Outplacement Program Case Study: Barwon Medicare Local

Any time of transition within an organisation can be a difficult period for both employers and employees alike, even more so when the future looks uncertain. Unfortunately with uncertainty brings angst, fear and even under some circumstances resentment. To make this time of transition as smooth as possible for everyone involved, proactive managers can enlist the services of human resources agencies to guide and train those moving onto the next phase in their career.

Where Harvest comes into the process is the facilitation of an outplacement program which is designed for companies who are releasing their employees who want to give their team the best chance of career success. One such company that recently engaged Harvest Recruitment and Harvest Human Resources was Barwon Medicare Local in preparation for their transition to West Vic Primary Health.

Harvest Career Specialist Meredith Telfer shares her experience in facilitating the program:

“Harvest Recruitment and Harvest Human Resources were contacted by Barwon Medicare Local, Geelong to supply a career Transition Program for staff with the intention of facilitating a smooth transition to the restructured organisation to be rebranded from July 1, 2015 as ‘West Vic Primary Health’. This transition would require staff to reapply for roles under the new ‘West Vic Primary Health’ brand.

Consultations with senior management uncovered a number of needs that needed to be addressed. A needs analysis determined … From here a team consisting of Harvest Director Maree Herath and myself presented an overview of the services that would be on offer to staff, available over two sessions.

Services chosen as part the outplacement program included: individual Career Coaching, Interview Skills Coaching and Professional Resume Writing services. These were then delivered as one-on-one sessions or part of small group workshops in-house.

This program included quite a large number of staff, with 85 offered the program in today. Of the 85, 41 employees took the opportunity to participate in sessions which included performing a Career ‘Health Check’, brushing up on vital interviewing skills and updating résumé’s.

The response from those who participated in the program was overwhelmingly positive, with staff not only appreciative of the support offered by management to assist with a complex and lengthy transition process, but also the opportunity to re-evaluate their career objectives and prepare for change.

An unexpected benefit of this exercise for employees was the opportunity to reflect on their journey with the organisation, some having been with the company for up to 20 years.  Those that took up positions in the new organisation were well prepared, both mentally and emotionally to ‘hit the ground running’.  The process provided a very smooth transition for everyone which in turn has ensured a seamless move into the new structure.  A win-win for everyone!

The engagement and commitment of Barwon Medicare Local to their staff ensured that the move to West Vic Primary Health was as smooth as possible. For those who had been part of the organisation for a number of years, this was a very worthwhile experience and as a result many employees chose to reaffirm their commitment to their roles.

If your organisation is facing a transition and is looking to guide and train employees through to the next stage in their career contact Harvest Human Resources on 1300 363 128 or visit www.harvesthr.com.au