What is Outplacement?
Outplacement is a form of career support provided by employers to staff leaving due to redundancy or mutual agreement. It helps people navigate what comes next—whether that’s finding a new role, changing careers, starting a business, or planning for retirement. By combining expert coaching, emotional support, and practical tools, outplacement makes a difficult transition more manageable for individuals while protecting morale, reputation, and continuity for the business.
Key Benefits of Outplacement
- Helps employees move forward with clarity and confidence
- Supports emotional wellbeing during redundancy
- Protects employer brand and reputation
- Reduces legal and financial risks
- Maintains morale and engagement among remaining staff
What is Outplacement Support?
Outplacement support is a service provided by employers to help staff leaving due to redundancy, restructure, or mutual agreement transition smoothly into their next role. It combines practical career tools with emotional guidance, offering:
-
One-to-one career coaching
-
CV and LinkedIn profile optimisation
-
Interview preparation and job search strategies
-
Networking and personal brand support
-
Guidance for career change, self-employment, or retirement
The aim of outplacement support is to reduce stress during career transition, build confidence, and help people move forward quickly and positively, while protecting the employer’s reputation and team morale.
What to Look For in the Best Outplacement Services
The best outplacement services offer a combination of personalised coaching, strategic tools, and measurable results. Key features to look for include:
- One-to-one executive coaching personalised to the individual’s role, goals, and career stage.
- Proven success rates in helping people secure the right next move, not just any job.
- Comprehensive job search resources, from CV and LinkedIn optimisation to interview preparation.
- Strong networking support and access to hidden job markets.
- Global or cross-sector reach for leaders exploring wider opportunities.
- Flexible delivery that adapts to different timelines and working patterns.
- Discreet, supportive service that protects reputation and confidence during transition.
By choosing an outplacement partner with these qualities, organisations can ensure their departing employees are equipped for a successful, confident career move.
of clients have partnered with us for over a decade for our expertise in outplacement and career coaching.
%
of delegates achieve their objectives with our comprehensive outplacement programmes.
Our NPS score of +57 is a testament to our successful career transition support.
More than a career transition…
Outplacement isn’t just about job search tools or writing CVs. It’s about supporting real people through one of life’s most uncertain moments—with empathy, structure, and belief in what comes next.
At Chiumento, we help people leave with:
Clarity
about their next steps.
Confidence
in their strengths and values.
Control
over their journey forward.
After redundancy, the job market felt overwhelming and confusing. Chiumento’s outplacement services gave me clear direction and a renewed sense of hope.
After 24 years with the same employer, Chiumento’s programme helped me regain my confidence and start landing interviews again.
Chiumento helped me understand why I left and gave me the tools to take control and prepare confidently for my next role.
Why Outplacement Matters
When facing redundancy, it can be stressful for both employer and employees. For staff affected, it’s natural to feel a bit lost about what comes next. That’s where career transition support comes in. But what is outplacement?
Outplacement services are a type of career support that employers offer to staff who are leaving due to redundancy or settlement agreement. It’s designed to help people figure out their next steps, whether that’s finding a new job, switching careers, starting a business, or planning for retirement. The goal? To make a tough transition easier and help people land on their feet. For employers, this support enhances reputation, brand, and engagement.
In the UK, providing this kind of support is discretionary as part of a redundancy package. Whereas in some countries, it’s a statutory requirement and the rules can vary when it comes to global outplacement, so it’s important to check what applies in your Country.
Chiumento’s career transition programmes go beyond handing over a CV template. They include:
-
One-to-one coaching sessions
-
Human support with CV drafting
-
Live webinars focused on preparing for interviews
-
Career planning and advice
-
Industry insights and resources
-
Mental health and wellbeing counselling
We see this support as much more than a box-ticking exercise. It’s a way to show genuine care for your people and help your organisation stay resilient through change. Our team is experienced in career coaching and trained in Mental Health First Aid to support both practical and emotional sides of career transition.
Supporting employees as they leave isn’t just the right thing to do; it also protects your brand, keeps morale high among remaining employees, and reduces legal or financial risks. Even in challenging times, it fosters a positive, supportive workplace culture.
With over 30 years of experience, Chiumento offers flexible, personal, tech-enabled services to help individuals and organisations come through change stronger and ready for what’s next.
What are the benefits of outplacement?
Offering structured support during redundancy is a strategic asset for organisations navigating change:
☑️ Puts Your Values into Practice
Offering support is a clear sign that you care about your people, not just your bottom line. With redundancy intentions at their highest level in a decade outside the pandemic, one in four UK employers plan to make redundancies by June 2025 (People Management, 2025), providing outplacement support demonstrates a genuine commitment to doing the right thing for your team, even in challenging times.
