Culture Shock to Culture Fit: Building Support Systems for Relocating Employees
An organization has a great responsibility in overseeing a global employee mobility program. Read on to discover how you can build a framework that lets everyone succeed.
Imagine this. You’ve just earned a dream promotion, which opens the doors for new career opportunities on the other side of the world. You’re excited. You’re scared. But, you’re not alone. You and your family are about to pack up all of your belongings, say goodbye to all your friends and family, and embark on a memory-making journey that could change the course of your life as you know it. No big deal, right?
There are many thoughts running through an employee’s mind as they get the news about an international relocation. There is a chance that they will make the move, learn the new country and culture, and have an amazing experience that they’ll tell their grandkids about years down the road. But, there is also a chance that fear, uncertainty, and stress could prevail and cause the opportunity to crumble.
As the employer, the catalyst in this story, it’s up to you to create a framework for employee success. A framework that reaches beyond the workplace and into the personhood of your employee and their family. While a degree of culture shock can be beneficial, when it turns negative, it can ultimately cost your organization.
This post outlines best practices when thinking about global employee mobility. From building a strong, but flexible, relocation policy, to leading with empathy and compassion, you can establish a supportive infrastructure before an employee relocates that sets everyone up for a successful relocation and acclimation.
Start with the employee experience.
The most effective global mobility strategies begin with a simple but often overlooked question: what does this feel like for the employee? International relocation is not just a logistical shift—it is a deeply human one that affects emotional health, social belonging, identity, and family stability. A truly holistic employee experience considers what happens inside and outside the workplace, recognizing that stress at home inevitably shows up at work. When organizations take a whole-person view of mobility, they lay the groundwork for stronger engagement, better performance, and more resilient assignments.
Research consistently reinforces the importance of family and social connection during relocation. According to a Workplace Wellbeing article from 2025, employees who relocate with family members report significantly better mental health than those who move alone or live apart. But, on the flip side, ECA International reported that a family’s inability to adapt to life abroad is the second-most common reason international assignments fail. These findings point to the double-edged sword of a successful global relocation: the success of a global move depends just as much on the partner’s career transition, the child’s school experience, and the family’s ability to build community as it does on the employee’s job performance.
That’s why organizations that build support structures for the entire family—not just the individual employee—see stronger outcomes. The Harmony Relocation Network found that when companies actively support partners and children alongside employees, families are more likely to settle in, thrive, and remain committed to the assignment. Connecting employees with organizations like Expat Valley is one powerful way to reinforce support. Another way to do that is through peer-based programs. Many organizations, including the NYC Mayor’s Office and Canada Life, have demonstrated how these peer networks create belonging, reduce isolation, and accelerate adjustment by connecting newcomers with others who have already navigated the same transition.
Protect the employee through policy and communications.
Even the most empathetic intentions fall flat without policies that actually support employees through the realities of cross-border moves. International relocations introduce a unique set of challenges—visa uncertainty, healthcare access, housing markets, schooling systems, and cultural adaptation, all of which add layers of complexity and stress. That’s why relocation packages and policies need to be either flexible enough to adapt to individual circumstances or designed specifically for international assignments. A one-size-fits-all approach can leave employees exposed at precisely the moment they need stability most.
Just as important is how those policies are communicated. Every interaction—from the first relocation conversation to ongoing check-ins—should reflect an employee-centered mindset grounded in empathy, clarity, and support. When expectations are transparent and resources are easy to find, employees feel safer and more confident navigating unfamiliar territory.
Strategic communications also play a critical role in helping employees make sense of change. PRSA’s article, Culture Shock: The Role of Communications in the Workplace Environment, explains how organizations talk about transitions shapes how people experience them. When leaders frame relocation as a supported journey rather than a solitary leap, employees are more likely to trust the process, stay engaged, and commit fully to the assignment.
It’s good for business.
While the interpersonal case for better relocation support is compelling on its own, the business case is just as strong. As we’ve previously discussed, the cost of a failed international assignment can exceed one million dollars once you account for recruitment, relocation, lost productivity, and replacement costs. But when assignments succeed, they become powerful growth engines—building global leadership, accelerating market expansion, and strengthening organizational culture. A successful international move doesn’t just benefit one employee. It can create momentum that lifts entire teams and regions.
Data backs this up. According to EY’s 2025 Mobility Reimagined Survey, organizations with evolved, employee-centric mobility programs are more than twice as likely to achieve 10% revenue growth. In other words, companies that invest in the wellbeing, stability, and success of their globally mobile workforce outperform those that treat relocation as a transactional process. When employees and their families feel supported, they are more likely to stay, perform, and become long-term ambassadors for the organization.
By aligning relocation strategy with the realities and complexities of international assignments, organizations can turn mobility from a risk factor into a competitive advantage. In today’s talent-driven economy, supporting international employees well isn’t just compassionate—it’s smart, future-focused business.
Just like your employees, you’re not in this alone. Let our employee mobility experts guide you through the process. Learn all the ways Hilldrup can support an upcoming employee relocation by exploring our menu of services here.
