The number of public employers in the United Kingdom seeking outplacement assistance is expected to increase during the near future.
Officials in the U.K. are expecting many employers in that country's public sector to begin increasing the rate at which they lay off employees. This should in turn increase the number of HR departments looking into and dealing with outplacement services.
"The demand – for outplacement services – is likely to increase as more and more public sector organizations implement the radical changes they need to balance their books," Gillian Hibberd, president of the Public Sector People Managers' Association, told the Guardian.
Whether or not an HR department uses outplacement services typically depends on the resources they have available. Most outplacement organizations are able to deal with the legal aspects of layoffs, help those who lose their jobs find other options, and refocus and re-energize remaining employees.
The outplacement process is usually made up of two phases, with the initial "diagnostic" phase assessing displaced employees' character and aspirations, and the second phase focusing on resumes, networking and job hunting.
The Guardian offers the following advice to HR departments that are new to the idea of outplacement:
- Check the various options offered and their costs.
- Decide what is appropriate to budget and needs.
- Check the services offered by outplacement providers.
- Ensure they are social media savvy, as this is now key to finding work.
- Check the experience and backgrounds of the outplacement specialists used.
- Devise measures and objectives to judge the efficacy of the service the employer is paying for.
- Set measurable objectives, such as weeks it takes ex-staff to find work.
- Insist on regular progress meetings and reports.
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