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Corporate Relocation Survey 2026

POLICY ADMINISTRATION + ASSISTANCE POLICIES

RELOCATION POLICY

The top three types of formal relocation policies reported were:

  1. Domestic relocations (49%)
  2. Temporary assignments (less than 12 months) (48%)
  3. International relocation assignments (1-3 years) (38%)

Companies reported a year-over-year decrease in almost all types of formal relocation policies, except international relocation assignments and localization. Over half (51%) of companies surveyed said they make exceptions to relocation policies, signaling a shift toward flexibility.

For the first time, companies reported what they believed employees valued the most in a relocation policy. Most believed that employees attached the greatest importance to total financial value (58%), followed by family support services (49%) and flexibility in how to spend relocation funds (47%).

2025 Formal Policies by Company Size

 

Alternative Assignments

Most companies used alternative assignments domestically on a limited basis (34%), followed by domestically frequently (28%), and internationally on a limited basis (28%).

The top two factors that determined if companies used alternative assignments were business need (56%) and cost (52%).

Key Factors Determining if an Alternative Assignment Method Will be Used

 

Reimbursement Practices

The percentage of employee relocations broken down by funding method remained stable in 2025:

  • 47% fully reimbursed

  • 23% partially reimbursed
  • 12% not reimbursed
  • 19% lump sum

 

Lump Sum

The share of companies reporting lump sum as a reimbursement practice declined. Despite this decrease, large companies reported using lump-sum payments at a higher rate (24%) than medium (19%) and small (17%) companies.

Overall, 78% of companies agreed or strongly agreed that employees favored lump sums over other reimbursement types. The most common lump sum range was $10,000-$12,499, unchanged from 2023 and 2024.

81% of companies said they'd be more likely to recommend a household goods (HHG) moving provider if employees relocating with a lump sum had access to corporate HHG pricing.

Reimbursement Practices, 2024 vs. 2025

 

ASSISTANCE POLICIES

Fixed Benefits

There were some changes to fixed benefits year over year. 37% of companies said fixed relocation benefits were policy dependent, compared to 32% in 2024. This was the most popular choice for small, medium, and large companies.

But the biggest change was the number of companies that said fixed benefits were employee level dependent, which decreased from 35% in 2024 to 25% in 2025.

Flexible Benefits

Just over one-third of companies indicated that flexibility-whether for the full relocation benefit (33%) or a portion of it (34%)-is determined by policy rather than employee level.

Nonstandard Incentives

The most common nonstandard incentives offered to encourage to relocate were:

  1. Cost-of-living adjustments (COLA) in salary at a new location (52%)
  2. Relocation/sign-on bonuses (49%)
  3. Extended temporary housing benefits (38%)

In 2025, 52% of companies said these incentives frequently convinced an employee to relocate.