Outplacement

Context

The separation of employer and employee is imminent. The employee is offered the chance to analyse his or her career path, skills, development potential and current and future possibilities from an objective and professional viewpoint.

Based on this detailed evaluation, long and short-term goals are formulated and the next steps are undertaken. The application process will be prepared and supervised.

The decision to enable departing employees to take part in an outplacement has a long-term and sustainable positive impact on a company's reputation because it shows that the company cares about its employees and their future, even when the desired synergy of a cooperation is no longer possible.

Process

The process is usually similar to that of coaching, but the initial situation and the objectives are different. In contrast to coaching, where the focus is on optimising the individual's skills and potential with the same employer whether in the current function or with a view to a possible or planned new position, the initial situation with outplacement is generally the parting of ways between an employer and employee, and the objective planning is not focused on a specific goal, a specific position or a predetermined job specification, but rather solely or at least mainly on the skills and possibilities of the individual in question.

An appraisal and "inventory" are taken, but the main emphasis is on two objectives:

• Firstly, an open and realistic examination of the strengths and weaknesses as well as the desires and development possibilities of the individual in question with a focus on the occupational activity, whereby both past experience as well as talents and/or unused potential will be considered. 
• The second objective is the formulation of career goals that are as precise as possible (incl. job content, specifications, expectations, options) both in the long term as well as relating directly to the next steps or the next position. When implementing these goals, tangible help is given. An application strategy is drawn up, job interviews are prepared for together, and impressions, feedback and results are discussed and critically analysed. In this way, the supervision corresponds exactly to the possibilities and skills of the individual in question.

Using an individualised personality analysis (focus on strengths, weaknesses, successes, failures, limits and desires), the past (job and personal history), present (current position, knowledge, experiences, emotional state) and future (development and further development possibilities, requirements and time horizon for goals and intermediate goals) are examined, analysed and discussed. This process is initiated together and, as far as possible and desired, accompanied.

Trust

Just as with coaching, extreme professionalism and mutual trust form the basis of the collaboration, although the trust aspect is more strongly encouraged between the job seeker and the coach, as the employer usually receives only basic information about the proceedings, and this information is always discussed by the job seeker and the coach. However, the employer receives notice when the collaboration is completed or when a new job contract has been signed with a new employer by the job seeker.

End

Depending on the initial situation and the objectives, the length of the collaboration as well as the number of meetings can be set beforehand, or it can be ended when a new job has been found or when the trial period for a new job has been completed.

It is also possible to extend the collaboration for a certain period of time in the event of any special challenges, or to continue it until the objective is achieved, such as the completion of a trial period in a specific position.

For the purpose of quality assurance, it is advisable to maintain contact and also review long-term development after several years, especially in the case of larger collaborations.