Some people find that paying for an employee to be supported as they are being laid off is a grudge purchase for many, just as the cost of insurance is.
But just like insurance, when you do provide outplacement for your departing staff, you are mitigating risk for your employer.
What sort of risks?
By looking after your departing employees, you will be:
- Signalling to your existing employees that you care about all of your people – even if they no longer have a role with your business;
- Fulfilling your moral obligation to care for people – an Occupation Health Safety and Environment (OHSE) obligation of sorts – that provides emotional safety and support for your departing employees;
- Protecting your business’ brand: it may have occurred to you by now that anyone, from the most junior employee to your most senior executive can become their own media channel. Through social media, your business brand can get supported and praised, or on the other side of the coin, trashed – and there are websites that encourage anyone (no matter what level in the hierarchy) to anonymously vent and to share what it was really like to work in a business;
- Mitigating any damage done to your supply chain and customer base. It’s a competitive world. The last thing any supplier or customer wants to do is supply to or buy from a damaged brand;
- Helping to improve your future pipeline of staff – who will want to work for a brand that is well-respected in the market.
Outplacement should not be seen as a grudge purchase. Instead it should be seen as worthwhile and appropriate investment.
What’s your view?
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