By Markey Read

Releasing staff can provokes feelings disillusionment, anger, and mistrust. These emotions and the negative ramifications, however, can be minimized when a company hires an outplacement consultant. In the short and long run, outplacement services will payoff for both the employee and the company.

Having an outplacement counselor available helps to disperse and minimize blame and frustration of job loss by redirecting the energy from loss to opportunity. Losing a job can be emotionally volatile. When an people take the opportunity to examine the circumstance, they usually recognizes that they either did not fit into the company culture or were dissatisfied in the position. After the initial shock, most people feel relieved to be free from a job or company that did not support them.

Planning for the Release

When preparing for the release of staff, it is vitally important for human resources and management to work together in planning the announcement, the support system, and to identify potential problem areas.

Equally important in the preparation plan is the timing of the announcement. Early in the week and mornings are the best time. Releasing an employee and sending him/her home on a Friday afternoon is brutal. Given the weekend to mull over the situation, many people spiral into depression or anger and this only prolongs the recovery process.

Smoothing the transition

Outplacement consultants are hired to work with both employers and affected employees. After the initial crisis support, the consultant’s primary role is to assist people in a smooth transition from job loss to re-employment and offer advice and assistance relative to job search and procurement.

Although some companies attempt to handle the outplacement services internally, employees are usually more receptive to an external counselor. Additionally, managers and human resource professionals are not always trained in counseling employees who have been terminated.

All employees benefit from such assistance. Traditionally outplacement services were only offered to upper level employees. Today, however, more companies offer services to all levels of employees partially due to the increase in litigation and violence and simply because more companies are committed to supporting their employees in a making a successful transition.

Reduce Potential Trouble

Handling a termination professionally, will greatly diminish the threat of litigation , and ill will toward the company. Terminated employees often fail to consider the consequences to their careers and job searches when they seek retribution.

People sue companies to express their anger and bitterness over the way they been treated. Remember a terminated employee who is talking to an outplacement consultant about job opportunities is not speaking to a lawyer about unfair treatment.

The key is to treat people appropriately. Outplacement consultants provide people with a safe place to vent and then move into an effective job search. Once the anger is dispersed, the consultant can direct the engird toward developing a powerful resume, targeting employers, networking, and sharpening interviewing skills.

If a company gains the reputation for low job security and of dealing coldly with their employees, recruiting new quality candidates becomes more challenging. Hiring a consultant demonstrates that the company acts responsibly and humanely when releasing staff. Outplacement services can transform termination into a prime opportunity for the public to see how an effective organization is pertaining to productivity and at treating everyone humanely.