Smooth Moves

Mark Marron knows a thing or two about being relocated. After all, he's moved twice in his tenure with Computer Associates. The first time was from a New Jersey office to the business-software manufacturer's headquarters in Islandia, New York—not exactly a cross-country transfer. In April 1997 the change was a bit more drastic: Marron, now a senior vice president of European partner programs, was sent to Slough, England, a town about 30 minutes outside of London.

Marron, who actually moved before his wife and three young children, was kept busy with his new responsibilities. "It was easy for me to jump into it and put in all sorts of hours," he says. But when his family arrived, he says, "my wife didn't know anyone." And because the family moved during the summer, there was no opportunity for his children to meet new friends at school. So he estimates it took about four to six months before they really felt comfortable—and social—in their new environment.

For employees on the verge of relocating, preparing for a new job is just one of myriad concerns. There might be elderly parents to worry about, a spouse who needs to find work in the new city, children to find schools for, or a house to sell. And while those concerns aren't universal, everyone needs new social and business contacts.

So how do you prepare to uproot your life and start a new one? "The biggest thing is preplanning," says Joe Benevides, senior vice president of sales and marketing for Relocation Resources International (RRI). "Make sure it's a move you want to make—take a 'look-see' trip that involves the family."

That preplanning also means finding out what your company can do to help make the move easier for you and your family. Some organizations use the services of companies like RRI in Norwell, Massachusetts, and the Employee Relocation Council (ERC), a Washington, D.C.—based association that provides information on relocation policies and practices to its corporate members.

"Many companies have a formal policy to deal with spousal employment assistance," says Anita Brienza, a spokesperson for ERC. Ask if your company does—and even if it doesn't, it may be willing to offer assistance anyway.

Familial and spousal issues are now the top two reasons for a reluctance to move, Brienza says. "A few years ago the top reason was financial. [But now] there's more of an emphasis on quality of life; balancing work and family." Companies, in turn, are adjusting to that trend.

It's also crucial to have realistic expectations—don't overestimate the value of your current home, or the type of residence you'll be able to afford in the new location. Here, too, your company should be able to offer assistance. Benevides says some companies ultimately make arrangements to buy an employee's old residence after a certain period of time on the market, to help "get you there without worrying about what's left behind."

It's certainly in a company's best interest to help its relocating employees: Benevides estimates that it can cost an employer as much as $50,000 to transfer an employee. And as ERC's Brienza points out, "if [something is] an obstacle to your moving, it's probably going to be an obstacle to your productivity."

For Marron, Computer Associates played a large role in easing his family's transition to England. Houses and schools were already set up for them to look at, and the company recommended they hire a nanny—something they had never considered in the United States—and helped them find one. Computer Associates executives told Marron it would help with issues like driving and general knowledge of London, which could be difficult barriers early on. "They tried to make it easy on both my wife and myself," he says. "That does make a big difference."



Networking



Hello, My Name is…



Whether you're trying to meet new business contacts or make new friends, successful networking means going beyond the basics of introducing yourself and then waiting for someone else to get the conversation started. Cynthia D'Amour, president of People Power Unlimited (a company that develops workshops and seminars designed to help people perfect the art of networking), and author of Networking: The Skill the Schools Forgot to Teach, offers three tips on building beneficial relationships with people:

Set Goals Head to an event with a minimal number of people in mind to meet. "Eighty to ninety percent of people are uncomfortable approaching people they don't know," D'Amour says. "Do it anyway."

Ask the Right Questions "Be prepared to add to the conversation," D'Amour says. Read the day's headlines and ask someone their opinion of current events. Ask someone what they like to do when they're not at work—you may luck out and find a golfing buddy and a business contact. If you're new to the area, ask where the fun places in town are, and leave with the intention of checking out at least one of the recommendations.

Build Trust Pursue the relationship before the business. People aren't going to want to refer business to someone they hardly know, so don't go to a social event and put on a sales presentation, or treat a stranger like a trusted confidante and spill your life story.