Invest in the success of your exiting employees and watch your employer brand thrive.
OUTPLACEMENT SERVICES
Providing outplacement services for exiting employees will help your company:
Protect your Glassdoor ratings
Strengthen your brand reputation
Provide a soft landing for former employees
A layoff can be devastating. For an employee, it’s not just lost income; it’s losing a professional identity and community of colleagues. Worrying about the logical next step can feel overwhelming.
Letting workers go is an unpleasant experience for managers, too. However, there is plenty you can do to soften the blow for everyone involved. Termination with dignity should always include outplacement services to support workers in stepping forward into the next chapter of their careers.
Why should you invest in supporting people who are no longer your employees? It’s about more than just your outgoing employees. It’s also about your company’s reputation and brand and the remaining employees.
It’s the right thing to do for employees.
Outplacement provides a focus for employees shell-shocked by a layoff.
Whether or not you’ve warned your staff that a significant layoff is coming, the finality of that last day and the uncertainty of at least temporary unemployment can shock a person’s psyche.
By providing them immediate outplacement services, you are giving them a lifeline in that sea of uncertainty, something tangible to focus on that will immediately offer real value.
Outplacement services empower laid-off employees to move on faster to the next stage in their professional lives. I will give them the tools to define their passions, direct their next steps, and get hired again, typically sooner than if you did not provide outplacement support.
Outplacement coaching is invaluable, especially for people who last looked for a new job a while ago. If you’re laying off longtime employees, it’s more than likely they’re not up on the latest job search trends, don’t know the importance of LinkedIn, have never heard of Glassdoor, and have no idea how to structure their time in transition.
Outplacement speeds up the job search process at no cost to employees. When people lose their jobs, reduced income is a primary concern. Fortunately, you provide the outplacement services!
Structure is essential to this transition period. Getting your resume out is one of many steps of a successful job search. Those who take the time to assess their direction and create a robust list of target jobs will be in better shape.
My Outplacement Services include:
- Resume and LinkedIn Coaching: Finding the voice of your resume is easier when you have clarity on your next role. I highlight skills in a modern, professional format and speak directly to opportunities.
- Interview Preparation: Interviewing for a new job can be nerve-racking. I support people in preparing by reviewing answers to common and challenging questions.
- Career Insight: Losing a job might be the impetus for a career change. If laid-off employees want to shift their professional focus, I can support them in learning more about their talents and passions so they can confidently choose the right career path.
- Networking Advice: Everyone knows networking is critical to getting a new job, but how exactly do you do it? I offer guidance around the most effective networking strategies.
- Positive Reinforcement: Losing a job might make people feel anxious. A job search that drags might make them feel depressed. Outplacement services are like having a best friend who is always there as a sounding board for people’s concerns and then gives them a boost of positive feedback so they can keep their eye on the prize.
Outplacement is good for YOUR business.
A strong employer brand is critical to attracting the best talent. You'll substantially reduce the adverse impact on your social reputation by ensuring that your exiting employees focus on their careers rather than their frustrations at being let go.
How? Today, disgruntled employees who are upset about a layoff aren’t just complaining to friends and family. They’re posting on social media, ripping you on Glassdoor, and doing real damage to your employer brand in the process.
And make no mistake about it, when you’re trying to attract top talent, those bad reviews and comments matter. Research shows that the right approach to outplacement significantly reduces reputation fallout.
It creates security and preserves the culture of your workplace.
It’s not just about the employees you’re laying off. It’s about the ones who remain, too. Layoffs can cause anxiety among those remaining who wonder if they’re next to go. Knowing their colleagues got help finding new jobs does a lot to calm their fears. It creates loyalty, too, when they see you doing right by their friends and colleagues.
When advanced notice is possible, allow exiting employees to begin using outplacement services while still at their jobs — when they’re the most marketable. They are far better prepared to hit the ground running when their employment ends. Then, they are more likely to remain willing ambassadors of their previous employer’s brand, endorsing their company online and among their peers, or at least standing neutral.