Restructuring a company usually involves collective redundancies. Reduction of jobs, however, does not always mean that the company is in financial trouble. It can be caused, for example, by a change in the organization’s operating strategy. Regardless of the reasons, parting with the current employer can be a difficult experience for the employee. There is a solution that allows you to minimize the psychological costs of this process. We are talking about outplacement.

Outplacement is a word that comes from the English language. In Polish, we can come across terms such as: program of professional activation of people made redundant, program of support for professional change, system of monitored layoffs and system of soft layoffs.

The first programs of this type were created in the 1940s in the United States. In Poland, companies specializing in professional activation of people made redundant appeared in the late 1990s. Today, the market of outplacement services is very diverse. Outplacement, by definition, is a set of activities that help minimize the negative effects of losing employment as a result of dismissal by the employer.

Outplacement can be divided into:

• individual (if the support program is aimed at one employee, most often a manager or manager);
• group (if the professional change support program concerns a group of people),

and

• internal (outplacement is carried out within the internal structures of the organization);
• external (when the support program is implemented by an external company).

Losing a job can have a negative impact on the mental condition of the people made redundant. This is especially true for people who have been working in one company for many years. The purpose of outplacement is to support laid-off employees and help them find new employment. These people may include on:

• psychological support;
• assistance in creating a professional CV and other application documents, as well as an image in social media;
• expert advice;
• professional preparation for the interview;
• assistance in creating an individual job search strategy and professional goals.

Of course, there can be more forms of support. Each program of professional activation of people made redundant may look slightly different, depending on the company’s outplacement policy or the type of position held so far.

Outplacement is a huge support for an employee who is just finishing a certain stage in his life. Thanks to the controlled dismissal program, such a person has a chance to find a new job faster – even if he has been associated with the company for many years.

In the case of outsourcing, the professional change support program is carried out by specialists from the external company. The redundant employee may benefit from counseling in the field of self-presentation techniques, thus acquiring new skills that will improve his competitiveness on the labor market.

It is also worth mentioning the psychological costs of losing a job. The system of controlled dismissals makes it easier for the employee to part with the organization. Thanks to this, a person who ends cooperation with the company does not perceive the dismissal as a professional failure, but is able to see in this situation an opportunity for development in another place, in another profession or on their own account – some of the dismissed employees decide to open their own business .

That is why outplacement is more than help in finding a new job. Thanks to professional career counseling and the support of the best experts in the industry, the redundant employee has a chance to look at himself from a new perspective. It is a very interesting and developing experience that can become a turning point in your professional career.

Outplacement brings benefits not only to the employee, but also to the employer. The system of controlled releases helps to prevent the development of conflicts. A company that supports its current employees in their professional change is perceived as socially responsible. This is a chance to avoid an image crisis related to job cuts and possible legal problems resulting from claims by dissatisfied employees.

Source:https://hrk.pl/pl/baza-wiedzy/artykuly-eksperckie/na-czem-polega-outplacement

Supported by Norway through Norway Grants 2014-2021, in the frame of the Programme “Social Dialogue – Decent Work”.