Outplacement is not only for large organisations; small business owners also can – and should – provide this support to employees they let go of.
The past year has been extremely challenging for most businesses and although the government has designed support programmes on a scale never seen before, many companies will nevertheless have to make the hard decision to reduce their workforce to survive.
Whilst this is the right solution for the business, there is no doubt that this has an impact on many people: those leaving, those staying, the clients and the small business owners themselves, especially when so often, the employee(s) they let go of were more considered like friends.
Benefits of Outplacement
Outplacement, also called career transition support, can help each group of people.
- For those leaving, it is an invaluable support as they feel left on their own to fend for themselves in an unknown job market. It will help them regain confidence, be better prepared to apply for jobs and interview successfully. Outplacement is for anybody in the company, regardless of their function in the company and seniority.
- It shows remaining employees that the owners of the business care; it will bolster morale despite the challenging circumstances and ultimately lead to greater loyalty and higher productivity.
- Offering outplacement also reinforces the reputation of the company amongst its clients, its competitors and in its environment more generally, demonstrating that the business owner respects and invests in their people.
- It is also good for the owners of the business to know that they have gone out of their way to mitigate the impact of the redundancy on their employees.
Let’s look at what outplacement can include.
First, a person to talk to in confidence; this is particularly appreciated when people feel left alone, worried, and sometimes angry as they face a major change in their life.
Group training (online now but face-to-face as soon as possible) can also be provided on key topics such as “How to write a CV”, “How to interview”, “How to assess alternative career options” or “Key advice for the first few months in a new job”; being part of a group is particularly important for people who have recently left their team.
Working with individuals separately then ensures that they feel confident to put in practice what they have learned in groups. Many of individuals end up with a better-suited role as they have been supported to identify alternatives based on their skills and experience, their values but also their personal circumstances at that time. A career is like a book with different chapters; and a new chapter is written in partnership.
Outplacement is a good investment to not only make a significant difference to those leaving but also ultimately enhance productivity and reputation.
Further information on Outplacement Services
France du Buisson from FDB Associates, provides outplacement services with a mission to help people find a new job faster. As an accredited career consultant and a member of the Association for Coaching; she has worked with small companies as well as global leaders in outplacement. She has successfully helped hundreds of people find a new job; people from retail to banking; from media to tourism; manufacturing to services and many more.
For more details visit www.fdbassociates.com or contact France on 07554440944/ france@fdbassociates.com
