Making employees redundant is one of the most challenging tasks a manager can face. It’s an emotionally charged process that affects not only those leaving the company but also the team members left behind. Redundancy is often compared to the emotional impact of losing a loved one, underscoring just how deeply it can affect individuals. Whether employees are long-serving team members or relatively new hires, the uncertainty they face is daunting, especially when compounded by personal circumstances such as family responsibilities or financial pressures.
Leaders, too, bear a significant emotional burden during the outplacement process. Along with the understandable concern for the employees being made redundant, there are other factors to consider: the morale of those staying, the potential impact on company culture, reputational risks, and, of course, legal risks that need to be mitigated.
The Role of Outplacement
This is where outplacement services come into play. When done well, outplacement coaching provides support to employees during their transition, helping them reorient in the job market and plan their next career steps. With the right support, employees can be given an opportunity to step back and consider their future and choose a path that best suits them. It also helps the organisation proactively nurture culture and mitigate reputational risk.
For companies that value investing in their people, outplacement services are a clear extension of that commitment. Supporting employees through their exit not only demonstrates care for those leaving but also signals to remaining staff that they are part of a company that prioritises people, even in difficult times.
What Should Outplacement Services Include?
Outplacement services are more than giving someone a hand to write their CV or getting their LinkedIn profile up to speed. While this is important, an effective outplacement programme is tailored to each employee, offering them an individualised experience that uncovers their strengths, interests, and career goals as well as a plan to achieve those goals.
Key elements of a strong outplacement programme include:
Coaching: A central component of outplacement is professional coaching, which helps people move from a state of uncertainty and emotion to a future-focused mindset. This mental shift is critical for people to fully engage in the outplacement process and explore new career opportunities with confidence.
Confidence Building: Job loss often brings a dip in confidence. Coaching helps people regain this confidence, encouraging them to think outside the box and consider new possibilities as they transition into their next role.
Tailored Career Support: A personalised outplacement service provides emotional support, evaluates strengths and aspirations, and helps individuals clarify direction and set clear goals. It also provides practical resources like interview preparation, CV, cover letter and LinkedIn refinement as well as networking and presentation guidance, all of which are essential for navigating today’s job market effectively.
Outplacement Can Include:
Emotional support and mindset coaching
Strengths and career aspiration evaluation
Goal setting and job search strategy
Interview preparation, including skills coaching
LinkedIn, CV, and cover letter optimisation
Networking and presentation skills development, particularly for executives
The Value of Professional Coaching
Just like in sports, the quality of coaching makes all the difference in achieving successful outcomes. Career and Outplacement coaching requires a unique skill set - one that blends experience with a foundation of accredited learning. Frances Bearne, Director of Human Focus, emphasises the importance of choosing professionally accredited coaches for outplacement programmes. She says, “An internationally accredited coach brings a broad coaching skill set, meaning they can adjust their approach depending on the individual, ensuring employees receive the level of support and guidance they need to transition confidently into their next chapter.”
The Perfect Pairing: Coaching & Recruitment Expertise
An effective outplacement provider combines coaching expertise with an in-depth understanding of HR, recruitment and the job market. This dual focus equips employees with both the emotional resilience and practical skills needed to succeed in today’s competitive job landscape.
By investing in outplacement services, companies can ease the emotional toll of redundancy, safeguard their reputation, and foster a supportive culture that values people even during tough transitions. This approach not only helps employees move forward with clarity and confidence but also reassures those who remain that they are part of an organisation that cares about its workforce. Plus, it can leave a positive lasting impression on departing employees, who may become brand advocates and future business partners or even returning employees in the future.
If you’d like to learn more about our outplacement services, please get in touch today.