Outplacement is a job service offered to laid-off workers by their former employers. Obviously, outplacement services are not offered by every business. That is why you do not hear about them at any small business forums. The businesses that use these outplacement services are much better received by the public and workers, though. That is why you should not go back on your decision to bring an outplacement program to your existing business. In fact, there are a number of methods that you can utilize to create an outplacement program at your business that rivals those offered by B corporations twice your size. Use a combination of the services listed below to create an outplacement program at your business.
Severance Pay
Severance packages are the most common type of outplacement resources available to laid-off employees. Severance compensation is typically provided to employees as they are let go. Further, most businesses choose to offer the severance payment as one lump sum. You can, of course, choose to dole out severance payments over the course of several weeks or months. That is up to you, the business owner, when designing your own outplacement services for the first time.
Healthcare Continuation
Severance packages also frequently include a healthcare component. You may opt to offer continuing healthcare plan protections for your former employees. These supplemental healthcare plans can last for a few weeks or a few months. Consider the cost your business will incur when deciding whether or not to include continuing healthcare plans in your outplacement severance package.
Training
Skills training programs are another handy offering when outplacing employees. Outplacement services frequently provide skills training to laid off employees. This helps them to re-learn the skills necessary for job hunting. It can also help them refresh the skills that it requires to be a successful employee at the next job. In fact, the types of outplacement training programs you provide workers you lay off is entirely up to you. This is another service often provided to outplaced workers that you can consider implementing at your business.
Resume Services
Resume writing and editing services are frequently included in most outplacement offerings. These resume editing services help laid-off employees find jobs that accurately reflect their skills and experience. They can help your former employees best optimize their resumes for resume software. Clearly, this is a valuable service to provide in outplacement programs. You may want to consider this when creating an outplacement program for the first time.
Long-Term Guidance
The best outplacement services even include long-term guidance for workers if they should need it. These long-term coaching services allow your former employees to receive advice and answers to questions when they are still on the job market. This can be invaluable to those that are out-of-work, who often lose confidence and motivation after a couple months searching for jobs. Those coaches are there to remind them of the motivation factors that will help them find and succeed in a job. If you are trying to offer the best outplacement services to your former workers, long-term job search coaching is something to consider including.
Business owners who care about their workers can experience their own heartache when they have to let an employee go. There are many different types of leadership. But, if you are one of the good leaders and business owners who value their employees, it can be hard. Thankfully, you can lessen the hurt a little bit by providing outplacement programs at your business. An outplacement program will help prepare laid-off workers to navigate the job market. It will also help you feel a little better about laying off employees.