Oz Outplacement

The last available data on redundancies stated that in 2013,381,000 jobs were made redundant nationwide(http://www.abs.gov.au/ausstats/abs@.nsf/products/795FEBA87AB92A40CA257D0E001AC702?OpenDocument ). There was a sharp increase in redundancies from 2008 (2%) to 2010 (3.1%) where it has generally remained steady.

My work with a number of these individuals on a daily basis, has crystallised for me, the critical importance of organisations who are restructuring,to employ an outplacement consultant. Individuals are far more open and honest in discussions with me as an external party. An outplacement consultant is viewed as unbiased and there to assist the candidate in preparing them for their next role.There are certainly times when the outplacement consultant bears the brunt of the initial emotional backlash from affected individuals. The candidates might view the presence of the outplacement consultant as something orchestrated by the organisation and suspect that the outplacement consultant would be acting on the organisation’s and in their interest and not the candidate’s. However, these incidents are in the minority and almost always, as the process unfolds, under the guidance of a skilled outplacement consultant, individuals eagerly participate, work hard at getting job ready and by the end of the process, are excited about the future.

The main reasons organisations would employ an external outplacement consultant:

• ·         To provide on-site support on the day of announcement: theoutplacement consultant provides support and guidance for the next step
• ·         Providing remaining employees with a sense of care and responsibility on the part of their employer
• ·         Maintaining the organisation’s reputation for supporting employees and taking their welfare seriously
• ·         Limiting potential litigation costs of disgruntled ex-employees.

In order to get the full benefits from the outplacement service, it is important that the organisation is engaged in the service, demonstrate their commitment to the outcome and keep communicating with both the affected individuals as well as the remaining employees. If this last important step is not done, then yes, the whole process can appear as just another “tick” the organisation had to put in place as part of the downsizing process.

For a confidential discussion on how we can assist you with Outplacement services or to understand what the process entails, don’t hesitate to contact Carmen at  Oz Outplacements Tel: (61) 4630 9585 or info@ozoutplacement.com.au Alternatively, you can find more information on our site at: https://ozoutplacement.com.au/collections/frontpage