SIRVA Communications

Upon first learning of a potential international assignment, assignees may envision luxury accommodations, a car and driver, and other amenities they might not have in their home location. The excitement for new opportunities can lead to high expectations for the destination, which can set the stage for disappointment.

Assignees and their families may experience major differences between their home and the new location that they did not anticipate. It is difficult for them to have a complete understanding of these types of factors until they arrive in the new location.

It is important to consider these challenges and their potential impact on the well-being of assignees and their families. Assignee morale must be a top priority in order to avoid the stress-related conditions resulting from a prolonged stay in a remote location.

One of the best ways to reduce the amount of stress on assignees and their families living in hardship locations is to implement a rest and recreation (R&R) benefit in your relocation policy. R&R provides periodic travel for eligible assignees to give them a break from locations with challenging local conditions. R&R can be a powerful strategic tool for both recruiting and retaining assignees in these locations.

The benefits of a properly structured and implemented R&R framework include:

• An increased ability to manage costs
• Managing risk and compliance regarding potential visa implications, particularly when traveling to an R&R destination
• Equitable benefit provision
• A supportive working environment for the assignee
• Increased well-being of assignees and their families
• Increased likelihood of assignment success
• Achievement of company objectives

Despite demands for cost containment, it is an essential best practice for global policies to include R&R as a part of the assignment package and to view R&R as a strategic tool for maintaining employee morale and productivity in hardship locations.

For more information on this topic, please see our full policy report on R&R or contact Lorraine Jennings, Manager, Consulting Services at SIRVA.