Mobility Services International (MSI), which provides customised workforce mobility solutions for corporations worldwide, has introduced two new technology tools for clients. The tools, developed by MSI and integrated within its proprietary, secure Web-based portal, GlobePointe Client, are designed to provide clients and the company’s client service team members with greater access to information and data analysis.

The MSI CostEstimator is customised to reflect clients’ individual tier benefits and provide users with a real-time estimate of domestic relocation costs, in accordance with criteria supplied and policy authorisations. MSI also released its second-generation ad hoc report-writing tool, which gives clients and MSI users the ability to generate customised reporting from thousands of data fields from within MSI’s GlobePointe information management system.

Both tools are accessible 24/7/365 to authorised client stakeholders and the MSI client service team.

For more information, visit www.msimobility.com

We are delighted to confirm sponsors for the 2010/11 Awards include Fully Furnished, Interdean, Roomservice by Cort and SIRVA Relocation.  Full details will appear in the autumn issue of Re:locate magazine. If you are interested in sponsorship opportunities please contact Fiona Murchie.

On the day after the Queen’s Speech announced a raft of new legislation, Fiona Murchie, Re:locate’s managing editor, examines the implications for relocation.

As we sat down for dinner on election night at the Re:locate Awards gala dinner, little did we know how long the Downing Street relocation would take! The world watched as Britain entered a historic coalition government between the Conservatives and the Liberal Democrats, who have now set out the terms for their first Queen’s Speech and subsequent budgets.

Below, we look at some of the areas that will impact on relocation, and we’ll track them in the coming months, as budget cuts deepen.

Immigration impacts a lot of our readers, and you can follow developments in our Immigration section. The Lib Dems have had to sacrifice their proposal for an amnesty on some illegal immigrants, amid fears that this could have led to as many as a million people gaining citizenship. There will be a cap on immigration, but, as yet, numbers are not known – watch this space for controversy ahead!

With so much for companies to take on board already under the points-based managed migration system, more restrictions on bringing in expats and overseas talent will not go down well with companies wanting to push growth and recovery. As Dr John Philpott, chief economic adviser at the CIPD, points out, “Unless the government can somehow guarantee that employers will be able to meet such need from within the UK – which is a big ask, given this country’s longstanding difficulty in boosting skills and employability – the result will be some combination of higher wage costs, higher prices in the shops and slower economic growth. CIPD research has shown that there is an ongoing appetite among employers for migrant labour. The government needs to consider these experiences, and business needs, as part of its consultation.”

Workers from any future new EU members will also be subject to transitional controls. Related civil-liberty legislation will see Labour’s ID card scheme and biometric passports scrapped.

Education is always key to employees with families on the move, and education and school issues never seem to be out of the news. An Education bill is likely to be one of the new government’s first pieces of new legislation, allowing schools to have more freedom in setting their own curriculum. Parents and voluntary groups could also have the opportunity to set up new schools.

Education secretary, Michael Gove, announcing his vision for schools said, "it's the beginning of an education revolution that has the ability to transform the lives of children."

Schools are given more control over the pay and conditions of staff and over what they teach when they become academies. Keep in touch with what these developments mean for relocation via the education section of our website and comments from Fiona Leney, our education correspondent.

Education cuts of £670m have been announced. Schools, Sure Start and 16–19 education are protected, but local-authority grants will be reduced by £311m.

Meanwhile, higher education looks set for a tough time, with the possibility that universities will be allowed to raise fees under Lord Brown’s review. This would put the Lib Dems in a tricky position, as many of them wanted to abandon tuition fees altogether. Under budget cuts, 10,000 university places are to be cancelled.

Environmental policy impacts on air travel, with the cost of flying set to rise as the change from air passenger duty switches to tax per aircraft. The cancellation of the third runway at Heathrow and additional runways at Gatwick and Stansted will be a relief to those buying and renting in the neighbouring areas, but a continued headache to business travellers wanting more convenient flights. But, after the volcanic ash crisis, perhaps this is something travellers can learn to live with! See the Summer issue of Re:locate for lessons learnt from the volcanic ash experience and how to support employees in similar emergency situations.

Infrastructure is vital to business, but impact on domestic travel will follow the cuts to national road building and Network Rail spending that were announced. There is also a proposed £108m cut in the Transport for London grant. Out in the regions, inward investment is under threat, particularly in the south and east, with cuts in the budget for regional development agencies.

