Separation Management

Often a large number of employees need to be let go at short notice and at the same time. Where there is no time for a conventional reduction with a social plan and reconciliation of interests, or where a job-protection works agreement is in place, we help companies plan and deliver a voluntary leaver programme.

Beyond a socially balanced and attractive offer structure, the success of a voluntary programme depends on experienced, practised negotiators as well as a disciplined approach and clear project organisation.

We advise on the process, the internal organisation and the offer structure, and conduct the separation and negotiation meetings with the affected employees. This typically requires 2–5 rounds of talks with each employee until the termination agreements are concluded.

Our extensive experience and high consultant density have already enabled us, in reference projects, to advise several hundred employees nationwide within just six weeks and to successfully persuade over 75% of them to leave. On request, and in cooperation with our partner EY, we can supplement the advice on a legally binding basis with tax, employment-law and pension-law aspects. Particularly with long-serving employees, this can significantly increase acceptance of termination offers. It is also often advisable to complement the advice given to individual employees with career-perspective coaching, up to and including outplacement coaching.

In separation management we also benefit from our experience with our transfer companies, where the regular challenge is likewise to persuade as many employees as possible to make the move — and where we achieve transfer rates of between 90% and 100%.

Handling the separation conversation in a humane, fair way has a considerable bearing on how the rest of the separation process unfolds.

Dismissal conversations place a considerable strain on both parties. It is not only the person being let go who is left reeling — the manager who has to hold these conversations is often under significant inner pressure too.

Our training helps managers prepare properly and conduct the conversation with the necessary empathy. Typical mistakes include saving up negative feedback for the dismissal conversation, or long-winded explanations of the situation that needlessly undermine the person's confidence or leave them feeling there is no way forward.

In a one-day seminar we prepare managers and HR managers to conduct dismissal conversations. They learn how to prepare properly, to recognise different types of dismissed employees and of managers giving notice, and to respond appropriately to the employee's reactions. Case studies are used to rehearse concrete situations and to discuss difficult moments.

Only a fair, well-prepared separation conversation lays the foundation for successful outplacement, and it should be part of any humane corporate culture.