Often we feel that we don’t really have a choice when it comes to corporate relocation. Even when it’s presented as an opportunity rather than an order from on high, an international move is the sort of opportunity which you simply cannot pass on lightly.
Still, as anyone who has made such a move for business will tell you, relocating your work and life can be a tremendous test of character. Often coping with what you’ll miss out on in your new position is as hard as adapting to the new features of your environment. To help prepare yourself, here are the 5 things most relocated employees miss in their new positions.
The Networks
Obviously missing your familiar friends and contacts (in many cases even family) is a huge source of heartache for anyone moving between states or countries. But even in business the connections you make over time and then subsequently lose upon moving are hugely important. It’s an often hard and unexpected blow to no longer have that trusted vendor to call, the friend in a neighbouring department who can give you project updates, or that long rapport with your receptionist which affords you a nice chat to start each day.
The Etiquette
Something else difficult and sometimes embarrassing to adapt to is differences in formalities and etiquette across cultures; if you find yourself suddenly unsure of how to handle yourself in a professional environment or unable to express your discomfort with the local practices.
The Brands
You might think it sounds petty, but especially when you strike out and make a big move alone, having familiar brands of product and service ripped away from you can pile on a surprising amount of homesickness and hurt. Sure, globalisation means there will always be a McDonalds, but if you have to spend time, money and effort finding a good new grocery store, restaurants, bars, beer, milk and so on it can put you under a lot of stress.
The Neighbourhood
We all tend to take for granted the ability to go out and about in public whenever we please, but when you’re starting out as a stranger in a strange city you lose a lot of that freedom (if only because you don’t know where to go). It’s a big thing to give up when you’re already leaving behind so much. Hiring a professional relocation specialist such as Allied Pickfords will at least save you the trouble of having to get your belongings through the streets – seriously consider the investment if you’re worried about trying to cope with new-city stress. A good moving company will also provide you with details of how to navigate your new environment.
The Workflow
While relocation far away almost always comes with a time limit and a definite goal, it can start to hurt employee motivation when they get pulled suddenly out of their work environment and existing career path to go put out fires somewhere else. If it happens to you, however, just stay calm, constructive, and focus on how much good this will do for your career if you can push through it.
