US
March 1, 2022
There is no denying that the last two years have been difficult worldwide, yet the toughest times can show us how caring people go above and beyond to help others. Due to health and safety concerns, a client of Sterling Lexicon chose to move their Middle East operations team out of Lebanon. While it may have been more economical for our client, a multinational in the insurance industry, to move all 15 employees to Dubai, leadership decided to allow employees a choice between Dubai and Paris for individuals to select the right fit for their families.
Sterling Lexicon quickly arranged for Destination and Settling-in Services. Due to the pandemic, virtual tours were substituted for actual visits – and this allowed for wider use of the benefit because employees lost no time for travel. Despite travel restrictions, each family received area orientation, home finding, securing of temporary accommodations and school searches, in addition to help with social security registration upon arrival in either location. Because area orientation was provided virtually, the client’s HR and global mobility teams were able to attend these sessions and learn for themselves about both locations, building an appreciation for the challenges the employees and families may have faced.
Sterling Lexicon is proud to have transitioned the whole team to their new locations, (60% went to Paris and the other 40% to Dubai), maintaining service continuity to our client’s Middle East customers in the process. Moreover, discovering a lower cost option for Destination Services that allowed global mobility to experience the same introduction to the new cities as their relocating employees was a key learning. Our client appreciated our help in the delivery of “something extraordinary” that resulted in retaining valuable talent during an especially difficult time. To us, it’s a great example of our value of caring – and how Sterling Lexicon puts caring into action to deliver a superior employee experience to our relocating customers.
Leah Johnson is Sterling Lexicon’s Director, Client Solutions, and has worked in the global mobility industry for more than 20 years. She has held management positions in business development, operations, account management, and consulting, and had the opportunity to live and work in Tokyo and Hong Kong for six years. She initiated destination services in Hong Kong for a relocation management company and directed global mobility for Goldman Sachs in the APAC region. She graduated from Colgate University, earned an MBA from the University of Alabama in Huntsville, and maintains a Senior Certified Professional (SCP) certification from SHRM.
