Asked to Relocate?  Questions You Should Ask Your Employer

Have you recently been asked by your employer to relocate?  If you have, you are facing a decision that more individuals are finding themselves faced with each year.  With many companies finding it difficult to financially survive in high cost living areas, many are choosing to relocate to areas where it is cheaper to operate a business.  If you find yourself being asked to relocate, there are a number of important questions that you should ask your employer before officially making your decision.

One of the many questions that you will want to ask your employer, if you have been asked to relocate, concerns the pay.  As previously stated, many companies are choosing to relocate to areas where it is cheaper to operate a business.  This often involves lower pay for employees.  That is why it is important that you determine what your pay will be. As a current employee, you shouldn’t be asked to take a reduction in pay, but there are no guarantees.  

Another question that you will want to ask your current employer, if you are asked to relocate, involves your current position.  Are you working in management or do you hold another high position?  If you do, it is important that you determine if your position will stay the same or increase.  Relocating at the urging of your employer shouldn’t mean that you receive a reduction in status or a reduction in salary, but, as previously stated, there are no guarantees.  That is why it is important that you make sure you find out as much as you can about your new position before you officially decide to uproot your life or the life of your family.

In addition to asking about keeping your current position, should you decide to relocate for your job, you will also want to inquire about your expected duties. As previously stated, many companies use relocation as a way to save money.  This may also involve eliminating positions and having the remaining employees carry a larger workload.  If you would be expected to perform more duties, you may want to negotiate yourself a higher salary, but the decision is yours to make.  As a reminder, these are all questions that you should ask before you make the decision to relocate for your job or not.

Another one of the many questions that you will want to ask your employer, should you be asked to relocate for your job, concerns relocation expenses.  If you are not given a relocation option, you may want to find out if your employer will cover the cost of relocating for you or your family.  This financial assistance may not be great, but it may be enough to help cover your travel expenses or the costs of hiring a moving company.  Most employers will notify you upfront if they plan on assisting you with the cost of relocating, but, if not, it wouldn’t hurt to ask.

In addition to asking your employer the above mentioned questions, you may also want to take the time to learn as much about your relocation destination as possible.  You will want to focus on points such as the current real estate market and crime.  If you have children, you will want to examine the local school districts.  If you have a spouse, you may want to examine the current job outlook, to see if they would be able to find employment in the area, and so forth.
