What are Professional Outplacement Programs?

Outplacement, outplacement advice or, outplacement program, refers to the professional support offered (usually funded by the employer) to employees who leave the company in order to reorient themselves professionally. This support is offered by independent consultants and by specialized companies. SMEs, large companies as well as associations and government institutions use this service when they want or need to separate from their employees. The two types of outplacement/newplacement programs offered are an individual program or a group program. Executive outplacement services can assist people from moving to one position from another in a seamless way, which will benefit all parties and assist in propelling quicker success. 

The genesis is simple: the employer assumes social responsibility for the separation and is willing to offer employees a “fair” end of contract; they want to make the situation as positive as possible. Both parties benefit from this option: Outgoing employees are offered an attractive new career prospect. The separation must be swift, amicable and fair. The employer avoids harming, both internally and externally, its “employer brand”. Employees benefit because the employer pays them a highly qualified coach with a large network. A professional such as Kylie Hammond who works with business in Australia. The coach sets up a program that leads step by step to a new job, a new career direction or even a self-employed activity. Thus, there is no longer any reason to fear “survival” problems or a break in one’s professional career. Talented workers can harness new opportunities and find even more skills and opportunities with the aid of an outplacement program. An outplacement definition is simply: to provide redundant employees assistance in finding new employment to match their skill sets.

Why do companies offer outplacement programs?

Professional outplacement services offer a plethora of benefits. For example, firing or letting an employee go is an inevitable process in any business. More and more frequently, companies have to reorganize and restructure. Even mid-sized companies find themselves ending the collaboration, not of a specific employee, but also, increasingly, of entire departments and divisions. Companies and institutions active in all sectors of activity call more and more on the services of a company specializing in outplacement. And there are three main reasons for this: 

1. Positive work atmosphere – Because employees who have kept their jobs observe the esteem the company has for their colleagues on departure (social responsibility of the employer).

2. Good reputation – When a large number of employees have to leave the company, great attention is paid to the company because it is the subject of reports in regional and national media. These inevitably attract the attention of the company’s customers, business partners and potential candidates.

3. Duration and costs of the dismissal procedure are under control – By establishing an amicable agreement, the situation will be “better” experienced by the various stakeholders. The costs of an extended absence due to illness as well as the costs of a (possibly costly) legal dispute can usually be avoided. The procedure and the dates of implementation of the dismissal are jointly agreed. 

Overall, organizational change processes are facilitated and accelerated through outplacement. Typical situations of when to use outplacement is an extremely versatile tool for companies which makes it easier to manage, in all situations, the structural and social changes represented by the dismissal of one or more employees. The situations encountered may be the following: 

  1. Evolution in the sector(s) of activity of the company,
  2. Takeover or merger of companies,
  3. Relocation of the workplace,
  4. Outsourcing,
  5. Workforce reduction,
  6. Rationalization measures.

How does the outplacement process work? 

Professional outplacement services, such as the ones offered by Kylie Hammond work alongside five main principles which are:

  1. Dealing with separation and completing a career review: analysis of potential and establishment of a personal profile
  2. New direction: development of a perspective
  3. Self-marketing: establishment of the application file and implementation of the search strategy
  4. Job search: the active search phase
  5. New job: Negotiation and signing of the employment contract and integration into their new position

The stages of outplacement programs

The structure and content differ only slightly between an individual or a group outplacement program. However these phases are often almost always undertaken. This is what is included in outplacement services:

Establishment of contact 

By virtue of this principle, the outplacement coach and the employee meet immediately after the termination interview. The coach is present to support and assist the employee and provides them with help during this phase of awareness of the situation. A second meeting is planned and fixed quickly. This meeting marks the beginning of the support and allows the two people to create a relationship of trust, benevolent and whose content of the exchanges will be strictly confidential. 

Psychological support and motivation 

Being dismissed hits each of us hard, and quickly gives rise to many doubts and fears. A good outplacement coach therefore always provides psychological support. The relationship must be established in order to begin the grieving process and then to analyze and assess the reasons and consequences of the termination. Highlighting the many opportunities and possibilities allows the coach to develop and encourage employee motivation. This subject will be worked on on a regular basis by the coach throughout the program.

The career assessment

The career assessment is a theme that we systematically address at the start of each outplacement program. What successes have been obtained, what are the strengths, talents and interests of the candidate? What are the weaknesses? What qualifications and skills do they have and can they add more to their resume?  

Develop your research and marketing strategy 

The career report provides all the information necessary to establish what the person has to offer their future employer. It forms the basis of self-marketing, research strategy and marks the beginning of a new career, which the program will assist with. A coach uses a wide range of tools during this phase of the program. Preparation of documents, marketing tools and more can be utilised to assist them.