OutPlacement-News regularly reports on everything worth knowing about OutPlacement, NewPlacement, careers, professional separation, the application process, graduation, onboarding and integration.
OutPlacement-News: What options does separation management offer companies in addition to traditional termination, severance agreements or social plans?
NewPlacement.com: In professional separation management, the "double volunteer program" offers the opportunity for a fair, relaxed and future-oriented win-win. In contrast to mass redundancies or a wave of layoffs, the need for the company to cut jobs is resolved jointly and amicably with the employees and the works council. Both sides accept the interests of the other and take them into consideration. The program also offers an approach for employees' fears and concerns about the future.
OutPlacement-News: Why is this program referred to as "double"?
NewPlacement.com: The measure is referred to as double because the employees addressed can volunteer and the company must agree to participation in each individual case. In this context, the company can exclude individual employees who cannot currently be replaced for operational purposes. It should actually be called a "quadruple volunteer program", as the company can voluntarily decide in advance who will be approached and the employees can freely choose the outplacement provider from three.
OutPlacement-News: So there are volunteers and rejecters among the employees?
NewPlacement.com: That's a bit more comprehensive. There are committed volunteers; interested people who still need to be convinced; rejecters who you would like to have on board; volunteers who the company wants to keep. The most difficult part is convincing those who have declined and, in some cases, those who are interested. You have to have more than just a rejection from the company (retention program) ready for the top performers and experts who have volunteered.
OutPlacement-News: On what occasions do companies use this program?
NewPlacement.com: The reasons for a volunteer program are usually general reduction of personnel costs (offer to all), hierarchy reduction (offer to managers), closure of departments (individual) and restructuring (targeted).
OutPlacement-News: How can a company best prepare such a program?
NewPlacement.com: To prepare the measure, a project group is formed within the company with HR, purchasing, legal department, works council and management spokesperson and a steering committee with the participation of the management. Important framework conditions must be defined, such as timetable (e.g. announcement, information events, departure, end), number of employees affected, release modalities, severance payment amount (percentage per year of service), external outplacement providers (3 providers for participants to choose from) or Transfer provider (industrial employees, skilled workers).
OutPlacement-News: When does the company go live with the volunteer program?
NewPlacement.com: Once all preparations have been completed, the target group of the measure is invited to internal information events. Beforehand, the respective line managers must be trained by HR or the external partners. The employees who have expressed their interest in this program after the information event receive a special termination offer. Within this framework, they can also choose between 3 outplacement providers (methodology, coach). Under no circumstances should the term "low performer" be used in any communication, in contrast to some examples in the past. It creates rifts within the company and jeopardizes the future prospects of the participants in the program.
OutPlacement-News: Why do you need 3 OutPlacement providers?
NewPlacement.com: The future-oriented information talks with the providers (coaches, not acquirers) is an important point for the "spirit of optimism". The participants' decision for 1 of 3 providers promotes personal responsibility. Ultimately, it's about their future and a choice has proven its worth.
OutPlacement-News: Should the information sessions with the providers take place in groups or individually?
NewPlacement.com: Both. Some employees feel more comfortable in a group. However, you have to be prepared for disruptions from "rebels". These comments must not call into question the intentions of the others. However, NewPlacement coaches with management experience can handle this situation well. Afterwards, individual discussions take place for those who are interested or have made up their minds from the group.
OutPlacement-News: Are these informational discussions identical to the often agreed external perspective consultation?
NewPlacement.com: You have to differentiate between the two. Group events cannot constitute personal perspective counseling. The interested specialists must then receive comprehensive individual/perspective advice before starting. For management and executives, a 1-2 hour informational interview is not sufficient for a perspective consultation. Without detailed knowledge of the respective management profile and the demand factors in the specific target segment, it is not feasible for serious coaches to provide qualified perspective advice.
OutPlacement-News: What is the best way to deal with those who are interested and undecided?