The public-sector cuts of 6.2bn could result in 50,000 job losses, according to the CIPD estimate, while other economists take the figure up to 100,000 by taking into account additional job losses via consultants, contractors and government suppliers, as well as local councils and quangos, plus the freeze on civil-service recruitment. The freeze on National Insurance contribution is, however, a measure that should promote jobs in the private sector. We wait to see what VAT rise is round the corner. On a positive note, relocation is often the perfect time to introduce flexible working, an the Queen's Speech endorses this style of working.  "The extension of flexible working to all employees is a natural extension of existing rights, reflecting a cultural change in terms of providing far greater work/life balance and removing much of the stigma that still attaches itself to flexible working", said Stephen Gummer, partner, PricewaterhouseCoopers Legal LLP.

The third annual Re:locate Awards, which honour companies and individuals involved in relocation, were presented at a champagne reception and gala dinner held at the Institute of Directors, in London, yesterday (6 May 2010). HR professionals and suppliers from across the relocation spectrum celebrated success, good practice and innovation in this very diverse field.

Launched in 2007 by Re:locate, the magazine for HR professionals and relocation specialists, this is the only awards scheme in the UK to celebrate achievement in this niche area of expertise.

Even in the current economic climate, business continues to become more global, and relocation and mobility are hot topics for many organisations. Speaking at the gala dinner, Re:locate’s managing editor, Fiona Murchie, said, “The awards are growing year on year, bringing on board more international entries, more inspirational HR teams and policies, and suppliers from new sectors. As the economy struggles out of recession into a fragile recovery, it’s more important than ever to promote, and celebrate, best practice, and to nurture talent.”

Between them, the seven Re:locate Awards recognised individuals, teams, policy and innovation, with a choice of categories for HR and service providers. On the judging panel were distinguished figures from business, academia and the Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development (CIPD).

The shortlist reflected the many different types of organisation and individual involved in relocation, from HR people to specialist support providers of various kinds, including relocation management companies, consultants, removals experts, homesearch specialists, serviced accommodation providers and a furniture rentals company, all of which contribute knowledge and expertise to the relocation process.

Organisations large and small were among the winners. The NATS Reward and Policy Team, which developed a policy for a group move requiring relocations to an area that was perceived as remote, in a difficult financial climate, and with the added challenge of a highly-unionised environment, won the award for Best Relocation Strategy/Policy. The judges praised the team for its ability to overcome significant challenges in terms of financial issues and a difficult housing market, and an entry that presented the business case and the team’s contribution to the organisation very successfully. Summing up, one judge said, “A major relocation exercise that could have gone spectacularly wrong if it had not been underpinned by an effective policy. Clearly, the policy that was developed worked well, as the move was conducted smoothly, with very little turnover. This is impressive given the state of the economy and the location of the move.”

NATS was Highly Commended in the Inspirational HR Team of the Year category, which celebrates a team that can demonstrate outstanding leadership and excellence in relocation and inspires others. This time, it was the organisation’s MACC (Manchester Area Control Centre) team that was recognised. Said the judges, “Combining two operations into one isn’t that unusual for most businesses; in air traffic control, it’s a major undertaking. Closing an ATC centre based in an affluent urban area, which has existed for 35 years and at which many of the highly-paid staff have been working for many of those years, is a difficult task. To move it, and the majority of the 180 staff, to a less-affluent rural area 250 miles away is quite an achievement.” The special prize of a team development day, kindly donated by Judith Leary-Joyce, author of Inspirational Manager and Becoming an Employer of Choice and managing director of Great Companies Consulting, went to NATS for its success in the Inspirational HR Team of the Year and Best Relocation Strategy/Policy categories.

It was not only larger organisations that tasted success. In the Rising Star in Relocation category, for example, two smaller companies were shortlisted. The winner was Leonora Wollner, of Searchwells, a homesearch service based in Essex.

The award for Relocation Service Provider or Team of the Year (Large Company) was won by Robinsons International Removals, while Beswick Relocation Services was named Relocation Service Provider or Team of the Year (Small Company). The coveted Relocation Personality of the Year award went to The Furniture Rental Company’s Iain Crichton, a well-known figure in the relocation world.

The Re:locate Awards 2009/10 were sponsored by Cartus, Connells Relocation Services, Fully Furnished, HCR Group, MoveAssist International, Pricoa Relocation, and Roomservice by CORT. Clark & Rose was a Supporter, and the Relocation Users Group (RUG), the Association of relocation professionals (ARP), EuRA and Focus provided professional endorsements.

