Employee Relocation Letter: How to Inform Staff of a Location Change (with Template)

How do you write an office relocation letter to employees? Many HR professionals ask themselves this question when their company decides to move operations. A nicely crafted employee relocation letter is key to managing this transition effectively and maintaining trust and clarity for everyone.

This letter ensures that employees understand why the relocation is happening, what support they’ll receive, and what’s expected from them. In this article, you’ll learn how companies relocate, tips on crafting your employee job relocation communications, and our downloadable letter template to get you started.

An employee relocation letter is a formal document used to notify employees about a company’s decision to move part or all of its operations to a new location. It includes details such as the destination, timeline, and support packages available to the affected staff.

This employee move notification can apply to various relocation scenarios, from shifting an office within the same city to expanding internationally. It helps align teams, minimize disruption, and provide clarity during a potentially complex and emotional transition.

We have created a sample relocation notice to help you get started. Click below to download our employee relocation letter template to help ensure everyone’s in the loop and ready for what’s coming next.

Companies may choose to relocate for several strategic or operational reasons. These include business expansion, cost cutting, new market access, or changing production needs. Each relocation decision reflects the organization’s evolving goals and circumstances.

Here are four practical examples of real-world relocation scenarios across industries:

• Manufacturing expansion: A mid-sized electronics manufacturer based in New Jersey relocates its production facility to Austin to access a larger industrial space and meet growing demand for smart home devices.
• Cost reduction: A national apparel brand headquartered in San Francisco moves its back-office operations to Salt Lake City due to significantly lower rent and labor costs.
• Market proximity: A medical supply distributor relocates its warehouse from Chicago to Atlanta to be closer to major hospital networks in the southeastern US, improving shipping times and customer service.
• Operational realignment: A software development company based in Denver shifts its support team to Seattle to take advantage of the local tech talent pool and a more favorable tax environment.

If you need help managing an upcoming office relocation, you might want to use an office relocation checklist to ensure you cover all your bases. You can click below to download our Careerminds checklist, which covers everything from coordinating with vendors to setting up utilities and packing supplies.

When a company decides to relocate a facility, the HR team becomes responsible for either relocating or laying off employees—or a mixture of both. This will depend on the answers to these questions:

• Will we try to relocate any of these employees to the new location?
• If so, what will be our budget for that?
• What allowances will be given to the relocating employees?
• What severance pay and benefits will be given to employees who don’t relocate?

If you can afford to relocate employees, it might be in your best interest to do so. It might be expensive, but studies show that recruiting new employees is more costly. By relocating your current employees, you’ll retain individuals with valuable knowledge of your organization while fostering their loyalty to your company.

It’s also common to lay off certain employees in a relocation. During office moves, companies usually choose to lay off individuals who are unwilling to relocate or whose skills won’t be as useful at the new facility. Whatever the case, HR should prepare for empathetic, professional layoff meetings to deliver the news clearly and carefully.

We won’t cover the layoff scenario in depth here, but you can click below to download our layoff script with tips on how to deliver the news, what critical info to cover, and how to escort the employee out to ensure that you handle the process with the utmost care. 

Employee move notifications should be delivered first in person and by email from the employee’s direct manager to maintain clarity and compassion. A printed copy of the relocation notice should be provided during the meeting so that the employee can review the information and next steps.

This approach ensures that employees receive the news in a respectful, personalized way and have something tangible to reference later. It’s important to note that staff relocation letter templates aren’t meant to replace this conversation, but rather support it and reinforce key details.

When writing your staff relocation letter, make sure it’s clear and well-structured to reduce confusion and help employees prepare for the transition well in advance. 

Now, we’ll examine each element you should include in your job relocation communication to ensure a smooth office move for everyone. Don’t forget to download our staff relocation letter template below first to help you follow along.

In most cases, when a facility closes and employees are asked to relocate, it’s permanently. An exception could be if you need employees with different skill sets for a specific time frame before the move or at the new location.

For example, if a basketball manufacturer based in Florida relocates to Pittsburgh to make hockey pucks, they might execute the relocation over a three-year phase-out period. This way, they can keep some workers in Florida to continue assembling basketballs for three more years while everyone else moves to Pittsburgh, preparing the company for the new business and sourcing local talent.

What payments are you offering your employees to relocate? This could include a bonus incentive, moving reimbursements, etc. Your company might have a policy about how much you can offer employees based on their level within the organization.

Clearly state the relocation payments and reimbursements offered to the employee. For example, you could offer a $10,000 relocation bonus and up to $5,000 in reimbursement for moving expenses.

What happens if an employee only has to move a few miles? Or what if an employee leaves the company shortly after the relocation? How will this impact their relocation payments? 

Make sure that your employees understand what is required of them to receive the payments associated with relocating. This could require that they stay with the company for a certain period of time or meet specific performance goals post-move.

Since bonuses are often taxed differently, and moving locations could affect how people are taxed in different states or counties, make sure to let your employees know that you will be providing them with the proper tax documentation for filing in the following year.

If your employees need to relocate on short notice, they might need assistance with a temporary living situation. Many organizations have corporate housing for those situations, so let employees know if that is available. 

If that option isn’t available, you can address this issue by offering financial assistance for their moving expenses or a separate payment specifically for temporary housing.

The agreement section of an employee transfer letter is simple; it formalizes the relocation arrangement. This includes space for both the employer and employee to sign, confirming their understanding and acceptance of the relocation terms, including payments, duration, expectations, and any conditions outlined in the letter.

Whatever the reason for your company’s decision to relocate, your HR team will have to handle the necessary employee relocations and/or layoffs that result from it. So make sure to take advantage of the templates, scripts, and checklists that we’ve provided above. These will help prepare your team to conduct the relocation event efficiently, strategically, and respectfully toward employees.

If you need extra help managing your relocation tasks, Careerminds is here to help. Feel free to explore the rest of our available resources, including our industry-leading outplacement services if a layoff is necessary. Click below to talk to our experts, who are ready to guide you through the process and benefits of outplacement with our outstanding engagement, placement, and satisfaction rates.