☑️ Reduces Stress and Supports Employee Wellbeing
Redundancy can be one of the most stressful experiences in a person’s working life. Career transition programmes provide practical help and emotional reassurance, guiding people through uncertainty and helping them regain confidence. With the UK unemployment rate at 4.5% in 2025 (ONS, 2025) and economic pressures continuing, having expert support can make all the difference in helping someone find their next opportunity faster and with less anxiety.
☑️ Keeps People Engaged During Their Notice Period
You need your people to be engaged during the consultation process and it’s also common for employees to work their notice after being told their role is redundant. Without the promise of support, motivation and engagement is likely to ebb away. Outplacement sends a powerful message: “We still care about you and your future.” This can help maintain performance and engagement right up to their last day, smoothing the career transition for everyone involved.
☑️ Supports Remaining Staff and Maintains Business Continuity
How you treat leavers directly affects those who stay. When colleagues see that departing staff are supported with compassion and practical help, it reassures them about your company’s values and future.
This boost to morale and engagement helps reduce unwanted turnover and keeps productivity high at a time of uncertainty. By minimising disruption and maintaining business continuity, outplacement support allows your organisation to adapt more smoothly to change, whether you’re restructuring, downsizing, or pivoting to new markets.
According to the CIPD’s Labour Market Outlook – Spring 2025, fairly and well managed redundancies and enhanced support packages are critical to mitigating reputational risks and ensuring organisations remain prepared for recovery. (CIPD, 2025)
☑️ Reduces Reputational and Legal Risks
Redundancy processes that lack process, transparency or support can lead to challenges and negative publicity. As the UK market for outplacement grows, reaching an estimated £1.2 billion by 2033, more businesses are recognising the value of getting this right.
The ideal scenario is that your leavers become ambassadors for your business not detractors. Outplacement helps people leave on good terms, reducing the risk of challenges and protecting your brand’s reputation. Helping people get re-settled also helps them move on. And who knows? They might tell friends and colleagues about how well you treated them.
☑️ Protects Your Employer Brand
Your reputation as an employer is shaped by how you handle tough moments. Outplacement as a means of redundancy support is increasingly recognised as a mark of a responsible, people-focused organisation. In a competitive job market, this can help you attract and retain top talent, especially as more candidates research employer practices before applying.
In summary, outplacement delivers value at every level. For employees, it provides practical tools, emotional support, and a faster route to new opportunities, helping people move forward with confidence and dignity. For organisations, it protects your brand, maintains morale, and reduces legal and operational risks. And financially, outplacement pays off (not just in that it is a non-taxable benefit): by helping people find work sooner and minimising disruption, it supports business stability and long-term success.
In a challenging market, it’s not just the right thing to do, it’s a smart investment in your people and your business.
How does outplacement work?
Traditionally, career transition support was delivered through face-to-face coaching or group workshops, providing short-term assistance to departing employees. While these methods remain valuable in certain cases, today’s workforce demands more flexible, accessible solutions.
At Chiumento, we combine personalised one-to-one coaching with technology to deliver a modern, tech-enabled outplacement experience. Through online resources, mobile app access, and video calls, we empower individuals to connect with expert guidance whenever and wherever they need it.
This flexible approach lets employees navigate the job market with confidence. They can access tailored advice and practical tools at their own pace—whether at home, on the move, or anywhere in between.
If you have any questions or want to learn more about how our outplacement support can help your organisation and people, please get in touch with us to request a confidential call.
What our clients say about us…
Chiumento has provided us outplacement support since 2016. The feedback gathered has always been extremely positive – geography has never been an issue, and the flexibility in respect of options, content and timeframes has been very well received.
Chiumento enables us to provide career coaching to our clients throughout the UK (and internationally). We have worked with Chiumento for around 8 years, and in that time, they have offered a range of benefits that meet our needs and those of our clients.
We’re so grateful for the work that Chiumento are doing with us. The team has helped us through 2 major business transformations and our internal re-organisation with outplacement services. I’ve heard nothing other than very positive reports from our people.
Why choose Chiumento?
Easy to Work
With
We keep rollout clear and straightforward, reducing complexity so your team can move through change with confidence.
More Value for Your People
Personal, human coaching built around your organisation – giving your people the care they need when it matters most.
Experienced, Modern, Human
A blend of deep experience and intuitive technology, creating support that’s both human and built for today’s workforce.