3 Signs Your Relocation Policy Needs an Update

And no, “because we’ve always done it this way” isn’t a valid excuse.

If your relocation policy feels a little dusty (or worse, like it still thinks interest rates are below 3%) you might be due for a refresh. We sat down with Laura Heinlein, Senior Director of Client Relations at NuCompass, to dig into the biggest red flags that signal it’s time to show that policy some tough love.

Let’s dive in.

1. Your policy hasn’t changed in years… like, years years.

Maybe it’s laminated. Maybe it’s framed. Maybe it’s so untouched it still references fax machines. Either way, if your policy hasn’t evolved alongside the market, we’ve got a problem.

Q: Laura, how often should companies be updating their relocation policies?

“The age of a policy isn’t as important as whether it’s meeting the business's needs. But there should be an annual discussion during program reviews to assess if goals are being met.”

She breaks it down further:
“Are you paying for benefits that don’t serve a purpose anymore— just throwing money into the void? Or worse, are you excluding benefits that could reduce a transferee’s financial burden, especially homeowners?
“For instance, some companies are still offering home sale bonuses in a red-hot seller’s market. That’s like paying someone to sell water in a desert— it doesn’t make sense. On the flip side, mortgage rate buy-downs were often ignored when rates were low, but now that rates have shot up, this kind of support is actually needed again. It’s time to reassess what’s in and what’s out.”

2. Exceptions are the rule, not the exception.

If your policy needs a band-aid for every move, it’s not a policy— it’s a choose-your-own-adventure gone wrong.

Q: What’s an acceptable number of policy exceptions?

“That depends on the client’s culture. If the company is super employee-pleasing, you’ll see more exceptions. But when exceptions start to pile up under the same policy component, like household goods, it’s usually a sign the policy needs rework.”

Laura shared this war story:
“One client believed their employees were exception-driven and told us to run all exceptions past them. Problem was, they didn’t set dollar thresholds. So, we were stuck running every minor cost through a long approval chain, even if it saved money. Eventually, I proposed allowing NuCompass to auto-approve exceptions under $2K if they were cost-neutral, cost-saving, or low-cost. A year later? Exception costs were down, policy-aligned decisions were up, and everyone could breathe again.”
Moral of the story: if your policy has turned into a suggestion box, it’s time to tighten it up.

3. People aren’t saying yes to your relo offers. Oof.

Sure, maybe it’s the market. Maybe it’s the economy. Or maybe… your policy just isn’t competitive.

Q: Can a relocation policy really impact offer acceptance rates?

“It’s not always the policy, but it can be. This gets tricky because RMCs like us don’t see declined moves. But if you partner with your Mobility Lead, HRBPs, and TA teams, you can spot the trends.”

Laura noticed this red flag in one program:
“We saw fewer full-policy authorizations and a sharp rise in lump sums. On the surface, that’s fine (lump sums offer cost control and budget ease). But when some lump sums started to exceed the average cost of a full relocation, that raised serious questions. The client is now working to educate HR teams on the value of full-policy moves from both a cost and employee experience standpoint.”
Spoiler: cheaper ≠ better if it leads to regret, confusion, or a declined offer.

So, how’s your policy doing?

If reading this gave you heartburn or a flashback to your last messy exception request, it might be time for a policy checkup. And hey, that’s what we’re here for.

Let’s talk about getting your policy future-proof, exception-proof, and oh yeah— effective!

About NuCompass

NuCompass Mobility is a veteran-owned, independent mobility management company, offering a comprehensive range of global mobility and U.S. domestic relocation services. For more information about how NuCompass and our CoPilot® or CoPilot Express™ platforms can support your global mobility needs, visit www.nucompass.com/solutions/technology today!