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How Using the Best Outplacement Services Can Help During a Layoff

July 27, 2017 by Josh Hrala

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When it comes to layoffs and other reductions in force, there are many tools that can help HR departments weather the storm. The easiest and most effective is using the best outplacement services you can find.

best outplacement services

Before we get into how outplacement services can seriously help you through these tough times. It’s important to go through the first step of a downsizing event: the layoff. Why? Because if any part of the layoff notification goes south – it can seriously damage your company’s overall reputation. 

Here’s what you need to know:

Breaking the News

Starting at the beginning, you need to nail down what you’re going to say in the notification meeting.

We recommend using a layoff script to help keep you on track while moving through the vast amount of information you need to relay to the outgoing employee. If you need a script or you want to make sure yours is up to the task, check out our free downloadable one here:

Download our Layoff Script!

In short, the layoff script should provide you with a path that alerts your employee of the layoff and then segways into what benefits they will receive while also taking into account the emotional impact of the news.

Find the Best Outplacement Services and Add Them to Your Severance Package

Alongside your layoff script, you will need a benefits package to back it up. Traditionally, severance packages have come in the form of a lump sum of cash that is meant to hold the employee over during their job search.

Nowadays, this simply isn’t enough.

best outplacement services

Finding a job – despite all of the benefits the internet has brought to the party – is a tough task. Sure, a lump sum will definitely take a bit of the stress away but it also means that there is a deadline for the employee to find a new job, causing an immense pressure to navigate the job market quickly.

To help with this, your HR department should use the best outplacement services they can find.

What Is Outplacement?

Outplacement is a service that you can offer your outgoing employees that can help them re-enter the job market.

Typically, these services work with employees to build their resumes, join social networks like LinkedIn, prepare for interviews, and make connections that can land them a new, meaningful job.

There are a lot of firms out there, though, so it’s important to make sure you find the best outplacement services provider you can. That seems like a tough task, but it’s really not.

Finding the Best Outplacement Services (A Brief How-to)

Let’s get into it.

Finding the best outplacement services for your company’s needs requires you to evaluate the provider on a core level. We have a full list of questions you can ask yourself here.

Basically, you need to look at how the provider handles their overall outplacement process. Most companies, use coaching to help employees ease back into the job market. However, sometimes, these companies require clients to meet in-person, meaning that the client has to live near a major metropolitan city, which can prove problematic for some individuals.

You also need to ask yourself if the company is using all of the technology it has at its disposal. Job searching is an internet-driven pursuit in today’s world. The best outplacement services should be leagues ahead of the curve.

The Best Outplacement Services Are Super Flexible

This cannot be stated enough.

Outplacement requires the provider to be flexible for it to work. This comes in many forms, but the one you should be wary of is how the organization handles term limits.

First off, what is a term limit? Well, it’s when an outplacement provider agrees to work with your outgoing employee for a limited amount of time. Say, three months, an unwritten industry standard.

best outplacement services

What happens when that time is up and your employee has now exhausted their severance pay and now has no lifeline to help them get back on their feet?

We’re stressed just thinking about that situation.

This is why you should find outplacement programs that have flexible or non-existent time limits on their service.

By the way, Careerminds is the only outplacement firm to offer limitless service. We work with clients until they are placed to ensure that they transition through this rough patch.

The Best Outplacement Services: A Rundown

Here’s a brief synopsis of what to look for when searching for an outplacement provider:

  • Are they flexible?
  • How does their overall process work? (Here’s a handy list to help).
  • Do they have term limits?
  • Do they use all of the technology available to them?
  • Are they able to work with clients from all over the US or the world?

If you follow these simple steps, you’ll be able to figure out what the best outplacement services are for your specific company.

Want to learn more about how Careerminds can help provide you with outplacement services or other workforce needs? Schedule a demo today.

Speak with an Outplacement Expert
Josh Hrala

Josh Hrala

Josh is an HR journalist and ghostwriter who's been covering outplacement and offboarding for over six years. Before pivoting to the HR world, he was a science journalist whose work can be found in Popular Science, ScienceAlert, The Huffington Post, Cracked, Modern Notion, and more.

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