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Acorn introduces Outplacement Service
A new service is being offered by Wales’ leading employment agency Acorn to help companies considering redundancy programmes to find new jobs for employees and minimise the impact on the business itself.
The new Outplacement Service is unique in that Acorn itself provides all the core services needed by businesses that are restructuring their work force. The Outplacement teams are drawn from key personnel in Acorn’s own HR, Training and Recruitment divisions who have vast experience in this aspect of business.
Combining this with the agency’s unparalleled knowledge of the Welsh jobs scene and its well established relationships with key government employment and training agencies enables Acorn to offer the most focused service to businesses in Wales but at a fraction of the cost charged by its competitors. They are also well placed to identify sources of financial support that may be available to assist these programmes, such as the Welsh Assembly Government’s REACT funding.
Each business selects the Outplacement services it requires from a menu. The services can start before any redundancy announcements are made, with Acorn’s experienced HR professionals available to design and develop procedures that fit within employment laws and advise businesses or organisations on handling the process.
Further services can be introduced after this to help employees. These often start with one-to-one meetings to develop individual action plans. Armed with this feedback, Acorn can provide a range of tailored workshops covering such essential skills for job seekers’ as online job searching, writing CVs and job applications and interview technique. In addition, more specific help is available, such as courses for employees who want to start their own businesses or advice for people who are preparing to retire.
Businesses may also choose to introduce an on-site job shop where employees can call in for professional help and advice in job searching or in managing the changes they face as well as including support through the redundancy process. Acorn can also set up a website to offer employees 24-hour access to important information. And more specific support and advice could be provided, such as psychometric testing to help employees identify future careers.
Often these services are required for a period after termination of employment with additional services, such as a helpline and an off-site job shop, introduced too. And with Acorn’s Recruitment division involved from the outset, job seekers will feel well placed to find regular employment again.
The Outplacement service is being led by Lewis Fawsitt, Head of Permanent Recruitment, and Helena Williams, Corporate Development Director with responsibility for Acorn’s Training division. The HR Services team will also play a major role in delivering services, especially at the pre-redundancy stage.
“Redundancy scenarios are difficult situations for any business to go through and most can benefit from the support and advice of professionals who’ve handled these situations many times before,” said Lewis Fawsitt.
“There are numerous benefits for those using our Outplacement Service and they are suited to companies of all sizes. It is important that businesses do the right thing in both looking after employees facing redundancy and also looking after the interests of the business going forward.
“Research shows that 80-90% of employees going through an outplacement process will get work before those who don’t go through it. And this doesn’t just benefit those individuals but the company they are leaving too. Helping as many employees as we can into a new job and as quickly as we can helps the way the company is perceived by its stakeholders – not least the remaining employees. They need to be properly motivated and focused after what can be very unsettling changes.
“At Acorn we’re particularly well placed to handle outplacement in Wales. Our familiarity with the employment landscape here is second to none and having our HR, Training and Recruitment divisions all under one roof makes it possible for us to offer our Outplacement Service from £500 a head while our biggest competitors offer their services at around three times that.”
Helena Williams, Acorn’s Head of Training added: “We offer flexible delivery of our new services, with several centres across Wales which can be used for off-site training. It is a natural development of what the different divisions of Acorn already do for our clients. Such assistance need not be costly and funding may be available, once redundancy is confirmed.
“It’s all about supporting and guiding both employees and employers through a period of significant change and - vitally - the focus is not just on those leaving but also on those remaining in the business.
“It all helps towards protecting the reputation of a business or organisation and avoiding disputes and litigation. By using our Outplacement Service from the notification stage we believe it can have a real impact on a company’s bottom line.”
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