A leading multi-national packaging organisation decided to close down one of their UK-based sheet feeder operation units, consisting of 91 employees comprising 3 consultation groups – unionised, non-unionised and management. The plan was for the majority to depart at the end of February, with the remainder going in May and August 2024.
Keen to support every impacted employee, the client chose to partner with Right Management for Outplacement support.
The solution
Each employee, regardless of their shift pattern (day or night), received an awareness session designed to debunk outplacement support, as well as an individual 1:1 diagnostic session to help them consider their next steps. They were then given access to individual CV support and 1:1 career coaching sessions where they could explore their options, discuss any concerns, and create a plan for moving forward.
Each employee also benefited from a half-day interview skills & CV development workshops to help them approach the job market with confidence; access to our online career platform containing a wealth of online tools and resources designed to support their job search; 1-day workshops exploring self-employment and retirement, designed to help individuals assess which direction they wanted to take their career and create a new lifestyle plan; as well as tailored job search support which included visibility of local jobs, introduction to local recruiters, onsite career fairs, and direct access to live jobs via ManpowerGroup.
The impact
Support was extremely well received, with 100% of employees citing satisfaction with their career transition and other workshops.
“Whatever happens I truly want to thank you and your team. You have all gone above and beyond, it's very much appreciated.”
- Employee feedback
Their dedicated coach, Julie Henderson, commented:
"It was a pleasure working with all the employees, and the Leadership team and Union Reps were extremely supportive. They were all keen to take on board the support I provided; helping them create or revise a CV and cover letter, enhance their job searching and networking techniques, and improve their interview skills. Following the site closure, I’m extremely pleased to say that 90% of the employees have achieved their objective of either landing a new job, retraining or retiring; and we are helping to secure roles for those still in the job search process.”
Client testimonial:
“The introduction of an outplacement service proved to be invaluable to the company in managing the separation of over 80 employees. Whilst the closure of the plant was a blow to both the affected individuals and the local economy, it was vital in demonstrating to our employees and the local area where we still have a presence, that the company was fully committed to providing as much support as possible, in assisting and preparing the workforce for the next stage of their life.
Right Management proved to be a valued partner throughout this process; providing and quickly revising a bespoke service tailored to the unique demands of the closure, working around our production requirements, whilst drawing on their corporate capital and experience of the outplacement industry. They also proved to be extremely responsive to real time events and customer requirements; demonstrating commendable creativity and flexibility when faced with the challenges encountered.”