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Remember a few years ago when there was no one to buy a home? Well, today, things are different. Instead of a lack of buyers, there is a lack of supply. At the same time, with fewer people able to buy due to lack of inventory or financing, more people are renting. Consequently, rental rates are skyrocketing around the country making it difficult for first-time buyers to save – or, in our world, corporate transferees to find short-term housing. 
Pursuant to our last post, and as a lead up to our next EBook, today we wanted to talk about the big, not so subtle elephant in the housing market: a lack of supply. According to Zillow, the lack of new supply is squeezing renters and buyers by keeping housing costs high. In fact, U.S. renters can expect to spend 30.1 percent of their income on rent, while home buyers can expect to spend about 15.3 percent of their monthly income on a mortgage payment.
Well, it’s that time of year again. From the hustle and bustle in the office, and the parking lot behind me, I can safely say that the relocation busy season is upon us. And, if the strengthening housing market and increase in relocation activity is any indication, this year will be busier than it has been in several years. How are you managing the season so far?
A month ago, we released an EBook all about Generation X. While we discussed several of the traits and values of this generation, we also covered some of the specific challenges Gen X may have when it comes to relocation. One of the points that stuck out most to me was the fact that Gen X took the brunt of the economic downturn on the chin and, today, they are still working to stand back up. Most of Gen X angst has to do with the housing market so, today, I wanted to share some information about what to do if your Gen X transferee is still underwater on their home.
Last year, we wrote an EBook about Millennials, the traits and trends that make them unique and the impact they are having on the workplace and, consequently, HR. The book was well-received and we were pleased with the discussions that followed, most of which enforced the idea that, in a multi-generational workforce, it’s important to make an effort to understand one another. Strategic HR professionals, especially, should take the time to understand the different segments of their transferee base.
Every year, we move thousands of corporate transferees around the globe. Some are homeowners, some are renters, some are domestic and some are international. We handle group moves, family moves, individual moves, temporary moves and even permanent moves. As you can probably imagine, we have fielded just about every transferee question pertaining to relocation there is…even some real stumpers!
Recently, we published our latest eBook, “Earning a Seat at the Table,” which focuses on moving from administrative HR to strategic HR. The eBook goes over several ideas such as how to build a strong foundation of core competencies, how to acquire intermediate skills to prove your mettle, and striving for greatness. At the end of the content, we leave you with a checklist naming six characteristics of a good HR leader.
Having spent my entire career moving up the HR ladder at Maersk, I believe very strongly in the HR career path and the value that these positions bring to both organizations and individuals. Now, perhaps more than ever, is the time for HR professionals to shine. Fierce competition, tight budgets, shrinking talent pools and disengaged employees are just some of the significant challenges that businesses are facing today – and there is no sign that these problems will let up any time soon. At some point, the C-suite will have to bring HR in at a strategic level. When they do, you need to be there.
Before you roll your eyes at yet another Millennials in the workplace post, give me a chance to explain why this one is different. After spending my entire career (thus far) reading about how my generation is a pain to work with and how HR needs to change company policies to accommodate us, I started wondering if all this drama is necessary. Or, is it really just history repeating itself?
There’s been a lot of talk about Millennials lately. Maybe it’s because we are right in the middle of grad season, but it seems that the conversation about Millennials is everywhere. And it hasn’t been very flattering.
Surely, we’ve all heard the stereotypes. Millennials are coddled. We need constant feedback. We have the attention span of goldfish and the work ethic of a sloth. Every one of us has a shelf full of trophies we received for doing nothing and most of us majored in underwater basket weaving. Some of us still live in our parents’ basements. None of us are capable of functioning in a society of adults.
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