Demystifying the short-distance relocation process: 5 cases from Finland

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to describe different short-distance relocation management approaches applied by organisations in Finland. Corporate short-distance relocation is a significant event in the course of an organisation’s lifetime. While these kinds of relocations happen frequently, they are an infrequent event from the perspective of a single organisation. Therefore, few organisations have experience and knowledge on relocation management, which can result in improvised ways of managing the process. Design/methodology/approach – The paper uses a multiple-case study approach where the relocation management of five organisations is assessed post-relocation. Different aspects of the process, such as process phases and tasks, the organisation involved and employee participation, are scrutinized through 32 interviews with company representatives and documents provided by the organisations. Findings – The study describes five unique relocations that vary based on the level of change from a “routine move” to a “new beginning”. It further identifies four different models of managing the process: “one-man-show”, “orchestra”, “expert taskforce” and “democracy”. Originality/value – While previous studies have focused on either site selection decision-making or design of an already chosen space, the study describes five relocation processes that start from the relocation trigger and end when the organisation has relocated and settled into their new space.