Getting redundancy right

Companies forced to make employees redundant need to carefully manage the process to protect their organisation and minimise potential damage to their remaining staff and their brand, according to a leading human resources consultant.

ìThe flow-on effects from the global financial crisis mean a generation of managers who have never made a retrenchment before are suddenly faced with laying off staff,î says June Parker, General Manager with LINK HR Consulting.

ìOutplacement providers have seen a huge increase in demand, as organisations seek assistance and advice about the best way to help staff through what can be a very difficult and traumatic process.î

Organisations seeking outplacement services should look for a provider that offers coaching for managers in how to make ëseparation decisionsí and deliver the news to staff.

ìInstead of calling in the outsourcing experts once redundancies have been made, it is preferable to work with your consultant to get these early stages right, getting this wrong can be a substantial hit to staff moral, as well as to the companyís internal and external brand.î

Parker says best-practice outplacement services recognise that individual employees experience the transition and separation differently.

ìOutplacement needs to be tailored, as some employees made redundant are more positive whilst others are devastated,î Parker explains.

ìA good outplacement provider never assumes how someone will react, knows how to deal with the employeeís emotions, and allows individuals to express themselves in a safe environment.î

Parker says managers often make the mistake of assuming outplacement services only need to find employees a new job. She says the focus should be on taking the individual through a journey, which ultimately results in supporting the employee find a new job.

ìWhat can be even more important is the opportunity for an individual to be guided through an assessment of their skills, personality, motivations, career options and work preferences.

ìThis prepares them to move, when ready, to the most appropriate next stage in their career and life.î

It is essential that the outplacement service has the flexibility to cope with different staff needs, as some may only seek limited advice, while others will need more intensive guidance such as interview skills or networking skills coaching.

LINK HR Consulting provides one-on-one or group outplacement services offered at three levels of increasing support, varying from coaching on resume preparation, job search and interview skills to the most intensive level of support which includes career, personality and skills assessment with ongoing coaching, a full job search strategy with intensive assistance, as well as employer assistance in planning and implementing separation events.