A few decades ago it was the norm to get a job at 18 or so and stayed with the same company for 45 years. Times have changed since then and with today’s technology and ever changing environment, this is no longer the case. Some people even choose to not go to University but start to work as soon as they are done with school at the age of 16. They work for about 2 years and then change employer or job to get as much experience as possible. Connecting jobs and people can be a highly challenging assignment and in any work situation there are people who are misplaced whereby their jobs don’t make use of their skills and talents, and employees who are doing jobs they are no longer qualified to do because of reasons as new technology. If a company needs to restructure it has to deal with these employees, either by finding them alternative positions inside the company, or make unfortunate redundancies.
Our work often gives us our sense of personal identity, providing us with self-respect and social status. When meeting someone for the first time, one of the most common questions asked is ‘what do you do’? Although we like to complain about our jobs, generally work is seen as a positive thing and if we didn’t have work to occupy us our lives would lose a lot of its meaning. Some view work as their main supply of satisfaction in life, finding it a deeply rewarding experience and crucial for a successful society.
Termination, redundancy,
downsizing or outplacement, whatever you want to call it, it is extremely important that it is dealt with using sensitivity and understanding. The effects of a job loss on an individual can be extreme as suddenly life has to be contemplated without their familiar benefits of a regular pay check, health insurance, company car, overtime, etc. However it is not only the material effects to deal with, there are psychological factors to be taken into consideration including stress, worry, self confidence and their feelings socially. Organizations also need to be concerned about the staff not facing redundancy as they might feel guilty, fear for the future and de-motivated.
Downsizing, terminations and other outplacement consulting has gone from being dealt with by the company’s HR department into a specialized profession. Career transition specialists work with businesses that are facing change either because of closure, restructure or integration and help them with the decision on the best plan of dealing with their employees. There are several services available for the employees facing the loss of their job and also to the rest of the staff who are not affected by the changes as the change to the working atmosphere will affect everyone in the company.
In order to keep up with competition and survive in the ruthless world we live in every company has to restructure at times. There are going to be decisions that some individuals will not like, but if you can make these people see that the company supports their staff through transition programs, it will reassure them and give a sense of security.
A career change can be scary and if you have had no choice or thought in the decision this can make it even harder. Sometimes though, we all need a little push to get us motivated in deciding on a new direction, a new job or a new career that will offer stimulation and challenge. If you do find yourself in this position then career management and
outplacement consultants can maximize your chances of finding a suitable and exciting career, involving planning, preparing and even retraining and acquiring new skills.
If you are an organization or an individual, career management and outplacement specialists can offer an abundance of experience in a range of business environments to you. Experts in how to support a diverse variety of needs and they are the perfect specialists to consult if your organization is heading towards a change.
Michiel Van Kets provides articles for Diana Rickard, who is a Career
Outplacement ConsultantFor more information, check out
Career Management Planning and Outplacement.