To view all photographs of the 2009/10 Re:locate Awards Gala Dinner and order prints, please visit www.photoboxgallery.com/relocateawards2010

To order digital versions, please email This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it , or call 01892 891334 for further details.

 

 

The Summer issue of Re:locate, to be published in June, will feature full details of the winners, with case studies.

 

The winners of the Re:locate Awards 2009/10, which celebrate talent from across the relocation spectrum, received their awards at a special black-tie event held in the elegant surroundings of the Institute of Directors, in London’s Pall Mall, on Thursday 6 May. Click here for a list of our proud winners. Read all about the glittering Gala Awards Dinner here.

STOP PRESS: You can now order photographs of the evening, as prints or digital versions. For details, click here.

As part of its remit to keep the relocation profession connected, Re:locate acted swiftly to help HR and relocation professionals to get their people on the move again during the flight ban imposed as a result of the Icelandic volcano eruption and its aftermath.

We asked professionals from a range of specialisms, plus the relevant professional and industry associations, to share news and tips, which are included on a special section of the new-look www.relocatemagazine.com. Contributions from immigration and visas, people management, education, removals and serviced accommodation experts, as well as news feeds from the UK Border Agency, the Civil Aviation Authority, the Telegraph and the BBC, have been posted.

We have also included a forum for you to use if you need help or advice or want to share news and tips industry wide and across the raft of HR issues.

Please send, by press release, to This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it any information you would like us to broadcast, and use the forum to post or reply to questions yourself. Refer relocating employees via our new Smart Move section.

It is with relief that we see the airlines moving again today, the 150,000 stranded Britons making their way home, and worldwide travellers once again on the move.  

But it will be some time before things are back to normal.

In response to the ongoing travel disruption caused by the Icelandic volcano eruption and resulting travel delays, we have decided to dedicate a special section of the new-look Re:locate website to helping you and your relocating employees. This initiative is aimed at supporting HR, the relocation industry and fellow professionals involved in any aspect of moving employees during this difficult period, when it’s especially important to share news and practical advice from experts in their particular field.

We want to help keep the relocation profession connected during this period, and, therefore, we would like to include your news and bulletins. This could cover anything from travel and visa issues to accommodation, schools and removals issues to the practicalities of people management. Please send us any information you need relaying, or practical information that would be valuable to support colleagues in their work or benefit stranded relocatees and employees.

We have included a valuable forum for you to use if you need help or advice. It can also be used to share news and tips industry wide and across the raft of HR issues. See http://www.relocatemagazine.com/forum

HR and relocation professionals can keep up to date via http://www.relocatemagazine.com/volcanic-ash-cloud

Please send any information by press release to This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it , and use the forum to post or reply to questions yourself.

If you have any suggestions about how this section could be developed further, please email  This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it or call 01892 891334.

Re:locate – more than a magazine!

Our new Re:locate Factsheets series of downloadable PDFs is designed for anyone managing relocation, whether they are experienced or new to the role. Over the course of 2010, the series will build to provide a toolkit of resources giving step-by-step guidance on a range of subjects.

The first two in the series are:

• International Relocation Policy Factsheet.
• Domestic Relocation Policy Factsheet.

Please complete the form below to get your copies.

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Company *
Job Title
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With great pleasure, we can now unveil the shortlist for five of our seven categories. Congratulations to those who have been shortlisted, and a big thank you to everyone who entered. You’ve helped us to make the 2009/10 awards the best yet.

By popular demand, we have extended the entry deadline for the Best Relocation Strategy/Policy and Inspirational HR Team of the Year categories to Wednesday 31 March. Click here for details.

Don’t miss the glittering Gala Awards Dinner on Thursday 6 May, at which all our winners will receive their trophies. Our guest speaker will be award-winning broadcaster, journalist and author Libby Purves. Click here for further information and bookings.

After weeks of suspense, we can at last reveal the shortlist for Best Relocation Strategy/Policy and Inspirational HR Team of the Year. 

The winners of all seven awards will receive their trophies at the glittering Gala Awards Dinner on Thursday 6 May, when our guest speaker will be award-winning broadcaster, journalist and author Libby Purves. Don't miss the chance to support your profession, entertain your clients, network and socialise – all in one evening! Click here for further information and bookings.