A large, international telecommunications company had been repeatedly faced with major staff reduction measures for many years. The HR interim manager was hired in 2015 to help organize and support the downsizing of almost 250 specialists and managers in a special business unit. The objective of this project was to get as many of the specialists and managers as possible interested in an external reorientation.
The particular challenge was to define the foundations and processes for a professional reorientation of these specialists and managers. To this end, a networked concept of individual consultations, workshops and peer groups was developed. One of the aims of the individual consultations was to gradually reduce the employees' serious mistrust of the consulting services in order to facilitate successful, trust-based consulting.
Internal or external reorientation of specialists and managers
After a one-month conception and onboarding phase for the outplacement consultants, the professional reorientation of the employees concerned began in two waves in May and July 2015. The project is scheduled to end on December 31, 2016, by which time all employees should ideally have been repositioned internally or externally.
The project officially kicked off with kick-off workshops in small groups of up to 6 employees. In the individual consultations that followed, it very quickly became clear that the majority of employees did not want an external reorientation and did not and would not want to leave the company under the current circumstances. The interim manager's work with these employees is currently focused on supporting them in screening the internal job market and in internal application processes. At the same time, the aim is to increase placement prospects in the internal job market by jointly defining internal and external qualification measures.
For employees who are open to an external professional reorientation, the complete, individual support of the external application process is also provided. This also includes negotiating the individual framework data for the termination agreements to be concluded.
Peer groups and workshops developed
In addition to the individual consultations, the HR interim manager has developed a diverse range of peer groups and workshops for professional reorientation. Individual further training measures were defined, booked and supported individually with the employees.
The close coordination and dovetailing with the employee committees, which have great influence in the company, is very important in this project. Communication with internal employees and managers in the business units, as well as with other business units and subsidiaries in the Group, is an additional key component of the task catalog.
By the end of 2015, the HR interim manager had been able to reposition a good half of the specialists and managers she supported internally or externally.
