outplacement
OWT-plays-munt
/ˈaʊtˌpleɪsmənt/
Services provided by an employer to help former employees find new jobs after being laid off or terminated.
These services can include resume writing, interview coaching, networking assistance, and job search strategies. It's a way for companies to support departing staff and maintain a positive reputation.
The story behind the word. "Outplacement" is a modern compound word, first appearing in the mid-20th century. It combines "out" (meaning away from, outside) with "placement" (from "place," meaning to put in a position). The idea is helping someone find a "place" outside of the current company.
Word relationships
- career transition services: More descriptive, often used interchangeably.
- job search assistance: Broader, less formal.
- recruitment: The process of finding and hiring new employees for the company.
- onboarding: The process of integrating new employees into a company.
Commonly confused with
- recruitment: 'Outplacement' helps departing employees find jobs elsewhere; 'recruitment' helps the company find new employees.
Word family
- outplace (verb): To provide outplacement services.
Collocations
- outplacement services
- offer outplacement
- provide outplacement support
Example sentences
- "The company offered comprehensive outplacement services to all employees affected by the factory closure." As a benefit.
- "Outplacement aims to ease the transition for departing staff and help them secure new employment quickly." The purpose.
Memory hook
Outplacement helps you find a new place outside the company. Place outside.
When not to use
Don't use for services provided to current employees or for employees who resign without needing job search assistance.
Fun facts
- Outplacement services became popular in the latter half of the 20th century as companies sought to manage their public image during large-scale layoffs.
Explore more words
severance, reintegration, outsourcing, redundant, reskill, retrain
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