One statistic has been circulating widely within HR circles over the past year: 91% of organisations planning workforce reductions are also recruiting.
Whether the precise figure varies by industry or survey, the underlying trend is difficult to ignore. Organisations are no longer simply reducing headcount. They're redesigning their workforces. As some roles disappear, new capability is being built in areas such as digital transformation, AI, cyber security, customer experience and data. That creates an interesting leadership challenge. The organisation saying goodbye to one group of employees this month may be trying to attract an entirely different group next month.
Research from Glassdoor found that 86% of job seekers research company reviews and ratings before deciding where to apply. In other words, the people you're hoping to recruit tomorrow are often reading about how yesterday's employees experienced your organisation.
For CEOs and Chief People Officers, this changes the conversation. A restructure is no longer simply an internal business event. It has become a public reflection of leadership, culture and organisational values. The commercial decisions themselves may be necessary, but the way those decisions are experienced increasingly shapes how future employees, customers and industry peers perceive the organisation.
Employer Brand No Longer Belongs Solely to Talent Acquisition
Employer brand has traditionally been associated with attraction. Organisations invest heavily in defining their employee value proposition, creating engaging recruitment campaigns and building careers pages that showcase culture and opportunity.
Those investments remain important, but employer brand is no longer shaped solely by what an organisation says about itself. It is shaped by what employees say after they've experienced it, particularly during moments that test organisational values.
This represents an important shift for HR leaders. Employer brand now spans the entire employee lifecycle, from attraction and onboarding through to development, leadership, career progression and ultimately, departure. Every stage contributes to organisational reputation, but few carry as much emotional weight as the way people leave.
Every restructure has three audiences
When organisations navigate workforce change, it's natural to focus on the employees whose roles are directly affected. Yet they are only one audience.
The second audience is the employees who remain. They are watching leadership closely, looking for evidence that organisational values still apply when circumstances become challenging. The decisions leaders make, the way they communicate and the level of support provided all influence confidence in leadership, perceptions of fairness and future engagement.
Research from the Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development (CIPD) highlights that poorly managed workforce change can reduce trust, morale and engagement among employees who remain, a phenomenon commonly referred to as survivor syndrome.
The third audience sits outside the organisation altogether. Candidates, recruiters, customers, investors and professional networks all observe how organisations behave during periods of change. In today's connected world, restructures rarely remain private organisational events. Stories travel quickly, and they often carry more influence than corporate messaging ever could.
The employer brand echo
One of the unintended consequences of today's connected workforce is what might be described as the employer brand echo. A restructure may take place over a matter of weeks, but its impact on organisational reputation can continue for years.
Employees often remember difficult periods more vividly than routine ones. The conversations they have with leaders, the transparency of communication and the support they receive frequently become the stories they share with colleagues, friends and future employers. Those stories influence not only public perception but also future hiring outcomes.
According to LinkedIn Talent Solutions, organisations with strong employer brands can reduce cost per hire by up to 50% while attracting 50% more qualified applicants. Protecting employer brand during periods of workforce change is therefore not simply a communications exercise. It is a talent strategy.
Outplacement is becoming a leadership decision
This is why leading organisations are beginning to view outplacement differently.
Traditionally regarded as an HR service or employee benefit, high-quality career transition support is increasingly recognised as an extension of leadership and employer brand. It demonstrates respect for people, reinforces organisational values and provides meaningful support during one of the most significant career moments an individual may experience.
Importantly, it also sends a message to those who remain. People notice whether departing colleagues are treated with dignity, whether support feels genuine and whether the organisation's values continue to guide decisions when circumstances become difficult.
The most effective outplacement programs recognise that career transition is deeply personal. Some people need immediate practical support. Others require time to rebuild confidence, redefine career direction or reconnect with their strengths before beginning a job search. Supporting every individual in exactly the same way may create consistency, but supporting people according to their individual needs creates better outcomes for employees and stronger outcomes for organisations.
The organisations people remember
Every organisation hopes to be recognised for its culture, leadership and values. Those qualities are certainly visible during periods of growth, but they are remembered most clearly during periods of change.
Organisations cannot always control the market conditions that make workforce change necessary. They can, however, control how people experience those moments and what employees, both departing and remaining, say about the organisation afterwards. Because the people leaving your organisation today may influence the people you hope to hire tomorrow.
For organisations looking to support employees with the same care they invest in attracting them, it's worth exploring how Progressional approaches outplacement. By treating every individual as a person rather than a process, organisations have an opportunity to protect not only careers, but also the trust, reputation and employer brand they've spent years building.
Footnote: The 91% figure has been widely cited in HR and recruitment industry commentary as organisations increasingly rebalance capability rather than simply reduce headcount. While reported figures vary between surveys and sectors, the broader trend towards simultaneous workforce reduction and recruitment is well established.
