Talent Directory: Helping Employees
Prior to COVID-19, employees who were laid off and received severance packages often were provided with outplacement services to help transition into the hiring market and ideally a new job. These services are designed to be seamless in helping former employees get back on their feet.
The disruption of COVID-19 has not eliminated these services; however, we have seen more activity among employers working to help former employees land new jobs during these challenging times beyond outplacement services. Talent acquisition departments have expanded their scope of work beyond hiring new talent. They are now helping former employees to seek external opportunities.
Companies are getting creative in their pursuit to help add value to talent acquisition departments and combat the economic climate while aiding the laid-off workforce.
An example of this is Uber. Uber has launched a ‘talent directory’ to help manage displaced workers. The directory displays former employees on their site for recruiters to access and search desirable candidates based on location, skills, and remote work capabilities. Uber’s Global Head of Talent, Danielle Monoghan, said, “As a talent acquisition leader, I would like to call on companies who are looking to hire passionate and dynamic people to move their businesses farther…Reach out and ask those who are profiled about the things they helped build at Uber. I’m convinced they can be of great value to your team.”
Similarly, Airbnb also launched a talent directory. The company has recently laid off roughly 25% of its staff. Airbnb’s CEO Brian Chesky shared publicly his intentions to launch “a public-facing website to help teammates leaving find new jobs. Departing employees can opt-in to have profiles, resumes, and work samples accessible to potential employers -- A significant portion of Airbnb Recruiting will become an Alumni Placement Team. Recruiters that are staying with Airbnb will provide support to departing employees to help them find their next job.”
Organizations are making a great effort to help their high potential staff bring opportunities to other companies that are able to hire and retain new talent by promoting them and their ability to bring growth to new teams. The transparency of these organizations is greeted with praise and recognized as a perfect solution tool to navigate the shifting landscape and manage the crisis.