Outplacement – how to support your staff through change

In light of the financial strain businesses are under due to COVID-19, outplacement is something many firms are having to tackle. We’ve pulled together some advice to help you navigate outplacement in your business.

Change can bring a feeling of insecurity

Organisations do not introduce change to intentionally cause friction or uncomfortable situations; however, those can be the unfortunate side effects of the change process. When roles are eliminated or tasks automated, employees, without the right tools and support, can feel very insecure.

To minimise feelings of insecurity among your staff, the most important thing to do is communicate clearly and openly. In doing so, you’ll help reduce any stress-inducing speculation or misinformation circulating in your team..

Proactive careers solutions

Thinking too far into the future may seem daunting during challenging times, but doing right by your staff- including those you might be letting go- is important. That’s why providing career solutions for departing staff is a good option. Partnering with a team of experts in outplacement can be a wise choice, particularly if the changes impact a large number of employees and require the establishment of new roles with a significant shift in skillsets needed.

Up-skill staff to empower them

Management need to ensure that impacted staff are involved in activities that help them improve their self-awareness and complete goal planning. They may need to be guided to explore other opportunities available either within the organisation or elsewhere. Empowering them to make choices and come to a decision about their own future is important and goes a long way to help them accept the situation.

It is also critical that staff are provided with access to training programs as needed to ensure their skills are more closely aligned to the new jobs on offer or their new career path.

Support with resume and interview preparation

It is also essential that employees are supported with their resume preparation. Help with job applications and interview preparation, including activities like role-playing interview question and answer sessions, will go a long way to improving their confidence and morale for when the time comes to apply for new jobs.

Organisations need to acknowledge that everyone views change in a different light. It can be scary, disruptive and hard to accept. It is essential that those impacted are considered in all internal communications, and made to feel comfortable to ask questions as they arise.

Whether your organisational change will result in a restructure, redundancies or outplacement, assisting employees through the transition is an expectation that you must fulfil. Whether you offer individual coaching or group workshops, the main aim is to ensure that all staff have access to the tools and networks available to help them during the period of change. Most importantly, you need to ensure that the support can be tailored to each individual’s needs as required.

If you need help with outplacement contact the experts at CDL Insight Consulting.

Last updated on 11 May 2020