Authentic advocacy enhances organisational employment brand
There is every chance that as an employer, there are times when you must let workers go. As challenging as this may be, there is a way to make the experience dignified and as positive as possible for everyone involved. To offer outplacement, (an employer-sponsored benefit, provided to employees who have been laid off) is to provide an olive branch with the intention to help employees experiencing job loss, to smoothly transition in their career to another role or industry. Just as compelling, outplacement can also protect your organisation’s reputation.
If you have ever lost your job unexpectantly, then you will have a sense of just how gut wrenching it can feel. Alone in our thoughts, we can quickly experience distress, debilitating anxiety, and plummeting self-esteem. At the time, it can feel like it’s the end of the world, although, in the grand scheme of things, it will likely be just a small setback or a blip on your career path. Nonetheless, the pain felt by the individual extends well beyond their own challenging borders and can have rippling effects in the organisation as the word ‘redundancy’ is whispered in the corridors.
While the benefits of outplacement to the individual and the organisations reputation are indisputable, the benefits will only be realised through authentic advocacy for the service by the sponsor, where an impacted employee can grasp the genuine value of the outplacement services offered. This includes being crystal clear with the employees about what the services provided are, how long they can take advantage of them and the benefits they will provide them.
If you don’t have ‘a skin in the game relationship with outplacement’, then nor will they, and a great opportunity is missed. It’s even more important to connect the outplacement provider personally with the individual and make communication between the two parties possible. If the sponsor needs to raise their awareness of the value of it, then talk to us as it makes a difference and carries a lot of weight not only for the person who has been laid off, but for all of those involved in the redundancy event, and those looking on.
A paradigm shift and springboard to new opportunities
Timeliness is key! The deliberatepractice way is to have our skilled career consultants engage with and meet individuals immediately after being told that they no longer have a job. We are there to listen, allow them to vent and provide reassurance around their fears and concerns. By being there, we can help change the focus from job loss to the incredible opportunities ahead and a springboard to a wonderful next chapter. It’s not a ‘rear vision focus’, it’s future-focused, and looks ahead through the ‘windscreen’. Our professional gets to reinforce what someone has, not what they have lost. Before our eyes, we may witness a shift from devastation to feeling supported and hopeful and looking forward to making a professional transformation opening doors to new possibilities and happiness. There’s no cookie cutter mold for this that works – everyone is an individual, everyone has a story to tell, and everyone has their own unique value. Our role is to work with all of that and add value.
The real value of bespoke career & outplacement services
Our bespoke services aim to help people navigate the job market and find new employment opportunities, based on their unique needs, faster than if they were to perform the job search alone, setting them up for success. Yes, it’s things like personal branding, career assessment, resume development, building a social media presence, creating a job search campaign, networking skills, creating introductions, and practicing interviews. But it’s so much more! It’s a safe space to open and reveal fears or concerns and receive support in controlling emotions and stress behaviors, and if needed, to adopt a curious attitude to reduce stress and identify opportunities. It’s a way to reflect and take stock of real passion and drive, explore successes and accomplishments, assets and skill, interests and values and to inform future options – to explore the purpose and ones ‘why’.
Our entire lineage has been boutique and personal, a huge benefit because it enables our personality to shine; our relationships to deepen; and allows flexibility to thrive when working with our clients. We believe that cookie cutter solutions have many limitations, overlook individual circumstances, ignore strengths and weaknesses and can be superficial and outdated. Instead, we have a client-centered approach that emphasises listening and understanding and can address unique challenges. Ultimately, we offer skilled coaching, tools, strategies and practical support needed to present effectively in the marketplace and leverage our understanding of the world of work and career coaching experience to address any emotional and practical challenges impeding a successful transition campaign.
Imagine a former employee out there in the job market, conducting networking meetings, talking to recruiters, former clients and attending job interviews. I expect you would hope that they might be endorsing your employer brand and saying something like: “You know what! While I was saddened and a little angry initially, ultimately, my employer really looked after me on the way out. They gave me an opportunity to take time with a coach to deal with the loss, but to give me the focus and platform to identify my personal brand, understand my career needs and take stock of what’s important. My coach helped me with a targeted networking strategy so that I could enhance my visibility and do it well and explore options with new contacts. It’s become a great springboard for me, and I have opened my eyes to many new possibilities.” That kind of endorsement is gold. It makes it so much easier to recruit good talent and maintain a strong company reputation.
At deliberatepractice, we work closely to create a tailored and vibrant affiliation with our partner clients and can play an important role in strengthening your brand through bespoke outplacement services that demonstrate an investment in what happens to your people, after they leave. Careers matter so allow us to be the partner to lead a smooth and professional transformation and the expertise to make this journey a success.
To arrange a conversation about our range of career transition and outplacement services, contact our Careers Team on:
m: 1300335423
e: careers@deliberatepractice.com.au
Related: Impact of Career Transitions
