As a former country dweller, I cannot emphasise the daunting transition between the simple countryside and a massive city. The countryside is a place of minimal traffic and large backyards. The city is a place of possibilities, motorways and skyscrapers. When I left the countryside for the big city, I had entered a different world. In this blog, I want to discuss how to support young employees when they are relocating from the country to the city. When you are young, impressionable and completely naive, having an employer looking out for you during a major change makes a significant difference.
To understand where I’m coming from, it’s essential to be aware of the major differences between the country and city lifestyles (and there are a lot). You may already be familiar these qualities, but this will provide relevant context.
From the list I have outlined above, you can see the differences between the two locations. As you can imagine, going from the quiet countryside to the bustling streets of suburbia would be quite a culture shock.
When Myrecruitment+ employed me, I lived in a country town with endless space and easy traffic conditions. It used to take me five minutes to get to work and seven minutes to get to the supermarket. However, there was no possible career growth for an aspiring writer. My options at my age are working in pubs, cafes, fast food or retail. I was desperate to move to an area where I could write to my heart’s content (and get paid for it).
Leaving my hometown and family behind was a difficult pill to swallow, but for my future I knew this was the right step to take. This applies too many young people in similar positions. The businesses that are relocating these people need to show they are worth this major commitment.
Leading by example is a great way to smoothen the transition for a young employee to the city. If company leaders are calm, reliable and confident about the logistics of the big move, this will reflect onto the employee.
Myrecruitment+ implemented a few strategies and gestures that made moving much more manageable. They conducted the interview process via Zoom; therefore, I did not commute seven hours to get to the office. Provide the opportunity for Zoom or other methods of virtual communication with a manager or the team for constant support and assistance.
The recruiting and onboarding process was conducted online when I was given the job opportunity. Because of this, I was given the luxury of moving to get a new rental and hire a moving truck. I was given days off to organise affairs for my move and the liberty to work flexible hours until I officially relocated.
Information such as directions, public transportation, local attractions, potential places to move, etc., can assist the employee in feeling more familiar with the new environment. If you are dealing with a young person, perhaps offer a tour of the business’ location.
When I got offered the content creator position, I couldn’t believe my luck. The possibility of moving to the big city was exhilarating but terrifying. Leaving family behind and hauling your belongings to another town is one thing, but becoming used to the (vast) area, starting at a new job, and unpacking is exhausting and extensive.
I was able to work remotely straight away which financially supported during my move. I could complete my everyday tasks no matter my location for a month. This prevented unnecessary stress as I could work remotely until the move fell into place. This alleviated so much stress as I could afford rental deposits, bonds and a moving truck. Moving expenses are a common benefit offered to relocate employees, and for young and broke candidates, this would be a tempting offer.
As I’ve reiterated a many times (and I’m sure you can relate to), moving towns at a young age is highly overwhelming.
A young person moving away from everything they know is incredibly tough. But it does provide endless opportunities that should grasped whenever possible. Being aware of this when requesting a young employee to move will show a level of appreciation for the sacrifice that this person is undertaking. It will make them feel valued and understood which will increase the likelihood of them succeeding within their new environment.