Outplacement services are becoming increasingly important as more businesses face the challenge of managing redundancies. We’ve been supporting many organisations recently through this difficult process, helping them handle it with care and integrity. Redundancies are never easy, but doing the right thing matters — and that includes supporting employees even after they leave the business. Offering outplacement services is a practical and compassionate way to help those affected take their next steps with confidence.
What is outplacement services?
Outplacement services are professional support programmes provided to employees who are leaving a business due to redundancy. These services help individuals prepare for the next stage of their careers by offering:
- CV writing support
- ways to improve LinkedIn profiles
- interview coaching
- job search advice
- career guidance.
Outplacement not only benefits employees by giving them the tools to move forward but also helps employers protect their reputation. It also demonstrate a commitment to doing the right thing.
The main benefits of Outplacement Support
Maintaining Good Morale Internally
When employees have been made redundant, this can negatively impact morale of staff who have remained in the business. They have likely built relationships with the staff who have left the business and will feel a sense of loyalty towards them. They may also feel unsure about the safety of their own job role in the future. Some may even feel guilty.
Engaging in an Outplacement service that supports the wellbeing of staff leaving the business and helps them to find a new job will go a long way to boost morale. This not only shows you care, but also turns a negative in to a positive. Remaining staff will see their old colleagues move to the next stage of their career rather than unemployment.
Reduces Stress and Uncertainty
Redundancies is a stressful process for everyone involved. Many employers only mention the option of an outplacement programme after the consultation process has commenced. By making it clear to at risk employees that you will support them before, during, and after will go a long way to reduce anxiety. It can also reduce the overall tension in the workplace during a redundancy process.
Employer reputation
There’s always a risk of your employer reputation being damaged if you haven’t managed redundancy correctly. With online platforms such as Glassdoor and social media, it’s never been easier for unhappy employees and ex-employees to share their experiences with the world.
It takes a long time to build your reputation and it just takes one bad experience to ruin that. Values and ethics are one of the most important things that people look for in a business. In addition, it’s important to live up to your values and manage redundancy and outplacement correctly.
It can be helpful to engage with employment law and HR experts to make sure you don’t put a foot wrong. Our team are more than happy to help you with this.
Encourages Positive Departures
Employees are more likely to leave on good terms when they feel supported, reducing the risk of negative feedback or legal issues.
Speeds Up the Job Search Process
Outplacement equips people with the right tools and guidance to find new opportunities more quickly, making the transition smoother for everyone involved.
Advice in line with employment law
Engaging with an outsourced HR expert to drive this type of programme forward will ensure that it is managed correctly and in line with current legislation. This will also allow you to focus on managing your current team and help them to transition in to this new phase of your business.
Outplacement Services With The HR Booth
We offer Career Management Outplacement Services that provides individuals with improved CV writing skills, interview techniques, tips for assessment centres, networking tips, and how to get the most out of social media. We also offer job search tips that gives good advice on some of the job boards to help find that next role. The HR team are always working with job boards as part of our recruitment service so our team have all the great tips.
We also offer career development sessions to help staff at risk of redundancy with future career planning. This will make the transition as successful and stress free as possible.
It’s not just employees that our programme helps. It can also provides support to employers. We can provide you with management training on dealing with change in the workplace and managing redundancies correctly. We also host ‘survivor’ workshops for staff remaining in the organisation after the redundancy process.
In Conclusion
Outplacement services are a vital part of handling redundancy with professionalism and compassion. They not only support departing employees in finding new opportunities but also help maintain morale, protect your company’s reputation, and ensure compliance with employment law. At The HR Booth, we understand the importance of getting this right. Our outplacement support is designed to provide practical, tailored guidance to those affected while also helping employers navigate the process smoothly. By investing in outplacement, you’re not only doing the right thing — you’re also building a stronger, more resilient workplace for the future.
Contact Us
If you would like our help to introduce this type of programme, you can contact our HR experts now.