When a company needs to eliminate a position, it must prepare to reorganize its operations and communicate a difficult decision. For the affected employee, one question becomes central: how can I find a new job?
Even with extensive experience, this transition can be challenging. According to Statistics Canada, 30.6% of people who were unemployed in August 2026 had found a job by September, compared with 32.8% a year earlier and an average of 36.5% between 2017 and 2019. This national indicator points to a less favourable environment for returning to work, although it does not predict how long an individual's job search will take.
For small and medium-sized business owners and human resources professionals in Montréal and across Québec, this raises an important question: what support can you offer employees who are leaving your organization?
A professional outplacement service allows companies to provide structured support to employees affected by job elimination or organizational restructuring.
Why Offer Support When Eliminating a Position?
During organizational restructuring, a company must maintain business continuity, redistribute responsibilities, and communicate changes. Meanwhile, the departing employee must find their professional footing again.
An employer cannot determine when that person will find another job. However, they can provide access to resources that help employees clarify their options and begin taking the next steps.
This support can be particularly valuable for someone who has not looked for a job in several years. Their experience remains valuable, but they may need to reassess their professional positioning, explore new opportunities, or prepare their job applications.
How an employee's departure is handled can also influence the perceptions of those who remain. Offering meaningful support allows an organization to turn its commitment to employees into concrete action, especially at a time when consistency between words and actions matters.
What Is Professional Outplacement?
Professional outplacement, also known as outplacement services, is a form of career transition support designed to help employees prepare for their next professional opportunity after leaving an organization.
When offered by an employer, this service provides a structured framework to help individuals clarify their career goals, prepare application materials, organize their job search, and get ready for conversations with recruiters.
For the company, it provides a dedicated resource to support the transition. For the employee, it offers professional guidance and an action plan tailored to their situation.
Objectif Emploi's Outplacement Program
At Objectif Emploi, our program is structured around five phases:
- Career goal clarification: Defining the direction of the professional transition.
- Application preparation: Developing the documents and tools needed for an effective job search.
- Job search strategies: Organizing job search activities according to clearly defined objectives.
- Interview preparation: Preparing to present professional experience and communicate effectively with potential employers.
- Integration into a new job: Supporting this stage according to the terms of the selected program.
Support is provided individually, either in person or remotely, and takes into account the realities of Québec's labour market.
Explore Objectif Emploi's Professional Outplacement Services
Why Go Beyond Updating a Resume?
Updating a resume is often the most obvious need following job loss. However, its effectiveness depends on a more fundamental question: which positions does the individual want to pursue, and which are realistic targets?
Consider a hypothetical example: a Montréal-based SME eliminates a coordination position held by an employee for ten years. The individual has experience in work organization, customer relations, and project coordination. However, their job title may not fully reflect the range of skills they can offer other employers.
Professional guidance can help them identify roles that match their experience and present their accomplishments in a compelling way.
This process provides direction for preparing application materials. It also helps individuals prepare for interviews, explain their professional background, and explore opportunities beyond publicly advertised positions.
The value of outplacement lies in creating a coherent career transition strategy: knowing what to look for, how to present yourself, and which actions to take.
How Can Your HR Team Prepare for Outplacement Support?
For an outplacement service to be useful, employees need to understand what is being offered and how to access it. Companies therefore benefit from clarifying the terms of the service before presenting it to affected employees.
Five questions can help guide this preparation:
- What does the employee need? Are they looking for a similar position, exploring different roles, or considering a career change?
- What does the service include? How many sessions are offered, which tools will be developed, and what follow-up support is available?
- How does the process begin? Who should the employee contact, and what steps are required to access the service?
- Is the format appropriate? What options are available for in-person or remote sessions, language preferences, and appointment scheduling?
- How is confidentiality handled? What information remains confidential, and what progress updates, if any, can be shared with the employer?
Clear communication helps employees understand the resources available to them at a time when they are already processing a significant professional change.
How to Choose a Professional Outplacement Service
Two employees affected by the same restructuring may have very different needs.
One may want to find a similar position quickly and focus primarily on applications and interviews. Another may be considering a career change and need to clarify their options before beginning a job search.
When selecting an outplacement provider, consider how well the program can be adapted to individual needs, the emphasis placed on one-on-one sessions, and the provider's knowledge of the relevant labour market.
Also ask how the service is organized, including its duration, content, access procedures, and the limits of follow-up support. These factors allow companies to compare programs beyond their names or descriptions.
An outplacement service cannot guarantee employment within a specific timeframe. It provides guidance, a structured approach, and practical tools to support a professional transition.
Free Employment Services as Complementary Resources
Depending on their circumstances, some employees may also qualify for free employment support programs. Eligibility must be assessed individually, and these resources should be distinguished from the outplacement service provided by the employer.
Objectif Emploi offers:
- A job search assistance program for newcomers who have been living in Québec for five years or less, reside on the Island of Montréal, and meet the program's immigration status requirements. Our team verifies eligibility before providing access to the service.
- A career counselling service subject to its own eligibility criteria. Registration is handled through Services Québec and requires approval of the application.
Companies can share information about these resources with affected employees while clearly explaining the terms of the outplacement support they are providing.
Support Your Employees' Career Transitions with Objectif Emploi
When eliminating a position becomes necessary, offering professional outplacement support is a practical way to help affected employees navigate their career transition. This approach can also help maintain consistency between an organization's values and how it manages employee departures.
Objectif Emploi supports businesses and HR teams in Montréal and across Québec with individualized outplacement services tailored to the needs of employees in transition.
Are you planning an organizational restructuring or preparing to support an employee's departure? Let's discuss the employees' needs and the type of support that would be most appropriate.
Discuss Your Outplacement Needs with Our Team
Sources
Statistics Canada — Labour Force Survey, September 2026
