Why Outplacement?

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One of the key services offered by Career Evolution is outplacement, so it is hardly surprising it is a topic we regularly refer to and write about. But unless you have been on the receiving end of outplacement or have commissioned it for someone else, it is entirely possible you don’t know exactly what it is and how it can be beneficial to you.

Outplacement isn’t something that is ‘done’ to someone else, it is an important process that the recipient has to fully engage with to get the most out of it. In fact, your outplacement Consultant is going to make you work hard!

Time to refocus

If you are in the process of being made redundant it is easy to get lost in a negative mindset. However, one of the great benefits of outplacement is that it gives you an opportunity to really take a step back and think about what you really want to do next. It is an opportunity to refocus on your goals, as well as your wants and needs. You might be perfectly happy looking for a similar role in the same sector as the one you have been working in. Equally, you might be delighted to take a totally different path. Whichever it is, your Consultant will work with you to identify what you need to do to enable you to achieve your dream.

Up-to-date digitally and on paper

With all the recent coverage about skills shortages, it is natural to assume it will be easy to find your next role. But regardless of your experience, knowledge and transferable skills, it still takes work to find the right, next best move for you.  It is important that you commit your time to job hunting, and one of the most important things you need to do is ensure that your CV is up-to-date and your LinkedIn profile is an accurate reflection of your CV. At a senior level, you are likely to find that you will spend as much time, if not more, networking to find your next role rather than filling in application forms.

Don’t be disheartened

Whatever time of year it is, you will be competing against other people looking for that next career move too. However, having an outplacement Consultant working with you, will help ensure you stay focused and accountable, and that commitment to the search, will help you achieve the role that you want – and when you find it, they will continue to help you prepare for the interview and finalise your offer.

Beyond redundancy

We all react differently to change in our lives. If it’s a positive, exciting change, then it can energise and excite us. It can cause us to be more creative, or to focus on a ‘fresh start’. But if change is enforced upon us, it can be daunting and even cause us stress and other issues. This can be the case with redundancy. When the decision has been made for you, it can be very difficult to reconcile the reasoning behind it and instead take the decision personally. A counter view is to look at what else you can take out of such a situation. Redundancy doesn’t have to be perceived as overwhelmingly negative.

Uncontrollable change

The emotional effects of change shouldn’t be underestimated. In fact, it’s one of the cornerstones of Career Evolution’s ethos. We help clients deal with the emotional and personal stress of redundancy through outplacement, and aim to find a route that will set them on a new career path. We help our clients move in a more positive direction, with a positive outlook, and eventually towards a positive outcome. Our objectives are to help you take back control of your situation and your future. We do this in a number of ways.

Possibilities and opportunities

The flip side of any negativity is that redundancy opens up a variety of possibilities and opportunities. The key – and this can help a lot on the emotional side – is don’t see it as the end of one journey, but the beginning of a new one. If your redundancy has resulted in you receiving a lump sum, it could be the opportunity for you to invest it in starting your own small business. Even if you haven’t received a pay out or compensation, it might still be time to look at going solo, if the idea has ever appealed to you.

Exploring new avenues

If you don’t fancy branching out on your own, there are other options. If you have transferable skills, it could be that might want to change sectors. A Consultant will be able to define where your skillset might align with a career change. They will also be able to help you sharpen up your CV and give it a refresh and also hone your interview skills, if you are planning on applying for a new job. Another option is to retrain and try a different career path altogether. This might involve enrolling at college or university, or it might be something you can enrol in to learn online. A diverse array of courses are available online these days, in all kinds of fields and disciplines. Retraining and learning new skills can be very rewarding and the moment of redundancy might be just the stimulus you need to give it a go.

 

 

 

Time for change

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We all have a work persona, whether we acknowledge it or not. But with WFH so prevalent, it’s sometimes difficult to distinguish between your true self and your ‘work self’. The same is correct when it comes to making decisions about your career path and your future. Are you self-aware enough to identify where your future lies?  Are spending less time in the office, but working as many hours from home? Have you got a work-life balance that suits you? Or would it be beneficial for you to be in the office more?

WFH doesn’t suit everyone. Perhaps a move towards a more office-based culture would be a better fit. This is certainly true in creative industries, where collective thinking and collaboration are vital ingredients. And of course, not everyone has had a say in whether they work from home. If the balance isn’t suiting you, then perhaps it’s time for a change.

A fresh outlook

Don’t wait for a formal review to speak to your manager about your development. These conversations should be woven into formal and informal discussions throughout the year.  Discuss with your manager to ensure they are aware of your feelings and areas you would like to develop or change if possible.

However, if you are reviewing your career due to redundancy, don’t forget to ask your employer to fund outplacement. This will give you access to a professional Career Consultant to discuss and identify your options and how to achieve them. This might be in the same sector you occupy now, or it may be an allied industry – or a new area entirely. A Career Consultant will be able to identify aspects such as transferable skills, that can be deployed in an adjacent sector. They may also be able to steer you towards something you find more fulfilling or into a sector where the demand for new employees and thinking is high.

Taking control

Successful career management means taking control. The old notion of a career being a continued upward progression and of ‘jobs for life’ is one that doesn’t really sit with today’s workplace. People move around, roles and technology evolve, so sometimes you have to retrain just to keep up with modern working methods. Also, with remote working, the world’s literally your oyster when it comes to working locations. A Career Consultant can help you to identify what is most important to you, to prioritise your ambitions and analyse your skills. They can also look at aligning your goals with a work-life balance you would prefer – wherever you choose to work.

The role of positive workplace culture

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There is a lot in the news at the moment concerning workplace culture and negative trends like ‘silent quitting’. Workplace culture is the essence and definition of any business. It’s what unifies the employees and management. It decides how your company will be perceived from the outside world – from clients to competitors. On a fundamental level, it’s the company’s shared values and beliefs, its attitudes and the ethics that people in a workplace share. A positive culture is essential for any successful business. But in these uncertain times, how do you make sure that you introduce a positive culture into the workplace?

A positive atmosphere

Many companies have directly addressed workplace culture and gone to great lengths to engender a positive workplace atmosphere. This has in some cases extended to include places where employees can socialise, but usually it is more along the lines of a friendly, sociable atmosphere. It can include a certain degree of flexibility, to better suit a work/life balance. This may also include working from home, as part of a hybrid working model, or working certain days of the week. Flexitime has been a feature of employment for many years, but many firms have embraced a wider flexibility now. This can help accommodate school runs, for instance, or the care of elderly relatives. Acknowledging employee needs and addressing them go a long way to generating a positive workplace culture.

Minimum effort

Defining shared culture and values in your business is very important. You want people working for and with you that care about their jobs and their business. The ‘silent quitting’ or ‘quiet quitting’ trend is actually nothing new, but it has become popularised via platforms such as TikTok. The idea behind it is to only do enough in your role to get your job done. You won’t run the extra mile, or exceed the parameters of your duties or your salary. In short, it’s doing the bare minimum to keep your job. It’s spurred on by disillusionment and the fact that people don’t want their jobs to be their lives. They want to work to live, rather than living for their work.

Positive attitudes

However, in any company – and especially in a small one – this attitude can be detrimental to workplace culture. There’s no room for passengers and by encouraging a positive atmosphere and a pleasant, sociable workplace, this kind of attitude may be discouraged. Larger companies have a culture and set of values – often via mission statements or other mantra – that will be obvious from your research, interview and induction process with the firm. Culture even extends to how you represent the company via your dress and attitude. These are expectations from employers that it is hoped are nurtured and will prosper in businesses that have a positive workplace culture – and hopefully rub off on everyone else.