Housing is our # 1 priority
We are all moved by the events in Ukraine, including the forced migration of citizens and foreign residents alike. The service, supply chain, and support teams at Dwellworks and Dwellworks Living, and our many partners in the short-term accommodations industry are working 24-7 to assist our clients with the evacuation, resettling and housing needs of employees and assignees. Since the 24th of February, we have assisted with hundreds of individual moves to locations as diverse as Dubai and Japan. Central European countries, such as Poland, Czech Republic, Slovakia, and Hungary, are all primary staging destinations for corporate employees, assignees and families in transit to onward locations pending the outcome of the on-the-ground situation in Ukraine. Everyone in the housing and employee-support ecosystem, including suppliers of travel, lodging, and local services, is working around the clock to find housing and confirm bookings. Understandably, clients, employers, and individuals are looking for frequent updates on availability and pricing. We are communicating that information as effectively as we can, while also prioritizing solutions delivery. For best results and support, we strongly recommend that clients confirm the volume and estimated arrival dates for transiting employees and families, and then contact us with those details. Working in concert, we will do all we can to secure a confirmed booking in the requested location.
Accommodations are limited, but support and services continue
As of the date of publication, options in Poland – Warsaw, Krakow, and Wroclaw – are extremely limited. And across Europe and the Middle East, despite diligent sourcing and secured commitments from suppliers, housing is in short supply from Dublin and London, through to Dubai and Istanbul. The surge in housing needs brought on by the Ukrainian crisis has amplified the challenge of housing supply in key locations overall. Fortunately, because of the size and competence of our global supply chain and local on-the-ground consultant network, Dwellworks Living is sourcing and confirming solutions and Dwellworks Destination Services is supporting destination-related needs. We are currently managing moves to the UK, the Netherlands, Germany, and Ireland as companies determine the best deployment of their people. We appreciate patience and partnership as we work together to support thousands of people in need, which includes assignees and employees of international companies in Russia, who are also being evacuated in unprecedented numbers. Air travel is, of course, a challenge for outbound flights from Russia. Our focus is on supporting those who literally have been cleared for take-off (or have secured alternative ground transportation options) and are arriving in new locations, which include dozens of cities across Europe, Asia, and North America.
Humanitarian outreach
Many EU member states are now implementing the provisions of the Temporary Protection Directive that guarantees expedited stay, residence and work status for Ukrainian citizens and eligible Ukrainian residents. An example of the overwhelming support in the EU is the over 12,000 people in Ireland who have offered to house the displaced from Ukraine, in addition to government-sponsored plans for shelter in hotels and modular housing for an expected 80,000+ migrants. We are hearing of employers and their teams who are opening up their homes in Europe to support their colleagues leaving Ukraine and Russia. There are also numerous sites for direct contributions to aid Ukraine. The International Rescue Committee at help.rescue.org is one such organization focused on humanitarian and crisis care. And in our industry, we are supporting the crowdfunding of EuRA (the European Relocation Association) and the donations of housewares, bedding, small electronics, and more being coordinated by housing suppliers, including Dwellworks Living, to be sent to Ukraine through aid organizations. In this context, a word on Airbnb. While the hosts of Airbnb are not a typical resource in a corporate housing supply chain, since the platform cannot guarantee individual host conformance to corporate client housing compliance requirements on a global scale, we applaud the efforts of the company to support its hosts in providing housing to refugees. No option should be overlooked in a time of crisis. Together, we are all working to support those most immediately impacted by these traumatic circumstances.
We are keeping an eye on supply and market updates
The current circumstances put pressure on multiple markets already challenged by housing availability, as companies activate business travel and workforce mobility plans coming out of the COVID-19 pandemic. Dwellworks and Dwellworks Living will continue to post on information relevant to key markets and we appreciate the partnership of clients in allowing us to focus first and foremost on emergency service delivery support for evacuated employees and families.