Outplacement and talent development strengthen employer brand during moments of growth, change and transition. As organizations navigate ongoing disruption, investing in employee development and supportive career transition services helps enhance experience, protect reputation and attract top talent.
In today’s ever-changing world of work, transformations and reorganizations are becoming more commonplace, with organizations seeking greater advantages in an increasingly competitive market. No doubt, the recent effects of globalization, digitization and market fluctuations have necessitated RIFs, layoffs and many restructuring initiatives, creating new growth opportunities and risks across the business landscape.
How Does Organizational Change Affect Your Workforce?
Organizational transformations can be deeply disruptive across the entire workforce, triggering psychological strain while eroding morale and productivity.
As any HR leader can tell you, organizational transformations can be challenging to pull off, and many can be plain miserable. In fact, organizational change commonly causes these symptoms in both departing and remaining employees:
- Sleep disruptions – trouble falling or staying asleep
- Emotional responses – such as frustration or anger
- Distressed thinking – overthinking and a heightened sense of threat
- Panic – less common, but physical symptoms such as racing heart and shortness of breath
With 69% of U.S. employers struggling to find the talent with the skills they need, employers must ensure successful reorganizations while mitigating the stress and bad feelings of exiting and retained employees. Indeed, poor employee experiences can tarnish employer brands.
How Important Is Employer Branding?
Employer branding plays a critical role in attracting and retaining talent, especially during periods of disruption. According to LinkedIn Business:
Professionals under 40 are 61% more likely to consider the employer’s brand when weighing job opportunities.
It’s critical that organizations maintain a strong value proposition and remain an employer of choice to access in-demand talent.
Employees should be viewed as customers of the organization. Like customers, they:
- Research company reputation
- Read reviews on platforms like Glassdoor
- Share their experiences across professional networks
As a result, layoffs and restructurings are no longer private operational decisions — they’re public brand moments.
How Can Organizations Protect Their Brand Reputations During Layoffs and Transformations?
To protect their brand, organizations must take a proactive, human-centered approach. A strong talent development strategy paired with a robust outplacement program lays the foundation.
Holistic Talent Development
Research shows that supporting employees’ talent development is the top driver of retention and employee satisfaction. Still, many companies continue to rely on antiquated practices like “one and done” annual performance reviews to manage performance.
To ensure high retention and promote a winning employer value proposition — particularly during transformations and in today’s fluctuating job market — leaders must commit to providing talent development support across the business.
A common misconception is that the only solution for internal talent development is a promotion to a higher-level role. Promotion is not always possible, but a move to a different department, more exposure to senior leadership and/or an opportunity to work on different projects often are. This is why we no longer talk about the career ladder.
Instead, Right Management’s experts encourage a career lattice. This more flexible model allows employees to move:
- Laterally across functions
- Vertically into new roles
- Diagonally to build new skills and capabilities
This approach delivers multiple benefits during restructuring:
- Retention of top performers by offering new growth paths
- Cost efficiency through reskilling and redeployment
- Workforce alignment with evolving business priorities
- Stronger employer brand perception
Overall, a lattice strategy can help create more resilient organizations that are ready for the future while also cultivating positive impressions necessary for attracting in-demand talent.
A Supportive Outplacement Program
Layoffs and RIFs during a reorganization are rarely good for brand reputations. However, organizations can mitigate risks to their employer brand by offering an outplacement program to exiting employees.
Offering outplacement to former employees means that they obtain critical assistance in identifying and preparing for their next career move.
A well-designed outplacement program provides practical and emotional support to individuals navigating career transitions. Services typically include:
- One-on-one career coaching
- Résumé and interview preparation
- Personal branding and social media guidance
- Job search strategy and tools
Such services ensure supportive care while helping transitioning employees land faster, thereby mitigating stress, financial troubles and the psychological trauma of job loss.
By providing a compassionate and proven helping hand, outplacement has the potential to transform how outgoing employees see their former organizations.
Organizations across the globe agree on the important role of outplacement during restructurings, layoffs and RIFs. Research from Worldmetrics finds that:
- 58% of U.S. companies offer outplacement, up from 41% in 2019
- 82% of HR professionals report that outplacement positively impacts employer brand reputation
- The ROI of outplacement is 1:3 — for every $1 spent, employers save $3 in turnover and severance costs
Key Takeaways for HR Leaders
By seeing employees as customers and supporting them at every stage of their careers, organizations can create a positive employee experience throughout their career journeys.
- A strong talent development strategy builds trust, engagement and long-term retention by showing employees a path forward.
- A human-centered outplacement program protects brand reputation by supporting departing employees with dignity and practical resources.
Together, these approaches reduce risk, preserve relationships and position organizations as employers of choice, even in times of disruption.
Learn how to protect your organization’s brand with a human-centered outplacement approach. Contact us.
