Core-Flex
relocation management

Structured support, flexible choice

Structured support, flexible choice

Core-Flex relocation is a policy framework that combines a fixed set of standard relocation benefits with a menu of optional services that assignees or mobility teams can select based on individual circumstances. It gives organisations a structured approach to relocation support while allowing the flexibility that increasingly diverse and global employee populations require.

MovePlus consultancy services include programme review and benchmarking support. Our team advises on core scope, flex menu, and budget levels based on current market conditions and how comparable organisations structure their programmes.

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Designing a Core-Flex programme that holds up

The design work in Core-Flex sits in one decision: which benefits every assignee receives automatically, and which they choose for themselves. The budget or points total governs the second half, and it is what keeps the policy equitable across different circumstances. An assignee relocating with a family might direct half of theirs toward school search and additional household goods shipping, while an assignee moving alone applies the same total to extended temporary accommodation or language training. Both are supported to the same value, against different needs. Programmes tend to work best when:

  • The core is genuinely universal. Benefits that nearly every employee uses, such as shipping, travel, and basic settling-in support, belong in the core rather than the flex, so employees are not spending choices on essentials.
  • The flex menu reflects real needs. Common flex benefits include home-finding trips, school search support, cultural orientation, language training, spousal or partner career support, and extended temporary accommodation. The right menu depends on your population and destinations.
  • Vary by move, not just by grade.Many programmes set the core and flex by seniority alone, but the strongest designs also account for move type, family size, and destination complexity. A family of four relocating domestically and a family of four moving internationally will need different cores.

How Core-Flex works in practice

Core-Flex is the common name for this type of policy, but the mechanism for how assignees access their flexible benefits varies:

Managed budget

A set amount for the flex portion of the move, in addition to the core benefits. The assignee draws from it to select services from the flex menu and can choose any combination as long as the total falls within the budget. Core benefits are delivered regardless of how the budget is used.

Points-based model

Assignees receive a set number of points to spend across the flex menu. More resource-intensive services carry a higher point value and lighter-touch services carry fewer, so the assignee chooses based on what matters most to them within their point total.

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Designing a Core-Flex programme that holds up

The core needs to cover what every relocating employee genuinely requires, and the flex menu needs to offer meaningful choice without becoming unmanageable. Programmes tend to work best when:

The core is genuinely universal

Benefits that nearly every employee uses, such as shipping, travel, and basic settling-in support, belong in the core rather than the flex, so employees are not spending choices on essentials.

The flex menu reflects real needs

Common flex benefits include home-finding trips, school search support, cultural orientation, language training, spousal or partner career support, and extended temporary accommodation. The right menu depends on your population and destinations.

Tiers match the move, not just the grade

Many programmes vary the core and flex by seniority, but the strongest designs also account for move type, family size, and destination complexity.

Programme administration

Managing Core-Flex through MOVEPLUS™

Benefits configuration with full visibility

At initiation, your team selects the core benefits and configures the flex structure. You can review and adjust the default benefits for each policy before creating a move, and add notes for the Relocation Advocate on any pre-approved exceptions or specifics.

A single view for every move

The HR/Mobility Hub shows the complete picture for each assignee: the baseline services, the flex selections, spend to date, and service status. You see both the standard delivery and the individual choices clearly, without having to track them separately.

How assignees choose and book

Each assignee sees their core benefits and flex options from their first login. For self-service flex, available services appear as tasks they can action directly in the platform, including requesting quotes and booking services. Services can be booked directly in the platform or arranged by their Relocation Advocate on their behalf, with cost tracked against their budget or deducted from their points in real time.

Reporting across 475+ data fields

Report on flex uptake, core delivery, cost, and exceptions across the full programme. Utilisation data shows which flex services assignees actually choose, giving you an evidence base to refine the menu at your next policy review.

Benefits configuration with full visibility

At initiation, your team selects the core benefits and configures the flex structure. You can review and adjust the default benefits for each policy before creating a move, and add notes for the Relocation Advocate on any pre-approved exceptions or specifics.

A single view for every move

The HR/Mobility Hub shows the complete picture for each assignee: the baseline services, the flex selections, spend to date, and service status. You see both the standard delivery and the individual choices clearly, without having to track them separately.

Assignee self-service in the Employee Hub

Each assignee sees their core benefits and flex options from their first login. For self-service flex, available services appear as tasks they can action directly in the platform, including requesting quotes and booking services, with cost tracked against their budget or deducted from their points in real time.

Reporting across 475+ data fields

Report on flex uptake, core delivery, cost, and exceptions across the full programme. Utilisation data shows which flex services assignees actually choose, giving you an evidence base to refine the menu at your next policy review.

At MovePlus, every relocation programme includes a dedicated Relocation Advocate.

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Frequently asked questions

Core-Flex typically involves more coordination than a lump sum model and better suits programmes where assignee experience and policy consistency are priorities.

MOVEPLUS™ gives mobility teams a single place to manage Core-Flex administration. Core benefit delivery and flex selections are tracked together in the HR/Mobility Hub, with reporting across 475+ data fields covering benefit utilisation, costs, and exceptions. Each assignee sees their core benefits and flex options in the Employee Hub from their first login, with self-service tasks available for services they select directly through the platform.

MovePlus consultancy services include programme review and benchmarking support, drawing on data from research providers including AIRINC and WERC. Benchmarking gives organisations a clear view of how their policy structure and benefit levels compare to peers in their sector, and informs decisions on core scope, flex menu design, and budget levels.

Yes. Many programmes are designed with different core and flex structures depending on move type, family size, destination complexity, or employee level. MOVEPLUS™ supports multiple policy configurations within the same programme environment, with distinct workflows and reporting for each.

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