Pre downsizing:
When an organisation commits to go through a process of downsizing, it is crucial that the message is delivered in a manner that causes the least upset amongst employees. It is imperative that any downsizing initiative sets out clearly what the organisation wants to achieve, the message that needs to be communicated and the roles of the various stakeholders in the process. Organisations need to take into account both individual and organisational needs during this phase.

It is likely that many managers will never have dealt with a downsizing procedure before. News of redundancies will tend to bring about anger, tension, feelings of resentment and have an impact of staff morale. At O’Brien Consulting, we develop in depth workshops that allow managers become better prepared for handling the change. We focus on the impact on both the managers and the team. In this workshop, we utilise psychological frameworks to explain normal human reaction. We teach managers how to utilise these frameworks to ensure a more positive outcome for all affected parties.

Our particular focus is on how to deliver the message to staff members. We deliver workshops that assist managers conduct bad news meetings. We focus on how to deal with all likely responses. In order to do this, we utilise professional actors who role play with participants. This brings to life the learnings from the workshop.


Outplacement Services during Downsizing:
At O’Brien Consulting, we offer a range of services to assist those being directly affected during a redundancy process. Our services allow people to deal with the disappointment of redundancy and plan their next move.  Our aim is to support participants and ensure that they are fully equipped to make their next career move. 

We offer both group and individual outplacement support. Our group support will focus on the mechanics of transitioning from one role to the next. Areas of focus include:
  • Identifying and clarifying long term career goals
  • Identifying their best industry sector fit  utilizing psychometrics
  • Best practice CV preparation
  • Practical advice such as identification of recruitment companies and head hunters
  • Interview preparation, both competency based and non competency based  
  • Creating your own personal brand – how to effectively sell yourself
  • 1:1 career coaching. This can be part of the group workshop or it can be arranged on an individual basis depending on the level of coaching required.