Why does relocation "get into your blood?" The value of curiosity and play in employee retention.

While you may not realize that Plus Relocation is a "family business," by definition, it is. So many of the family members working here could probably say they have "relocation in their blood." As youngsters, they were exposed to the business and all of the various elements and challenges that comes with being in the day-to-day. Ask them and they can tell you stories! They grew up hearing work conversations, learning about BVOs and real estate, working various positions from the frontline customer-facing to the backroom, and they were immersed in challenges that continually peaked their curiosity. 

But not everyone in the family joined the business. And of course not everyone in the business is in the family (although maybe we are treated like family). Personally, 22 years ago, I had no idea this industry existed. I had moved before...lots!  But corporate mobility had not been on my career radar. With a masters degree in education, I was a teacher and had been moving down that path. When I collided with a job opportunity at Plus in May of 2000, I was unaware just how much this would suck me in and get "into my blood" too. 

But what does that mean? Well, as I was reading this article, I realized that one of the key reasons I have stayed in the global mobility industry is that it consistently "trips my trigger" and "draws me in." Every day, I get pulled into challenges and problem solving for our clients, partners and internal teams in a way that taps my curiosity and gives me the chance to continually learn. I get pulled into the flow, and that keeps me engaged. This is exactly what Lindsay McGregor, consultant and co-author of the bestseller Primed to Perform, explains in the article. She uses the terms "play" and "play quotient," and challenges managers to ask employees (and themselves) what parts of their jobs make them feel curious. Tapping into curiosity elevates the "play quotient" and is motivating. 

I love the culture at Plus, and we have worked hard to build it and continue to protect and manage it. That certainly plays into why I have stayed here. But I have stayed in the industry because of a "high play quotient" where my curiosity is stoked by the challenges posed by corporate mobility needs. Global mobility is a complex business, and the daily engagement of designing solutions and sharing insights with our clients, partners, industry and teams consistently taps my curiosity and makes work fun and keeps it feeling like play. I do feel like it is "in my blood now."  As companies grapple with the "Great Resignation," it may be worth considering whether a lack of tapping into an employee's curiosity is playing into their retention challenges.