How to develop and scale relocation program for employees: Luxoft case

Sometimes in the corporate world, situations arise where it is necessary to quickly and efficiently assist employees in moving to another city or country without additional stress. Given a large number of triggers in today's world, such situations are not uncommon, and therefore businesses require reliable solutions for relocation.

The question arises: are there universal relocation programs that can be borrowed and implemented in companies around the world? Luxoft Poland asked this question back in 2015, which became the beginning of the "One Team" relocation program. It has gained considerable fame in European countries, Latin America, and the United States.

We interviewed Natalia Gorbenko (Global Head of Talent, Performance & Rewards Management at Luxoft Global) and Natalia Selinger (Managing & HR Director at Luxoft Poland) about the components that make "One Team" understandable and relatable to people from different cultures. We also explored which cases to consider if you want to develop your own relocation support in the company.

The Path to One Team

"Sometimes, the relocation program is the only thing that practically helps you to stay, not give up, and survive in a new environment,"

says Natalia Selinger.

"The world - and especially the corporate world - is becoming more mobile, and rigid constraints are a thing of the past. We needed a solution that would be valid from a business point of view and effective help for employees."

This is how One Team was created in 2015 when Luxoft Poland was just developing.

Nowadays, the company has strong connections in many business areas, such as the automotive industry, where there is no major player on the market that does not cooperate with Luxoft. Therefore, by developing at the intersection of many business cultures and industries, Luxoft considered various relocation ideas that would be close to people and could form a unified standard.

Currently, the following components are defined for One Team:

1. Adaptation Program

2. Family & Community

3. Initiatives & events for employees after relocation

Each of these components is a separate subprogram, which has its coordinators and actively helps with various problems after relocation, both psychological and organizational.

Adaptation Program and One Team Buddy

The relocation program primarily includes a comprehensive assistance package that covers the entire relocation process from start to finish. So, we are talking here about:

• One Team Buddy

• Language learning

• Support for legalization and adaptation

• Mood monitoring

• Relocation pack

• Assistance, meetings, and services for adaptation

• Regular assessment and monitoring of the adaptation process

The company takes care of legal issues so that employees on relocation are legalized, have a full understanding of the country and city chosen for relocation, and feel supported by the employer. A special place in the heart of Luxofters is occupied by the opportunity to get a One Team Buddy, who will help with assimilation in a new location.

A One Team Buddy is a person who is the first point of contact for an employee in a new city and introduces them to the local culture, customs, and traditions. Only a local resident who knows the city and its traditions well and can be a reliable guide to a colleague in the new world can apply for this position.

Assistance to employees' families

But what if the employee is relocating with their family, you might ask? After all, it's an important aspect of well-being. If an employee is stressed about issues in their family and worried about their family's future, they won't be able to focus on their work, and the company will lose money. To help with this, One Team:

• Teaches how to search for a job properly

• Provides benefits and takes care of the well-being

• Invites to family activities

During training sessions, family members of employees are taught how to properly begin the job search process, communicate and establish contacts in a new environment. For example, Luxoft Poland talks about the unwritten rules of interviews in Polish companies, how to fill out a resume, where to post it, etc.

LuxTrips

But that's not all. We also need to take care of the entertainment aspect, right?

"Fun and joy are the key secret ingredients. Relocation should be fun, otherwise, nothing will work,"

says Natalia Gorbenko.

Luxoft Ukraine team had to experience One Team in 2022 after the start of the full-scale war in Ukraine. So, it is important to maintain a balance of cultural leisure with the acquisition of values, the desire to cheer up employees who have moved, and acquaintances and contacts. One Team came up with the idea of LuxTrips. What is it:

• Walks and excursions to introduce people to the city and its attractions.

• Assistance to employees with cultural adaptation in the country and the city.

• Only local guides or employees who live in the city can tell new colleagues about it from the inside.

Thus, joint walks and spending time together contribute to improving the psychological state of employees, calming them down regarding integration issues, and involving them in activities, improving the overall condition so that they can start working quickly in a new place without stress.

Summary. What are the advantages of One Team?

There are several significant advantages to the Luxoft Poland relocation program:

• The company takes responsibility for organizational and legal aspects

• Employees integrate quickly and feel supported by management and colleagues

• Families of employees have legal and corporate support

• Continuous monitoring of the team's well-being is carried out

"If you have to change your country of residence or work, the relocation program is practically what helps you survive in the first period. Therefore, Luxoft Poland's advice is to make relocation interesting, fun, stress-free and not forced so that employees are happy and the team does not lose profit."

- Natalia Selinger (Luxoft Poland).