NewPlacement.com: The employee's final decision can be secured by an additional "goal-finding offer" from the outplacement provider, which can be ordered without signing the termination agreement. In this process, the management or professional profile is developed and evaluated, personal benefits are established, realistic goals are identified and security is conveyed. In some reports, the turbo or sprinter bonus is wrongly cited as an incentive to sign the agreement quickly. Pushing is counterproductive in this situation, where the professional future is at stake. In fact, these bonuses are advertised in the termination agreement for early termination of the separation period as a win-win (sharing of the remaining salary, savings on ancillary social costs). For this reason, however, nobody should prematurely accept a job offer without adequate matching. However, the external coach also pays attention to this.
OutPlacement-News: What happens next for participants who have decided to take part after the target has been set?
NewPlacement.com: The participants sign the termination agreement offered and opt for an OutPlacement measure until they are successful or even with a continuation guarantee. This guarantee proves its worth for participants who have been with the company for a very long time and need support during the probationary period with the new employer. Employees can contribute to the costs of these update packages. Percentages of 10%, which are covered by the severance payment, have proven their worth and increase the seriousness of the transfer efforts.
OutPlacement-News: Are the participants released immediately after signing the termination agreement?
NewPlacement.com: The current situation of the company must be considered here. The spectrum ranges from immediate release to bonuses for leaving only on a certain date (e.g. closure of the division). However, all participants are released from work for the OutPlacement consultation and application activities.
OutPlacement-News: If participants find a new job quickly, can they be released immediately?
NewPlacement.com: This program thrives on its two-sided nature, so both interests must be taken into account. One important aspect is the transfer of knowledge from those leaving the company, which must be ensured. Current customer projects in which the participant is involved must not suffer any damage.
OutPlacement-News: In addition to the OutPlacement measure, there can also be a transfer company for industrial employees and specialists. Why is this not suitable for everyone?
NewPlacement.com: Management and executives are operating in an application market with much more individual requirements. Standardized procedures in group events based on general handbooks cannot really help this target group. They need a detailed management balance sheet just to prepare for the application market, which must be drawn up on a 1:1 basis by management-experienced NewPlacement coaches. The interviews with headhunters and decision-makers in the company must be prepared individually according to the respective demand factors (success presentation). In the decision-making phase, special re-briefings are expected that go far beyond any standard.
OutPlacement-News: How can the affected management and executives defend themselves against the transfer company?
NewPlacement.com: Already in the preparation of the measure, the management spokespersons should defend themselves against the commonplace "everyone is the same". The application processes are anything but equal. So this clientele must be given different support. An additional and specially tailored outplacement program for skilled workers has proven to be helpful in this discussion.
OutPlacement-News: Are there other ways for the company to convince complete rejects to participate?
NewPlacement.com: In these cases, you're often dealing with a lot of anxiety about the future from the rejectees and their families. The severance payment often cannot guarantee the transition to (early) retirement. In these individual cases, there is a special program offered by outplacement providers. Without signing a termination agreement, those who have been rejected are supported until they take up the new challenge and also during the probationary period. In return, this group of people must forego part of the usual severance payment. However, the "playing for time" factor must be eliminated.
OutPlacement-News: In summary, what advantages do you see in the voluntary redundancy program compared to a social plan?
NewPlacement.com: With a reconciliation of interests and a social plan, many more legal requirements must be observed. They violate important interests of the company with the social selection and require significantly more lead time. The volunteer program is less likely to jeopardize the company's public image and the mood of the workforce.
OutPlacement-News: Do you have any "golden advice" for companies planning a volunteer program?
NewPlacement.com: In addition to professional process planning and legal support, companies should definitely keep an eye on the communication strategy. Transparency is an important point for the working atmosphere. Positive news about the first job wins as part of the OutPlacement program also lifts the mood and creates a spirit of optimism among the "undecided" or "rejected".
OutPlacement-News: Thank you very much for the interview and the many interesting insights.
Keywords
#freiwilligenprogramm #personalabbau #restrukturierungen
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