Love on the Move: Can a Relationship Survive the Stress of Relocation?
Moving can be stressful; in fact, relocation is considered one of the three most stressful things in life behind the death of a loved one and a divorce. But just how stressful is it for couples navigating a relocation for one partner’s career?
The Society for Personality and Social Psychology recently followed 206 couples for two months before their move, through the first year after. They asked how stressful or rewarding different areas of life felt, like work, social networks, living arrangements, and logistics like finances and paperwork.
While they found that whether male, female, transferee or partner, all felt a similar level of stress. The good news is that, while the stress usually fades, rewards often increase. Things like career challenges, housing, and logistics, became LESS stressful while others, like finances, became MORE rewarding over the first year of relocation.
“Relocation isn’t just about packing boxes—it’s a major life transition that can put both partners to the test,” noted the researchers. “Our study shows that stress often eases over time, and rewards can grow, but the journey isn’t the same for everyone. Where you move, when you move, your resources and the strength of your relationship all play a role.”
How can you help keep love in the air before, during and after employee relocations? Here are some sure-fire strategies your employees and their partners will love.
Use Technology to Ease the Transition
There’s no question that technology, and particularly technology driven by AI, has the power to significantly reduce the stress of relocation. Yet, as many as two-thirds of HR leaders say their mobility functions lack tools and technology to adequately support their transferees. If your company is one of those, what kinds of tools can help?
Most importantly is an AI-powered portal that the transferee and their partner can access around the clock. A central repository housing all the relevant details of their move. A place where they can get answers just a click away.
How much can we spend on household goods shipping? Can my partner enroll in language training? How do we evaluate neighborhoods and housing options? Not only does a shopping cart-type portal like CapRelo’s CompanionFlex puts answers to questions like these at their fingertips. It also enables relocating couples to schedule 1:1 calls with their relocation consultant directly through the technology.
Prioritize Settling-In Support
The stress of a move doesn’t end with the pre-move decisions, or the day the boxes are unpacked after the move itself. On the contrary, an Expat Insider study found that four in ten international transferees say they dealt with high stress for months following their move abroad.
Remember that the resources taken for granted back home now must be replicated in an unfamiliar setting. Things as seemingly easy as scheduling a cleaning service or hiring a handyman to hang ceiling fans. You might be surprised to know that our clients’ most frequently used non-traditional benefit in recent years, in fact, has been assistance in setting up utilities in the new location. And, more than half (56%) of international transferees in a recent Cigna study said that cultural adaptation was the biggest challenge of their relocation.
Make sure that your relocation benefits package prioritizes flexible, easily accessible services to meet whatever your employee and their relocating partner need most to settle in quickly.
Be an Over-Communicator
Commit to regular post-move check ins with both the employee and the spouse. How is the transferee adjusting to the new role and environment? Has he or she met friend groups or joined clubs? Has the partner found activities and groups to fuel their interests? Do you both feel good that you are building new community? We encourage our CapRelo clients to follow a 30-60-90 feedback strategy. Checking in at month one, two and three post-relocation helps drill down to any issues the transferee or partner may be having at each juncture. Initially, for instance, they might share challenges in finding housing or need help getting the home unpacked and organized. Later, the focus may be on challenges in getting acclimated and connected. A seasoned relocation management counselor can help uncover potential lingering stressors, and focus on solutions.
Seek a Trusted Relocation Partner
The transferee is counting on you to deliver relocation services and suppliers they can trust. For a busy HR team managing global moves across multiple destinations, the sheer volume of vendors, partners and suppliers involved can be daunting. That’s where a trusted relationship with a seasoned relocation management consultant truly makes a difference.
At CapRelo, we vet every supplier and use only reputable, proven partners. Our team’s combined 150 years of domestic and international relocation experience coupled with our trusted industry partners give your transferees the peace of mind they can trust.
With the right resources and relationships, your employees and their partners will not just survive – but thrive – through the stress of relocation. Contact us to learn how we can help.
