Outplacement as a key to an effective hr policy when dismissing employees

The article is devoted to the topical issues of protection of employees' rights in the context of mass layoffs occurring in the economic crisis. The author emphasises that the current stage of transformation and development of Ukraine's economy requires qualitatively new benchmarks, one of which is the development and implementation of effective mechanisms aimed at building a socially responsible business. In today's unstable market conditions, employees are one of the most valuable resources of any enterprise, and therefore the dismissal procedure should be carried out with due regard for their rights and personal interests. The author proves that the current policy of enterprises in the field of dismissal of employees is limited to compliance with labour legislation. Layoffs can lead to pessimistic and negative attitudes in the team, and employees' fears of being the next to be laid off, which negatively affects labour productivity and may lead to staff outflow. It is determined that caring for the dismissed employees will prevent the emergence of negative attitudes and normalise the atmosphere in the workforce. The author substantiates the position that a socially responsible employer should implement mechanisms that would facilitate further employment of dismissed employees to the maximum extent possible. Given this factor, attention is drawn to the expediency of applying by domestic employers of flexible employment policy methods, one of which is outplacement, the essence of which is to help employees who have been laid off to adapt to new circumstances, to develop their own strategy for finding a suitable job and to find a job. It is noted that in Western countries, outplacement as a socially-oriented technology for releasing personnel is the most common type of service, and its use affects the overall image of the employer. It is emphasized that the practice of outplacement in Ukraine is at the stage of formation, and in the future this procedure will be widely used, since the established relationship between the employer and employees, both current and former, is the key to effective management and successful functioning of a socially responsible business.