Facing Relocation Pressure at Work: Is Standing Your Ground the Right Move?

I am working for an Indian insurance company. Recently, they transferred me to a new location which is some 900 km away from my home and present work location. I told them that I am the father of a month-old baby and also that the health of my mom is not good, so I won't go due to these family problems. They are asking me to leave. I said that I won't leave and nor am I in a position to relocate. I told the management that if the company wants, it can give me notice and terminate me.

My Question

Is this a safe approach?

Every organization has its own transfer policy. I think in your appointment, the said clause regarding transfer might be there. Generally, management, which has multiple business centers, will transfer their employees from one place to another depending upon work exigencies. So, management has the right to do this. At the same time, the reasons for such transfers should be genuine and free from any act of victimization by the employer. In your case, whether the management's action in transferring you to a new place 900 KM away from your present location is genuine or not, we do not know.

Generally, in any company, lower cadre employees such as clerks, peons, watch and ward, and security guards will not be transferred from one place to another. Only higher cadre employees such as branch in charge, key accounts persons, or HR employees will be considered for transfer for various reasons. In your case, you have to consider these factors. How are your relations with management these days? Do you have a cordial relationship with your boss or supervisors? What about your job performance? Are you actively involved in union activities?

Even if you are unaware of the exact reason for your transfer, you should meet with your HR Department or your immediate boss and seek their help or advice in withdrawing the transfer order issued by management. Convince them by explaining the problems you are currently facing. If they consider your request favorably, that's good. Otherwise, the management's decision will be final, and if they transfer you for genuine work exigencies, you have no other option but to report for duty at the new location or consider quitting if it is difficult for you to relocate. In such a situation, you may request the management to extend the joining duty time at the new location while you search for another job in your current area and resign thereafter if you choose to do so.

However, you cannot challenge the management's decision if they transfer you for genuine reasons. Refusing to accept the transfer order may lead to departmental action based on insubordination, as per the provisions of the standing orders or service rules of the company, and they may terminate your services eventually.

Regards

Thank you. I answered almost all my questions, and I will proceed as per your suggestion. One more thing: my performance is not bad, and my relationship with my manager is also not bad. However, when I refused to move and continued reporting to my current location, he escalated my refusal to HR. HR then emailed me, stating that it would be deemed a violation of company guidelines. I replied to HR explaining the issues and questioning how this could be a violation, as I had been informing the company about my problems from the beginning. After that, I did not receive any further replies.

In the meantime, my colleague informed my manager that I was planning to stay until the company terminates me. This disclosure further upset my manager, leading him to escalate the issue to top management. He also claimed that my email to HR was offensive and ultimately gave me the ultimatum to either relocate or resign.

Mr. N.V. Rao nicely explained. I just want to add one point – that you might be facing 1000 family problems, but facing these problems also adds to your experience. As per the policy, management's decision is absolutely right. You have already violated the Code of Conduct of the company. Here's what you should do: send a letter to management, apologize, and then report for duty in your new place. It is for the betterment of your career; otherwise, they will continue transferring you from one place to another in the near future. I had a co-worker who was transferred 14 times in the last 3.5 years solely due to a bitter relationship with management. I always follow one rule: whether I am working there or not is immaterial; what matters is that my relationship with my present and previous employers should always be good. All the best, dear.

Dear Mr. basunermanji, you have not mentioned clearly whether your company is a private sector or public sector. In the public sector, the influence of associations can be utilized to stay back at the present location. However, for your growth, you are required to relocate, or you can join your family once in 10 days or so.

Regards

Leave Policy in Private Companies

His post clearly shows that he is in a Pvt Ltd company, and in a private company, nobody allows leave once in 10 days or so. A 900 km distance means two days will clearly be wasted for the to and fro journey, and he certainly needs a minimum of 5-6 days of leave. 5-6 days of leave after 10 days? No way. Rather, he should prepare himself keeping in mind that he can take leave every 4-5 months.

Mr. Basu, I hope you are well qualified. Just go and join there, and at the same time, give your all-out effort to change the job in your locality. You will certainly get a good opportunity. But please do not take leave every 10 days. It can be more harmful to your career. You have already spoiled your relationship with your Senior Management. Try to repair your fault; otherwise, they can transfer you again within 3-4 months to another location, which may be 2000 km or more from your hometown.

Just to add to what has already been said, it is very difficult for an employee to challenge the decision of management. It would cost you enormously on several fronts, including time and money, and generally, employees would not be in a position to afford it. Management can easily fight against their employees as it doesn't cost them anything, however wrong they may be or if they decide to harass the employees, whereas employees would have to spend from their own pockets. Even by some miracle if you win the case, it would not be worth it.

So, I suggest you either accept it and move on or don't like it, but still move on. Put the burden on God, accept the orders as His will, and hope for the best at your new place of posting. All the best.

As I understand, yours is an insurance company; hence, there might be frequent transfers at the branch level based on the business needs. Looking at your overall situation, I recommend the following:

Options Available

Now you have only three options:

Option 1: Convince HR and your immediate supervisor of your needs and limitations. Assure them of your high productivity and, when you are ready for transfer, provide them with proper dates. (Your HR/immediate supervisor will likely understand and stop the transfer if they consider you an asset rather than a liability.)

Option 2: Accept the transfer to a new location, which is 900 km away from your home location.

Option 3: Separation from employment (here you have two choices):

- Choice 1: Termination from the company.
- Choice 2: Self-resignation, mentioning the transfer reason. (Ask for an extended notice period if possible and start looking for a new job.)

If options 1 and 2 are not suitable or possible, you are left with only option 3 (where you have two choices). I suggest you ask for more time from the HR department until you find a suitable job. Generally, for good or top performers, companies provide such additional periods on humanitarian grounds.

(I do not suggest the first choice of termination, as this will be on the company's records. In the near future, during a background check, it will be revealed that you were terminated, which will not be good for your candidature in new or future organizations. Hence, a better option is separation by way of resignation.)

Experts say: “Love your JOB, not the COMPANY; you never know when the company stops loving you.”

Regards,
BrainLight HR Solutions