3 Ways Outplacement Services Can Give You an Edge in Recruitment

Even though you might not have recruitment on your mind when you’re letting people go, offering outplacement services as part of your severance package can also help your company attract top talent when the time for hiring comes again - and it will.

Show your commitment to employee growth

Today’s top candidates want companies to be just as committed to fostering their employees’ growth as the employees themselves are. It’s no longer enough to give employees opportunities for training and development on the job; these days, employees need access to outplacement services that can help them develop new job skills, polish their resumes and cover letters and practice for interviews. Employees who have been with your company for a long time might need additional outplacement counseling. Outplacement services provide a range of opportunities that go above and beyond what a severance package can offer, including career-coaching and help finding positions that are a good fit.

Contributing to a strong company culture

It feels good for employees to know that if they lose their job, the company will help them find another one. It provides a sense of security that increases engagement and keeps those who stay behind productive, even in what can be a stressful environment of layoffs and bidding farewell to friends and colleagues. Layoffs change the community of colleagues within a company, but letting those who stay behind see the displaced employees transitioning easily to new roles with help from outplacement services keeps morale high.

It also creates the kind of company culture that talented candidates look for when they’re searching for jobs. Everyone wants to work at a company that aligns with their values, and one that makes them feel respected and valued as a human being, not just as a cog in the machine. Good candidates are going to be more interested in your company when they learn that you handle layoffs in a compassionate manner by including outplacement services in your severance package.

Remain unscathed by layoffs

While you may not be able to avoid making employees disgruntled, those that leave bad reviews on Glassdoor or make negative social media posts about how their layoffs were handled could do damage to your reputation. Disgruntled former employees are a lot more likely to file lawsuits against the companies that fired them, but even if they don’t, they can use social media and the internet to find a wide audience for their complaints about how they were handled during offboarding. Promising candidates might find this information and reconsider whether they want to work for your company.

Employees who feel supported in the transition to new employment, and who find a new position quickly thanks to the outplacement services they were offered, are usually less impacted by the experience of getting laid off, both emotionally and financially. They’re able to move on with their lives, and they’re more likely to leave positive online reviews and say good things about their experience with the company - perhaps specifically because of the outplacement services offered when they were let go. As a result, your company’s reputation is a lot less likely to sustain any real, lasting damage, like it might if you laid off a lot of people without offering any kind of outplacement assistance.

When it comes to recruiting, you have to show the best candidates that your company continues to support employees even after they’re no longer employed - with outplacement services as part of a severance package. Outplacement services reassure candidates that your company will support their growth no matter what, and that helps them feel confident enough to join the team.