If you are new to working with a relocation company to bring a new hire to Sweden, you may be overwhelmed with all the details and unsure how the partnership will work best to benefit your transfer. We have been helping HR teams relocate new hires for over 20 years. We have lots of tips on how to make the partnership a win-win. Here are our 9 top recommendations for working effectively with a Swedish relocation company.
- Think of all the ways you can provide a great transfer for your new employee and prioritize the ways you can be there for them. When your transfer is happy, things will run more smoothly with your relocation company.
- Plan ahead as best you can. The best option is to have at least 3-6 months to plan so you can save money and avoid start-date delays due to hold ups from the Swedish Migration Agency and other unforeseen challenges. When relocation is rushed, costs increase, the employee may not find the best home and school for their children, and much more stress will be involved. If you have more time at the front end of the relocation, your relocation firm will be able to work most effectively for you. Also remembers families need to plan around the school year and the placement.
- Pass on as much detailed information to your relocation firm as possible. This will allow them to best serve you and your new hire to get immigration forms done accurately, find the right housing, and save costs all along the way.
- Know your budget and make sure it is realistic based on local housing prices, local salaries and moving costs. It is not a great reflection on your company if you aren’t offering a reasonable package.
- Have clarity and basic guidelines in your policy. Clear boundaries about what you will, and will not be offering helps everyone know what to expect. You can save money and usually get more help for your transfer by buying relocation packages vs a la carte services. This will reduce the need to customize staple products and services and give you more time to focus on the soft issues.
- Don’t take risks with Immigration details. If immigration and compliance pieces are not perfect, there may be taxation issues, delays and maybe even evictions involved as well. If your employee has worked in Sweden before, make sure there is an impeccable paper trail.
- Never assume anything. We can’t tell you how many times assumptions have gotten in the way of a great transfer. Make sure you go over every last detail needed with your new hire and relocation team to prevent any delays and work visa rejections.
- Be responsive. Set the scene from the beginning, showing that you are a support your transfer can count on. Answer any questions your relocation company has for you as soon as possible so that your new hire feels you are there for them.
- Take into account where people originate from. For instance, people who have worked in London or the US that have a favorable exchange rates are usually fine to pay a first month’s rent and a deposit. However, individuals from countries where the cost of living is considerably lower may not have the funds to move to a high-cost country. We have seen people really struggle with a move to high-cost Sweden and while it is an investment by the employee to move to a country with a higher quality of life, it may be a dealbreaker if they cannot pay these upfront expenses. A lot of companies therefore offer a relocation allowances to cover ad hoc expenses.
We would like to offer our Professional Inspiration course to your employee as a complimentary gift from us. The goal of this course is to help your new hire feel inspired and clued into the cultural challenges that expats face when moving to Sweden. To learn more you can go here