I was interested to read your article ‘Outplacement improves retention rates, according to HR director survey’ (Personneltoday.com, 15 August). While this does rightly refer to the fact that outplacement support helps to maintain retention levels, this is only one part of the story.
Structured, internal career management should not be reserved for those employees leaving the company – it is just as important for those who stay. And in short, it should be available to all employees, all of the time, and not just either side of a reorganisation.
Career management is now at the forefront of HR as the economic downturn takes hold, and retaining strong leaders and supporting team members has become key to business survival. It is also central to an organisation’s long-term competitiveness and performance.
Future leaders now more than ever need to be identified and developed at an early stage, so their skills can be utilised to help steer businesses away from the pitfalls of the credit crunch. All too often these future stars resign, only to be told that they were in the ‘high-potential’ bracket – but this had never been communicated to them.
Keeping staff informed about business progress, as well as how their own performance adds to the bigger picture, will make them feel more valued, and will encourage trust and retention.
Owen Morgan, head of commercial operations, Penna Career Transition
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