Author: Arlene Newman
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For both employees and an organization, losing a job or laying someone off can be a very difficult situation. Employees oftentimes feel lost while the organization wants to mitigate the potential damages. Outplacement services offer former employees career coaching opportunities to attain newfound success and provide organizations the ability to maintain a positive reputation.
There can be a lot of unnecessary pain involved with laying off employees. It is a challenging time for these employees, and the organization can help ease that pain and avoid potential legal complications by offering outplacement through severance packages. Outplacement services allow employers to provide their exiting employees with the skills and strategies to enhance their job search and their presence in the job market.
While outplacement services are most commonly offered by organizations, individuals can also seek out the advisement of a career coach. Outplacement goes far beyond just resume editing. Other services include career exploration, personal branding, online image management on platforms such as LinkedIn, networking, interview preparation, and salary negotiations.
For organizations, it is critical to end the relationship with past employees on a positive note. The popularity of social media to review and evaluate companies can lead to the spread of negative press about an organization if employees believe their termination was not handled well. Negative reviews can result in potential employees not wanting to join an organization since most candidates are looking for “Employers of Choice” with excellent reputations.
Although the price of outplacement varies, investing in career coaching services is an important business strategy because it demonstrates that the organization cares about their workers, and it strengthens their relationships with their employees, both past and present. Without providing outplacement, current employees may believe they work for a company that perceives them as unimportant and replaceable, which can negatively impact productivity and morale.
Individuals who are offered or seek outplacement services can increase their visibility in the job market by using career coaching to reassess and showcase their skills. During this difficult transition period, it is important that they channel their energy into a positive job search by taking advantage of the services provided.
Reassessment is a key factor in outplacement services. Maybe former employees have gained new abilities during the time they worked for their previous employer. Or maybe they want to dive into a new field. Either way, with the services provided by their outplacement coach, they will be well prepared for interviews and networking opportunities. Beyond the services provided, a good career coach will be with a client during every step of the process.
Both employees and employers can ease the stress of termination by using career coaching services provided through outplacement to gain new opportunities and ensure former employees have an easy transition back into the job market!
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Arlene Newman is the President and Founder of Career Bound Success and former President of NYC SHRM. She specializes in Career Advancement, Transition & Outplacement.
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/arlenenewman/
Twitter: @anewmancareers
