How to Manage Outplacement in Today’s Job Market

Quick Summary

 

• Redundancies are rising as the UK job market contracts — making early, well-managed outplacement more critical than ever.

• HR leaders must act now to align restructuring plans with upcoming employment law changes and workforce expectations.

• Being ‘transition ready’ means supporting people, protecting brand reputation, and reducing legal and operational risk.

 

How to Manage Outplacement in Today’s Job Market

 

As our Executive Chairman, Ian Gooden, stated in our blog in January,  ‘How the 2025 Jobs Market Makes Outplacement Support Essential’:

“It hardly seems like 5 minutes ago we were talking about there being over a million job vacancies in the UK. Vacancies peaked at over 1.3 million in April 2022.”

7 months later, and the jobs market proves to be even more volatile; with eight months of decline and a four-year unemployment high.

In our last labour market recap, we focused on the ‘why’ behind outplacement. But preparing and delivering effective outplacement during a sustained market downturn could not be more relevant to HR Directors than now.

 

Data Snapshot 

 

The ONS reported the UK unemployment rate at 4.7% in the three months to June 2025, which is the highest since mid‑2021 (around a four‑year high as of summer 2025). (ONS, 2025)

At the same time, we are seeing a multi‑month decline in permanent placements and falling permanent vacancies is documented by the KPMG/REC UK Report on Jobs through June and July 2025. (KPMG, 2025)

Meanwhile, reports of redundancies and a cooling labour market remain strong. Which suggests to us that restructures and downsizing will remain prominent into autumn, consistent with REC commentary and ONS vacancy declines.

For HR Directors, these numbers aren’t just indicators, they’re a signal to move from scenario-planning into implementation. 

Decisions on restructuring, redeployment, and outplacement will need to be faster, well-coordinated and more aligned with evolving legislation than at any point in the last four years.

 

On Being ‘Transition Ready’ 

 

We think it timely to introduce the term “transition ready” – one that was coined by our Managing Director, Mike Burgneay.

“Workforces everywhere are moving through change: from restructures and role redesigns to leadership shifts and the impact of emerging tech like AI,” Mike explains. “Being transition ready means preparing people not just for the next announcement, but for what comes after, whether that’s stepping into a new role, exiting well, or adapting how they work.”

In January, we predicted a 10–15% rise in redundancies, a slowing market and a vacancy drop from 1.3 million to about 818,000, but with some optimism that the effects would remain moderate.

Now, the market has fully entered that scenario.

Permanent roles are declining month after month, unemployment has reached a reality-demarcating four-year high, and vacancies sit well below early-2024 levels (at approximately 727k). (House of Commons Library, 2025)

For HR Directors, these numbers aren’t just indicators, they’re a signal to move from scenario-planning into implementation.

Decisions on restructuring, redeployment, and outplacement will need to be faster, better-coordinated and more aligned with evolving legislation than at any point in the last four years.

 

Outplacement Demand Rises Across Europe 

 

The global outplacement market is expanding by roughly 7% annually and is projected to pass $3 billion by 2030. This reflects a strategic shift in how organisations manage workforce transitions. (Grand View Research, 2025)

UK employers are not operating in isolation.

Similar pressures are driving outplacement growth across Europe. The EU’s Union of Skills initiative is reinforcing the case for reskilling and outplacement services, with a focus on digital, green, and cross-border labour mobility. (European Commission, 2025)

For HR directors not only in the UK but across the globe, these developments signal that outplacement must now be more than reactive; it should be integrated into broader talent planning and reskilling strategies.

This doesn’t mean delivering support before decisions are made: it means identifying roles at future risk, budgeting for support in advance, choosing providers ahead of time, and ensuring comms and legal processes are ‘transition ready.’

That’s what integration looks like in 2025.

 

Legislative Horizon: What’s Coming

 

Employment legislation is evolving and while we’re not a legal firm, we know how much the legal context shapes HR strategy, especially in times of change.

Upcoming developments likely to affect restructuring and workforce planning include:

• Limits on NDAs in harassment cases, impacting how exits are negotiated.

• Day-one unfair dismissal rights (expected 2026), shifting dismissal risk profiles.

• Shortened apprenticeship durations, affecting redeployment strategy.

• Pay transparency momentum influencing employee expectations and employer brand.

These aren’t just compliance issues; they’re planning issues.

With the Autumn Budget expected to affect employment costs, skills funding, and business incentives, now is the time to pressure-test your plans.

Get ahead of legal, brand, and operational risks before they hit.

 

The Business Case for Effective Outplacement 

 

In January, we spoke about the importance of being prepared: having the foresight to plan for potential change.

That hasn’t changed.

But what has changed is the urgency: protecting your brand, your people, and your operational stability is no longer just good practice — it’s essential in a market that’s tightened even further.

So why outplacement now, more than ever?

One of the biggest accelerants right now is the need for brand resilience in a high scrutiny climate.

We used to talk about brand protection in an age of social media, but now with AI taking the reins, a poorly handled redundancy in a shrinking job market attracts even more media, social attention and mentions.

Another is retention during turbulence. Visible, high-quality exit support reassures remaining employees and ultimately helps to reduce your voluntary attrition.

And of course, there’s compliance and legal risk reduction. Proactive outplacement aligns with the evolving Employment Rights Bill reforms.

And finally, investor and stakeholder confidence. Ethical, well-managed exits feed directly into ESG and corporate reputation, signalling responsible leadership and reassuring those who back your organisation.

If there’s one thing I want to drive home as a marketing professional, it’s this: the tighter the job market, the greater the reputational and operational cost of mishandling exits.

And as of August 2025, the risk of inaction isn’t just bad PR: it’s talent loss, compliance exposure, and brand erosion.

 

How to Prepare for Effective Outplacement Support 

 

So how do you prepare and stay “transition ready”?

1. Plan early. Build outplacement into your change strategy from day one — not as an afterthought, but as a core part of responsible workforce planning
2. Target the support. Outplacement at Chiumento is never one-size-fits-all — we shape support around the individual, recognising that needs differ based on mindset, goals, and personal circumstances, not just job titles.
3. Prioritise communication. Transparency and empathy in delivery will take you and your organisation far.

 

Delivering Modern Outplacement: Best Practice 

 

Effective outplacement today is as much about protecting your organisation as it is about supporting your people. Here’s a quick-reference framework for HR Directors:

• Start early. Integrate outplacement into the first stages of restructuring planning.
• Match support to need. Choose a provider who can flex support around the individual — whether they’re senior leaders, early-career professionals, or navigating a complex transition.
• Keep it human. In the age of AI, prioritising transparent, empathetic communication at every stage couldn’t be more important.
• Align with compliance. Make sure that your processes reflect current employment law changes.
• Protect the brand. Every exit is visible — to remaining staff, future talent, and increasingly, the public. In today’s high-scrutiny environment, how you treat people on the way out says as much about your culture as how you lead them in.
• Support wellbeing. Recognise and respond to the emotional impact of redundancy to aid smoother transitions. At Chiumento, we’ve been putting this at the forefront of our outplacement services for years, with all of our operations team MFHA certified.

Get these right, and outplacement becomes more than an exit service, it’s a strategic tool for brand resilience, legal compliance, and workforce stability.

 

Closing Remarks 

 

Restructuring is never easy.

But with the right planning and support, it can be managed in a way that protects your people, your brand, and your future.

If your organisation is anticipating change this autumn or winter, now is the time to prepare.

Talk to us about building outplacement into your plans from day one, so when the time comes, you can manage transitions with confidence.

We make you one simple promise at Chiumento: we will look after your people.