Employee Job Transfer in Company

Purpose of Employee Transfer in a Company

Transfer

A transfer is a change in job assignment.  It may involve a promotion or demotion or no change at all in status and responsibility.  A transfer has to be viewed as a change in assignment in which an employee moves from one job to another in the same level of hierarchy, requiring similar skills, involving approximately same level of responsibility, same status and same level of pay.  A transfer does not imply any ascending (promotion) or descending (demotion change in status or responsibility.

Purpose of Transfer

Organizations resort to transfers with a view to serve the following purposes : 

1. To meet the organizational requirements :

Organizations may have to transfer employees due to changes in technology, changes in volume of production, production schedule, product line, quality of products, changes in the job pattern caused by change in organizational structure, fluctuations in the market conditions like demands fluctuations, introduction of new lines and / or dropping of existing lines.  All these changes demand the shift in job assignments with a view to place the right man on the right job.

2. To satisfy the employee needs :

Employees may need transfers in order to satisfy their desire to work under a friendly superior, in a department / region where opportunities for advancement are bright, in or near their native place or place of interest, doing a job where the work itself is challenging, etc.

3. To utilities employees better : 

An employee may be transferred because management feels that his skills, experience and job knowledge could be put to better use elsewhere.

4. To make the employee more versatile :

Employees may be rolled over different jobs to expand their capabilities.  Job rotation may prepare the employee for more challenging assignments in future.

5. To adjust the workforce :

Work force may be transferred from a plant where there is less work to a plant where there is more work.

6. To provide Relief :

Transfers may be made to give relief to employees who are overburdened or doing hazardous work
for long periods.

7. To Reduce Conflicts : 

Where employees find it difficult to get along with colleagues in a particular section, department or location – they could be shifted to another place to reduce conflicts.

8. To punish employees :

Transfers may be effected as disciplinary measure – to shift employees indulging in undesirable activities to remote, far-flung areas.