A few of our clients have been in the unfortunate position of having to make an employee redundant. This can be an emotional experience for everyone involved. Employers need to consider the best practice and legislative factors around letting an employee go.
WorkPlacePLUS recently provided change management support and facilitated a comprehensive outplacement program for a client. You may be thinking, “I've heard of placement and onboarding, but I have never heard of outplacement.” Indeed, we have come to realise that many employers are not aware of this important component of the employment cycle.
Outplacement is a support program or action plan put in place to assist former employees in exiting the business and finding a new job.
While some organisations may be equipped to facilitate outplacements in-house, most employers prefer to engage an independent change management specialist to facilitate a successful Career Transition Program. Outplacement can be offered immediately upon the employee exiting the business or delivered at a later stage when the employee is in the right headspace.
The outplacement program that we recently facilitated was delivered through several 1:1 sessions. Each individual participant was in the stressful transition phase between leaving a job and entering a new role. At the beginning of the program, participants were emotionally stuck due to feelings of rejection, compounded by the instability and uncertainty of being unemployed.
The programs covered everything from career evaluation, targeting the job market, resumes and interview preparation, to assisting candidates to improve their LinkedIn profiles. The aim was to refine employable skills and successfully usher participants back into the job market. However, a key underlying component of our role was to restore confidence and alleviate some of the anxieties and that the individuals were experiencing.
WorkPlacePLUS offers an outplacement program called SMOOTH CAREER TRANSITIONS, designed for organisations to provide best practice support to employees who are going through a redundancy. Throughout the program, participants engage in reflective practice and career planning, with the benefit of expert feedback and support from our facilitators.
For more information, please contact us today.