Most respected employers provide outplacement services. This goodwill is important for a multitude of reasons. Savvy business leaders offer these services to protect their reputation, to prevent litigation and to control unemployment costs.
Outplacement services offered usually include resume preparation, career counseling and coaching. These services are well received by most employees who might be feeling a wide range of negative emotions after being laid off. Having a professional to talk to about how to prepare for an interview or where to look to find a job can make a huge difference.
Executive packages tend to be higher priced services that last longer. Some offer onsite offices and one-on-one counseling and coaching. Depending on the amount of time the service is offered, the prices can go as high as $10,000 or more.
Outplacement Services as a Deterrent for Employee Turnover and Low Morale
There is no doubt that the remaining employees’ morale is on the line when they are forced to say goodbye to their colleagues due to layoffs. When a company offers outplacement services, the bitter pill of layoffs is much easier to swallow for all parties concerned, including the employees who are left wondering if they might be next.
Your Reputation Is at the Mercy of Your Ex-Employees and Current Staff Members
Companies recognize the importance of the public relations story being told by ex-employees when they discuss how they were treated when they were laid off. Imagine the difference in what is being said by an employee who was given an outplacement package to help them make a smooth transition and their counterpart who was only given a pink slip and a slap on the back. Taking care of ex-employees is an excellent way to take care of a company’s image.
There are too many companies who spend a small fortune on public relations and community involvement only to treat fired employees so badly that their reputation is ruined by the backlash. How a company treats employees is no secret. Most employees accept that layoffs are inevitable and have given up on getting a gold watch at retirement after working at a company for 30 years. That doesn’t mean they won’t have a lot to say about the way they are treated on the way out the door.
Viewing the Employer/Employee Association as an Ongoing Relationship
Smart business leadership recognizes how goodwill towards the people who have worked for the company can be worth a lot in the future. Layoffs don’t have to be permanent. In a marketplace that can be short on highly trained employees, it is nice to know that re-hiring talented ex-employees is an option. When you factor in the expense of hiring and training a brand new employee, outplacement prices are a bargain, with packages ranging from less than $1000 to $10,000 or more, depending on the services rendered.
Attracting the Best and Brightest Talent
Recruiting top talent is all about offering them “the best.” It’s a competitive marketplace where companies must compete for the top candidates by offering sweet perks and benefits in addition to a competitive salary. It is known that 71 percent of job seekers will want to work for a company that offers career coaching for laid off employees. Businesses interested in standing out in the crowd should seriously consider offering outplacement services if the expect to attract the type of talent they need to compete at the highest levels.
Conclusion
Prudent leaders are always looking ahead. That’s why outplacement services make good business sense. When the layoffs are over, how will the company’s image weather the storm? By offering outplacement services, a company shows that it truly cares and is prepared to recruit new talent.
