Plus Relocation

How can I keep my employees safe while on an international assignment?

The safety of your relocating employees should be front of mind, especially during a global pandemic. Global Mobility Counselor Kristin Huot offers some best practices.

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Complete transcript: “Hi, I’m Kristin, and welcome to a remote edition of Relo Tip Tuesday. I’m coming to you from my home office in Minneapolis as we do our best to practice good social distancing here at Plus. My question is, ‘How can I keep my employees safe while on an international assignment?’

This is of course a relevant topic during a global pandemic, but employee safety should always be top of mind. There are many different resources you can leverage when determining the risk and safety for your travelers, such as destination companies who are on-the-ground local experts, governmental websites, travel websites, or insurance or emergency evacuation partners. In case your company does not have procedures in place for emergency situations such as medical emergencies, natural disasters, terrorist attacks or civil unrest, please talk to a relocation professional for assistance and advice.

Once a candidate is selected for assignment, make sure that they and any accompanying family members are familiar with your company’s emergency procedures and medical benefits. They should also be registered with their embassies and have access to emergency contacts so that they can act quickly if and when necessary. In case of an emergency, it is important to have all of your employees and their accompanying family members accounted for. This not only means having their up-to-date contact information but also keeping track of their travel schedules.

Throughout the course of the assignment, keep in close contact with your employees and provide the necessary support. Make sure they have the equipment needed to work remotely in case a local government issues any sort of stay-at-home orders. And if your employees are forced to repatriate early or extend their assignment due to a crisis, it is recommended to cover any related expenses to provide greater peace of mind.

Stay safe, and thanks for watching.”