Outplacement: Supporting Employees After a Layoff
Good outplacement helps departing staff find new jobs fast, protects your employer brand and reassures those who stay. Here is what a working program includes.
After a layoff, most Thai companies end their responsibility at paying severance. But in the candidate-driven market of 2026, where employer brand matters in the job market, stopping at severance leaves a lot on the table. Systematic Outplacement helps departing employees find work quickly, reduces the financial damage to them, and signals to those who stay that the company cares for its people even when it has to part ways.
3 Levels of Outplacement
Not every company needs to invest the same amount. Choose based on the resources you have.
Levels to Choose From
- Basic: a job search guide, a list of job boards and resume templates, for entry-level layoffs
- Standard: 4 to 8 one-on-one career coaching sessions, resume rewrite and LinkedIn revamp, for mid-level staff
- Executive: 12+ coaching sessions, network introductions and retained search support, for executives
Standard-level outplacement for mid-level staff costs around 30,000 to 60,000 baht per person, compared with brand damage that could raise recruiting costs many times over.
Components of an Effective Outplacement Program
A program that truly meets the need:
Services Covered
- Career counselling to help review career paths
- Resume rewriting optimised for current ATS
- LinkedIn profile makeover that attracts recruiters
- Interview coaching, including mock interviews
- Job market intelligence in fields people are interested in
- Networking introductions to alumni or partners
- Emotional support and resilience coaching
Handling mental health matters most in the first 2 to 4 weeks after a layoff. People who get through this period search for jobs more effectively.
Measuring Program Results
Good outplacement measures real outcomes.
Metrics
- Time to landing for participants, compared with the industry baseline
- Quality of landing: the new role compared with the old one in compensation and scope
- NPS from people who used the service
- Boomerang rate: people who return to the company in a new role
- Brand sentiment in the job market after 6 to 12 months
These measures tell leadership whether the investment is worthwhile. Read Managing Layoffs Humanely for the bigger picture.
Communicating with Departing Employees
Delivering outplacement services well starts with respectful communication on the last day of work.
- Explain what the program covers and how long it lasts
- Introduce the coach or contact point who will support them
- Give immediate access to tools and resources
- Follow up periodically at 30, 60 and 90 days
Good outplacement doesn't just help the people who leave; it tells those who stay that this company truly cares for its people.
Choosing an Outplacement Vendor
Full-service vendors in Thailand:
Vendor Selection Criteria
- Coaching structures tailored by level and field
- A coaching team with experience in the Thai market
- A platform that tracks progress and provides resources
- A network in industries that match your employees
- References from large companies that have used them
- Pricing that scales with headcount
A vendor that understands the Thai context is better than a global vendor with an unadapted template. Piloting with 2 to 3 people before a large rollout makes the decision worthwhile.
Connecting with the Bigger Strategy
Outplacement is part of a broader humane HR approach.
It connects with Managing Layoffs Humanely for context and Employee Experience, which covers the whole life cycle.
Setting up Exit Interviews That Yield Real Insights helps you learn for next time, and a Talent Pipeline may bring boomerangs back.
For HR teams who want to design outplacement, browse humane HR courses in Plants.work Learn or discuss vendors with a mentor on the Mentors page. In short, good outplacement is an investment in brand and trust. Those who do it systematically see results with both the people who leave and those who stay.