Outplacement Training (The Ultimate HR Guide)

Outplacement training is the process of preparing leaders at your organization for upcoming layoff events. Through our research, we have found that it is common for stakeholders in an organization to not have any knowledge of how to handle a huge workforce transition, such as a layoff or other reduction in force (RIF).  

With that in mind, it’s normal for those involved in the execution of a transition to have questions about the process. 

Common Outplacement Training Questions

Some of these questions include:

• “How much should outplacement cost?”
• “What preparation should I do ahead of time before a layoff?”
• “What outplacement training should I have my staff conduct ahead of time?”

Since large transitional events can have such widespread impact on a company’s brand and reputation with the public, it’s understandable that these questions arise. So, to better answer these outplacement training inquiries, we decided to invite our Director of Business Development, Ryan Enders, to give us some insights.

1. Are outplacement services worth it?

Outplacement services are worth it for all organizations. Here are three reasons why:

1. It’s the right thing to do in most cases. It can possibly keep that person and their family out of dire financial straits and help them emotionally by reducing the stress of going at it alone. It also helps the economy, not to mention your company, when you get them off of unemployment.

2. It protects your brand by building “goodwill” with those you are severing ties with. If they feel like your company cared about them, then they are likely to have good things to say to family, friends, neighbors, etc. And that’s important, especially if those are some of your clients. Bad publicity spreads much faster than good publicity and takes much longer to stop. There can be a tremendous cost for bad publicity, and much to gain through “goodwill.”

3. It can help with recruiting. Employees want to know what benefits are offered to them, and knowing that there is an insurance policy (company paid outplacement, for example) if they are laid-off, may be a deciding factor in accepting a job with your company if you are in an industry prone to layoffs.

2. How effective is outplacement?

With the right program, outplacement is very effective. There are many options for outplacement, though. For example, traditional outplacement is not as effective as outplacement 2.0. In today’s mobile world, where traveling to brick & mortar offices are not cost effective, nor a good use of your time, you need to be able to access your outplacement technology at a moment’s notice, anytime, anywhere.

Being able to access a provider on a mobile device from a coffee shop, while traveling or from a landline at your home is what participants have come to expect. When you lose your job, money & time become even more valuable. But the good news is that with outplacement 2.0’s robust technology and virtual coaching, our services are accessible around the clock to meet participant’s schedules.

Finally, outplacement companies that don’t have a brick & mortar infrastructure, like Careerminds, can pass those significant savings onto the client. Also, we average just under 12 weeks for placement and have an acceptance rate of near 80%. It’s common for our competition to have an average acceptance rate of 20-30% of participants that are offered the benefit.

3. What are the main steps in the outplacement process?

The main steps in the outplacement process are:

• Selecting the vendor (do you want traditional or more innovative?)
• Signing the agreement
• Deciding which employees will be offered outplacement and at what levels
• Completing an on-boarding call to meet your direct contact, receive materials, and learn how to access HR tracking platform, etc.
• Send your outplacement provider the participant list
• Outplacement outreach then begins immediately
• Participant signs-up for service
• Program begins and participant becomes engaged in the process
• Billing occurs
• HR tracks the progress
• Participants land jobs!

4. Where do you see HR outplacement & coaching in ten years?

HR outplacement & coaching will continue to improve rapidly. HR should utilize a vendor that is a pioneer in outplacement 2.0, and one that will be leading the way to 3.0 and beyond. Artificial Intelligence (A.I) will probably be a reality in 10 years and will create efficiencies for job search, resume writing, and many other outplacement technologies. But Natural Intelligence (N.I) through the virtual coaching of humans will continue to be a necessity at least for several decades.

5. What advice would you give to someone looking to choose an outplacement service?

When reviewing vendors to choose an outplacement service, look for these elements:

• Unlimited, one-on-one, virtual coaching with 18/7 access
• Robust technology through the cloud
• “Until Placement”
• Provider of their own social network
• Professional Resume Writing
• LinkedIn Optimization
• Proprietary job search technology
• Affordable Pricing
• Personal program customization
• Webinars
• Discussion Forums
• Online chat
• Lessons provided by an on-screen guide
• Behavioral based interview practice

It is important for HR executives to have adequate outplacement training before conducting a layoff event. They need to understand all of the intricacies involved with the process from selecting employees to actually conducting layoffs. The above questions are a great starter for outplacement training, but HR executives should continue to educate themselves beyond this to ensure a successful layoff experience.

Want to learn more about Careerminds outplacement? Schedule a demo today.

Further Reading:

How Technology Is Changing How We Treat The Outplacement Process

6 Common Questions About Outplacement Coaching Services

Everything You Could Ever Want To Know About Outplacement Technology