How Technology Is Changing How We Treat The Outplacement Process
October 09, 2017 by Lydia DeSimone
As technology continues to change every aspect of our society, it has disrupted countless industries over the last decade, including those in the HR space. Here at Careerminds, we have been at the forefront of this disruption, continuously adjusting our outplacement process for a more technologically-driven future.
Our innovation was born out of personal experience when, ten years ago, our CEO, Raymond Lee, was a human resources executive experiencing the downfalls of the traditional outplacement process from the buyer’s perspective. This is what motivated him to develop the technology-based outplacement process methodology that has lead Careerminds to become one of the most innovative disruptors in the industry.
Side note– make sure to download the pricing information for our outplacement programs:
Recently, we found online chatter about how the outplacement process has changed over the years, going from a brick-and-mortar service to a virtual one.
Our team was able to unanimously agree that the progression of technology is one of, if not the most, important shift in the outplacement process. To further investigate this theory, we enlisted our Director of Business Development, Lydia DeSimone, to answer questions about the subject matter.
1. What does a traditional outplacement process look like?
A traditional outplacement process consists of the following:
- Going into a local office
- Receiving a resume review and update
- Receiving job search assistance
However, this process is only for a set amount of time determined by the outplacement support agreement with the participant’s organization. Depending on the provider, a participant in an outplacement program may only get up to 1 month of support. This is not enough time for someone to complete an entire outplacement program and find a job. This is especially true when participants are expected to drive into brick-and-mortar office, which is common in traditional outplacement processes.
2. What innovations have happened in the outplacement industry in the past ten years?
With so many SaaS (software as a service) options now available for all things business related, the outplacement process has naturally expanded into that space.This gives the participants in a program the option and flexibility to work remotely at whatever time is most convenient to them. (Versus the standard Monday – Friday office hours that most traditional outplacement providers keep).
Innovations have also allowed for the development of Career Management Systems (CMSs) to assist participants with every step of the process alongside the support of a coach. This makes it that much easier for busy job seekers.
Today’s outplacement participant can log into our Career Management System from their own home at night while waiting for dinner to come out of the oven! They can attend webinars and work through our learning modules at their own convenience. Also, our coaches are dedicated to a participant throughout the process, and can call, email or Skype their participants outside of normal business hours.
What Are the Steps in the Outplacement Process?To put it simply:
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Ten years ago, a traditional outplacement process would consist of a participant meeting with whichever coach was available at the office during normal business hours and receiving outdated print learning materials.
3. How have these innovations impacted the overall outplacement process? What does a modern day, start to finish outplacement process look like for organizations?
In the modern world, the outplacement process is flexible, easy to use and understand, and works around a participant’s time table.
Here is an example of an outplacement process:
- The participant is notified of being let go and is given our information.
- They are set up in our system and have an orientation call with their dedicated coach.
- They work through our learning materials, attend webinars, and get their resume written by one of our staff.
- They use our tools to apply to different jobs on the market and receive coaching about different steps of the job interview process.
- They get a new position! (On average this takes our organization less than 12 weeks.)
As you can see from this process, there is no need for participants to waste gas, mileage or non-productive time sitting in traffic. They can log on anytime on any mobile device at any location of their choosing. All they need is wifi! It is so convenient and easy to use.
4. What are some key differentiators that Careerminds provides throughout the entire outplacement process?
The first and foremost key differentiator is our program’s flexibility. Our program has no time constraints, no limits on coaching sessions, and we work with the participant until placement!
Also there is nothing our participants have to download. They can access our Career Management System on their smart phone, tablet, laptop, etc. They don’t need to be in an office during business hours. They can be at home, in a coffee shop or even at a beach! As long as they have access to the internet, they can log in, use our learning materials, review jobs, and apply to positions.
5. How do you see the outplacement industry – and thus the process used by most outplacement firms – changing in the next ten years?
If other Outplacement providers don’t make it easier and more convenient for their users, they won’t be around much longer. The traditional outplacement services costs do not provide the value that they should for their hefty price tag.
In today’s world, the need for speed and the on-the-go mindset are the motivating factors for making the outplacement process we use at Careerminds so in demand. I can see our outplacement delivery methodology evolving into a MUST HAVE for all companies due to its affordability and success with improving employer brand.
Technology is changing the outplacement process rapidly. Providers that stick to the traditional outplacement process that doesn’t embrace technological innovations will not be able to provide the value of service necessary to support clients during times of workforce transition.
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