 things to get right when relocating your business or staff

1. Give people reasonable notice, state what the business case is for moving someone, and consider offering them financial assistance.

2. If you want to move an employee or you want to have the right to move them, it is advisable to make that an express term in their contract of employment.

3. If moving employees outside the UK to a country they have never been to, it is advisable to provide them with support before arrival.

4. Consider the rest of an employee's family. If the family is unhappy, the employee is unhappy, and ultimately their work will not be up to scratch.

5. Put some structure to the guidance material you provide - make sure it is clear and concise, for both managers and staff.

6. Support surgeries can be invaluable. People will need extra support.

7. Look at where staff live, particularly key staff. And consider whether people need to be in the workplace every day.

8. Don't overlook severance obligations at the early stage - they can often prevent a relocation from being cost effective.

9. Consider how you are going to recruit staff in the new location. Don't just read the headline statistics of what the labour cost is. Dig into the detail with local recruitment consultants.

10. Meet people individually, to discuss the relocation, as early as possible.

Courtesy of Caterer's sister title, Personnel Today