5 Real-Life Tips for Employee Relocation to Lithuania
A relocation for an employee can be both - great professional opportunity and life adventure, especially when it is international assignment to Lithuania. However, ensuring a smooth process requires a great relocation management support.
These five tips will help your expat to have sufficient support during the move and will assist them to settle in their new home.
1. First step is to arrange a pre-assignment visit
Pre-assignment visit is an important step to ensure that employee gets all relevant information on relocation matters and level of relocation stress is reduced to the minimum. We strongly recommend to arrange one meeting in person, otherwise it is possible to deliver it on phone or video call. Arranging travel to employee’s future home may be helpful for easier adaption. Your expat will have questions about immigration documents, cost of living, travel arrangements, household goods shipping and other relocation details. Pre-assignment visit may save time and money while travel home may be avoided due to good preparation for the assignment.
2. Help your employee providing all necessary support
Employees who experienced bad relocation management describes it like managing two jobs at the same time. If his assignment process is not smooth and expat needs to think constantly about his relocation matters as well as his new assignment that is a major reason dissapointment. It is counted that employees spend between 100–200 hours of productive work time organising a relocation and it is up to one month of wasted time. Sometimes if it is not possible to have experienced dedicated help inside the company, you can consider to look for one outside.
3. Support in renting a home in Lithuania
Every case of relocation is unique because it depends on expat’s marital situation and needs. You should always take into consideration what is best to you: look for a home yourself, to pay the agency or delegate this task to experienced relocation managers who will explore expat’s needs, arrange meetings with landlords and will be able to review the contract to avoid conflict situations on leaving the home and returning deposit. In practice, landlords in Lithuania ask for first and last month rent, and to let them know at least 30 days before you plan of moving out, so they can return you the deposit.
4. Support employee’s family members on relocation matters
Research shows that one of the major reasons of international assignment failure is family members being unable to settle in their new country environment.
Partners who are unable to find a job and build their own social life become isolated and unhappy. Moreover, if there are children involved - responsibility is even higher. We recommend to prepare to support family on relocation providing spouse with a job consultations, social life activities recommendations, as well as children with the right school.
5. Provide language and culture training
Language training and cultural awareness is critical in ensuring your employees' transition to Lithuania as smooth as possible. The development of language and communication skills may be very helpful in expat’s every day life in Lithuania. In addition, it may positively impact employees’ relocation experience. Most of the expats indicate that being fluent in Lithuanian language is the most valuable skill their employers could provide.
Relocation process shall be handled with care and respect, to bring the most value to company and employee.
If you need to consult with relocation professionals contact us:
Ph.: +37070040040 e-mail: info@relokon.lt
