| Times aren't like they used to be. Once upon a | | | | giving them and their former employer peace of |
| time, when a person was laid off from his or her | | | | mind. |
| job due to downsizing or other reasons, their next | | | | The Components of an Outplacement Program |
| step to finding a new job was get in line at the | | | | The services provided by an outplacement |
| local unemployment office or start circling the | | | | program include benefits for employers and |
| classified ads in the newspaper. Essentially, | | | | employees. A good outplacement program can |
| separating employees were left on their own to | | | | help to plan terminations and layoffs, severance |
| seek new employment. Nowadays, organisational | | | | packages and to train and counsel managers |
| restructuring can lead to generous financial | | | | charged with the responsibility of conducting |
| benefits and employee access to outplacement | | | | employee separations. These are tasks that |
| programs which can ease the transition. | | | | normally cause a business manager a lot of time, |
| Outplacement done well offers employees a far | | | | money, and aggravation and can be costly if done |
| more palatable means of separating from an | | | | poorly. The program can provide trained |
| organisation, and can leave their former | | | | counsellors to be on the spot the day of |
| organisations a legacy of surprising benefits. | | | | termination. The representative can meet with |
| Outplacement programs are designed to assist in | | | | the employee immediately after news of their |
| the career transition of laid off employees, helping | | | | separation, advise on how to cope with the |
| both departing employees and their employers | | | | experience, and even counsel how to relay the |
| with various aspects of the employee separation | | | | news of the workplace redundancy to their |
| process. | | | | family. Through career transition assistance, |
| How an Outplacement Program Can Be Good For | | | | outplacement suppliers offer separating |
| Business | | | | employees the more traditional job search training |
| Companies who provide a good outplacement | | | | and can link redundant employees with financial |
| program are supplying employees with a life line | | | | planning and family counseling. Outplacement |
| to regain that sense of personal security and | | | | services can also be extended to skills or |
| control which is threatened in times of downsizing | | | | managing change for employees as well as skills |
| and redundancy. While outplacement programs | | | | for managers in leading organisations in transition. |
| make sense for employees, they are also good | | | | How to Select Outplacement Providers |
| for business. A company benefits from an | | | | As an employer, the responsibility of choosing an |
| outplacement service in many ways. | | | | outplacement provider falls to you. There are a |
| - Ease the stress. The stress of having those | | | | few key decisions to make and questions to ask |
| dreaded redundancy conversations with | | | | in choosing help for you and your employees in |
| employees is alleviated knowing you have the | | | | the event of downsizing: |
| support of people who are specialised providers | | | | - What is the outplacement supplier's area of |
| of these services. | | | | specialty and their experience? |
| - Bolster Productivity. Organisations in transition | | | | - Do you need more than one supplier to |
| typically experience falls in productivity and morale | | | | adequately address your business needs? |
| due to uncertainty and distraction. Outplacement | | | | - How long will the outplacement service last and |
| programs can go a long way to replacing | | | | how much will the service cost? |
| uncertainty with greater resilience and focus, by | | | | - What is the scope of their services? Do they |
| supplying employees with new skills and a | | | | support senior executives as well as employees? |
| renewed level of confidence and control with | | | | - Do they have experience in the latest methods |
| respect to their future career, finances and | | | | of job search such as internet search and |
| personal resilience | | | | networking? |
| - Avoid costly unfair dismissal claims. They can | | | | - Is job search the only outplacement service you |
| advise on constructing severance pay and ensure | | | | are prepared to support or are you willing to |
| companies remain compliant with relevant awards | | | | support counseling in more flexible alternatives |
| and conditions. | | | | such as career breaks, early retirement, |
| - Improve the quality of your redundancy | | | | volunteering or small business management? |
| conversations. Specialist providers can counsel | | | | - Do they offer one-on-one career transition |
| managers on what to say and how to say it and | | | | services or will former employees only have |
| supply confidential counseling services to those | | | | access to job search materials? |
| employees whose positions are made redundant. | | | | Economic predictions for the near future will |
| - Ease post-redundancy business trauma They | | | | ensure that the potential of downsizing and |
| can even come to the aid of managers and | | | | employee redundancy remains on the agenda for |
| employees remaining with the business after the | | | | many businesses. For the business faced with |
| redundancy program is concluded A good | | | | these hard decisions, well-managed outplacement |
| program will help ease the tensions of these | | | | solutions offer the ROI of a sound risk |
| remaining employees who worry if they are the | | | | management strategy, and may also be part of |
| next to be laid off or whether can they manage | | | | your industrial awards and instruments. Even |
| the tasks left to them from a former employee. | | | | without regulations, a good outplacement program |
| - Ease the burden of managing employee | | | | is like having an extra insurance policy to help |
| transitions. An outplacement service can help ease | | | | guard against the pitfalls of redundancy programs |
| the transition for employees who have lost their | | | | for the business, for the redundant employee, and |
| job as well as those who are remaining, while | | | | for and those who will remain in the organisation. |