Periods of change, particularly those that involve restructures or redundancies, can be difficult for any business to manage. Even more so when the actions that lead to this are outside of the business’ control.
The unexpected arrival of the COVID-19 pandemic earlier this year has had a significant impact on businesses across the globe and has left many organisations in a situation they wouldn’t have predicted facing at the start of the year.
Whilst the furlough scheme has been a lifeline for companies affected by the pandemic, the impending end of the initiative in October is building uncertainty for organisations that are yet to fully recover from the effects of lockdown, with many facing the prospect of having to make difficult decisions over the next few months.
Restructuring and redundancy can have a significant impact on both employees and employers. If your business is built on trust and loyalty, it can be difficult to know how exactly to deliver these messages and support your employees through change.
It’s also important to think about your employees whose jobs haven’t been directly affected by the changes. The way in which you manage the process can have a significant influence on how your remaining staff view you as an employer moving forwards. Do it well and you can gain extra respect and loyalty from your remaining employees. Handle it wrong and you can risk significantly damaging trust.
So, what can you do as an employer to support your employees through change and minimise stress for both you and your staff?
As well as ensuring all employees receive thorough communication throughout all processes of change and providing strong leadership, there are also several other ways you can provide support through external channels. One of these is the provision of outplacement services.
What Are Outplacement Services?
Outplacement services offer professional and discrete support to organisations going through a period of change. The aim of outplacement services is to provide practical support to aid employees in their future job searches and help to find the appropriate solutions as quickly as possible.
Restructuring and redundancy can be a confusing and unsettling time for both employees and employers and the provision of outplacement support can help minimise stress on both parts and aim to maintain positive relationships between organisations and their employees. This can help your employees feel valued and more secure in their position, knowing that they will receive appropriate support should the worst happen.
Some of the services covered in an outplacements package can include:
CV and cover letter guidance
1:1 support on career changes and planning
How to make the most out of a job search
Working with recruiters to discover the hidden jobs market
Interview support and preparation
How Can Outplacement Services Help Your Employees?
Outplacement services help employees experiencing redundancy to move on to their next job as quickly as possible by providing professional support and guidance based on industry knowledge and hiring patterns.
Many employees facing redundancy may not have experienced the job application and hiring process for a long time and so may be at a loss when it comes to current ways of recruiting, especially in a competitive climate.
Outplacement providers can work directly with your employees to re-evaluate their options and plan the best approach to taking the next steps in their careers, whether they are looking to find a similar role or move to a completely different job sector.
Services are often delivered by recruitment consultants or individuals with an expert knowledge of the local market, who are best placed to provide practical and informed support for your employees.
At a time of personal uncertainty, the provision of tailored support can make a tremendous difference to an individual’s job search success.
What Are the Benefits of Outplacements for a Business?
Organisational change that affects employees’ positions is a difficult process for businesses to go through. However, in many situations it is unfortunately unavoidable, especially in the current economic climate.
One of the biggest recruitment lessons to come out of the COVID-19 pandemic is how employers treated their staff and dealt with the difficulties that many businesses have faced. It is also expected that many future candidates will look to find out about how businesses treated their staff during the pandemic when making future employment decisions.
As an employer, supporting your employees through this difficult time helps to limit damage to relationships. It can also minimise any negative impact on any remaining employees by demonstrating that your company respects its employees and can hep them feel more motivated working for you.
Outplacement can also reinforce your company’s values and brand and can help make your organisation attractive to potential candidates in the future if you look to start hiring again.
At Opus we understand that many organisations are currently undergoing changes and facing the reality of having to make difficult decisions and we would like to do our best to support both employees and employers experiencing these changes.
For professional discrete advice on the tailored outplacement support services we can offer you and your employees during this time and the best options available to you, please contact a member or our team today at recruitment@opuspeoplesolutions.co.uk or call 03301 242800.
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