In the current economic slowdown, most companies are resorting to retrenchments to cut costs. With retrenchment being a harsh reality, employees are often caught unawares. The process can be emotionally and socially traumatic for people facing the axe. End-to-end outplacement companies are kept busy during these times where they play the role of a “counsellor and career consultant” to retrenched employees.
Lee Hecht Harrison, a brand of Adecco SA which is the world’s largest HR services company, seems to have got a firm foothold in India. Being in operation for about six months, LHH in India has over 3,000 mandates to outplace. Most of its customers are large IT and financial services companies.
Sudhakar Balakrishnan, managing director and CEO, Adecco India believes the need of the hour is to have experts handling traumatic and sometimes awkward situations for employees who are handed the pink slip. “It is difficult for someone to face the fact that next day, he or she will have no job. We step in on behalf of the employer and counsel the candidate to ensure a smooth career transition and mitigate the emotional trauma the employee goes through,” he noted.
Being an end-to-end outplacement arm, Lee Hecht Harrison’s service offerings include career transition, leadership consulting and workforce solutions. Operating out of seven metros and sub metros across India, the company has a back-end team for CV preparation, counseling and providing career guidance to individuals. The most recent service launched by the company is a concept called “Lee Hecht Harrison (LHH) Search Hubs”. Here, LHH provides dedicated hubs with two PCs having internet connectivity across Adecco India’s branches, for candidates to browse for jobs, post CVs and email.
Balakrishnan says, “This is an effort to help candidates during tough times where going to an internet café might seem an expensive affair. We have already got a positive response from candidates in a few locations where we test-launched LHH Search Hubs.”
The company also counsels existing employees of organisations which are downsizing to ensure there is no “fear syndrome” in the minds of employees that would hinder productivity. As a value-added service, LHH counsels the kith and kin of a retrenched employee too.
Established in 1974, Lee Hecht Harrison is a global player in creating and delivering customised and fully integrated human capital solutions. With over 240 offices worldwide, Lee Hecht Harrison partners with organisations and individuals, enabling them to maximise their performance and achieve success. In India, LHH is located across metros and key locations across India operating through Adecco India’s network of 40 spread across the country.
