#4 Reasons Why Redeployment is an Effective Employee Retention Strategy Redeployment and outplacement can help an organization and its employees return to productivity

Whether it's reorganization or acquisition, organizations with a desire to establish an internal culture of mobility should consider redeployment as a standard workforce management program. As a talent retention strategy, redeployment is a great way to keep the most skilled, market-ready team members for new roles within an organization. Further, trends such as non-traditional workspaces, flexible work arrangements, the Gig Economy, and mobile device adoption have created a need for more contemporary and agile career transition solutions.

However, most organizations still don't have the internal resources to manage and execute complex outplacement and redeployment programs to attract, retain and nurture their most valuable team members. Partnering with a modern outplacement services provider is becoming a trend for companies looking to provide the kinds of talent retention and engagement solutions offered by those organizations with programs that cater to today's workforce.

If you're not sure redeployment solutions are right for your organization, here are 4 reasons to consider alternatives to layoffs and loss of talent.

#1 Lowers Costs:

For many industries, widespread downsizing has led to massive layoffs. In some cases, companies are reducing one operational area while expanding another to respond to market changes. In those cases, layoffs are happening in one area while hiring is robust in another. To avoid the high costs of recruitment, hiring, and onboarding, organizations should consider redeployment programs as a way to keep highly talented workers inside the organization.

Although it may be necessary to provide some training for the new position, companies can capitalize on the industry and institutional knowledge of existing talent to meet business goals in high growth business units. Besides providing companies with a low-cost way to retain talent and fill open positions, showing that you value your employees instils a sense of job security and company loyalty during downsizing or restructuring events.

#2 Solidifies Employer-employee Relations:

Companies looking to create a flexible and mobile workplace environment as part of a larger employer brand initiative, realize the many benefits of having a redeployment strategy. They understand the importance of maintaining good relationships with all employees, some of whom may leave the organization only to become future partners, customers, return employees, or brand ambassadors. When companies offer internal mobility and career transitions that don't involve a loss of income for impacted employees, trust between the employer and its employees grows.

Building a positive employer brand that withstands the normal ebb and flow of business requires a transformation in how companies think about the employee/employer relationship. Instead of simply laying off and hiring employees over time, organizations who take a more proactive approach, and offer alternatives to layoffs, will realize the benefits of being recognized as an employer of choice among current and future employees.

#3 Strengthens Corporate Image and Bottom Line Goals:

Effective redeployment can be an integral part of an organization's strategy for promoting employee well-being, limiting liability, and protecting the employer brand. By providing personalized coaching, professional branding, technology tools, and a range of resources and services to ensure the most valuable employees remain a part of the organization, the leadership is affirming their commitment to putting employees first.

Displaced employees have plenty of reasons to voice negative opinions about your company. Offering redeployment programs demonstrate to your employees and the world at large that your corporate values are not just words on a poster. As a result, the positive brand reputation you establish will not only protect the organization's ability to recruit the best talent in the future, it can also attract business opportunities among organizations wanting to do business with companies that maintain a good reputation.

#4 Fosters an Optimistic Company Culture:

By offering redeployment and career transition services to transitioning employees when workforce reductions occur, remaining employees maintain a sense of optimism and trust. When companies enable valuable employees to discover new opportunities within the organization, they not only retain their best and brightest, they send a message that employees aren't simply a commodity to be acquired and let go at will.

When the employees who remain in their original roles see their friends and colleagues taken care of and offered alternatives to being laid off, they return to productivity faster knowing the company values its human capital.

Offering outplacement services to those employees who cannot be reassigned within the organization fills the gap for everyone impacted by the restructuring or downsizing event.

In conclusion, if carried out in a proper way, redeployment and outplacement can help the organization and its employees return to productivity and suitable employment when downsizing or restructuring is necessary. Offering suitable alternative work to employees of a similar status and giving all transitioning employees the support they need to find a new job fast is not just the right thing to do, it's in the company's best interest.