Corporate Outplacement: What Is It Like in the Legal Sector?

Job transitions are inevitable in life unless you are the founder and Chief Executive Officer of an organization. When you are moving from one job to the next is when corporate outplacement comes in handy, since it is designed to ensure that the process is smooth. However, the process can be stressful if not properly handled.

The following are some of the essential factors you should know about corporate outplacement in the legal sector. 

 

Outplacement in the Legal Sector

Law firms do not stay the same forever; while some grow, some reach some point where they need to downsize or reorganize the workforce to remain viable. While the cause may be noble, termination of employment often comes as a shock and must be handled carefully. The legal professionals at ECLaw help explain to the attorneys how a proper transition to the next employment can be carried out. As such, outplacement services are beneficial to the departing attorneys in many ways. 

In the legal sector, corporate outplacement is not only designed to help the departing lawyers make their transition to the next employment smooth. It also helps the firm benefit from the whole exercise, if proper execution is carried out. 

 

Outplacement Helps to Preserve Goodwill Between the Firm and Departing Lawyer 

Outplacement services help the departing workers get their new jobs without hassle. The employee will get some relief from this kind of service since the termination of employment for whatever reason can be very stressful. The firm plays a major role in assisting the employee to get a job. 

On the other hand, outplacement also benefits the employer since it creates goodwill with the attorney leaving the firm. It helps ensure that a working relationship, created over the years, ends peacefully. A layoff that is a result of downsizing, not bad behavior or poor performance, does not necessarily mean the termination of the relationship that exists. 

It is in the interest of the company to support employee outplacement since it keeps the chances of rehiring open. By providing outplacement services, the employer is keen to show that the firm cares for the departing lawyer. This helps to thwart any desire for recourse since there would be no bad blood between the two parties. 

 

Outplacement Helps The Firm To Maintain Its Reputation 

The other advantage is that properly executed outplacement helps protect the employer’s positive reputation. The lawyer who has been assisted in getting a new job is likely to refer to other clients and businesses to the law firm for the various services they may require. Prospective employees may not shun joining the firm in the future should any vacancies arise. What matters most to different law firms is maintaining a good reputation since they deal with different clients across the spectrum.   

Outplacement will also help the former employees participate in the employer alumni networks. Networking is an effective strategy that can facilitate the exchange of ideas between people from different walks of life. When the company intends to hire, it can use details in its network to identify talent that may be required for particular positions.   

 

Boosts Employee Morale

Outplacement also helps to improve the morale of the remaining employees when they see one of them transitioning in a good manner to their next job. Unceremonious termination of employees can demotivate the other workers, which can result in staff turnover. The firm can also suffer as a result of increasing unemployment claims, and potential wrongful termination lawsuits if it does not handle its restructuring or downsizing properly. 

The remaining lawyers in the firm will also get reassurance that their employer cares about their livelihood. When employees are motivated, they are productive, and this is an advantage to the firm. They can stay in the organization longer which helps it to reduce the costs of recruitment to replace disgruntled workers leaving the organization. Good working relationships help reduce conflicts that may be counterproductive.  

Termination of employment for whatever reason does not bring joy in most cases. The situation can be stressful as the affected employee seeks to find a proper transition to their next job. In the legal sector, this is when outplacement services come in handy. It is the employer who organizes the smooth transition of the departing lawyer to their new job. This service is designed to help you manage the feelings of anger, fear of the unknown, as well as embarrassment which can all come with job termination. On the other hand, the firm also benefits from properly executed outplacement. 

The views expressed in this article are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the views or policies of The World Financial Review.