The job market is constantly changing. Some job profiles change, some drop out, and new ones are created. The result: more and more often, companies have to cut a large number of jobs in one area and fill vacancies, or even create new ones, in other areas.
Mastering this challenge can be a real burden for companies, both organisationally and financially. For this reason, more and more companies are deciding to convert, or transition their employees internally, instead of downsizing on a large scale. This restructuring of staff is called ‘redeployment’ (“regrouping”, “relocation”). To recruit people within a company or organisation, experts use personnel development measures in restructuring projects for further training or re-qualification.
Redeployment: staff restructuring instead of downsizing
Redeployment describes the restructuring of employee capacities. This means that new or open positions are filled by employees who already work for the company and who are qualified for the new role. The replacement takes place according to these steps:
1. Identification of the departments concerned
In order to identify the fields of action, companies need to know the departments that are well positioned, and those that are characterised by overcapacity. At the same time, the focus is on the future and growth areas of the company are determined in order to identify in the second step which competencies are in demand in the long term.
2. Comparison of the existing and required skills
In order to master the transfer of employees, the currently available qualifications, competencies and experiences are first structured. This status quo is compared with the requirements of the vacant positions. Employees who have the right skill set can ultimately be trained and qualified for future needs with the help of on-, off- or near-the-job development measures.
3. Identification of employees with no further training potential
In many cases, there will also be employees who do not have the initial qualifications required for the personnel development measure. Then it is important to support these employees and to open up perspectives for them outside of your own organisation through outplacement.
The benefits of redeployment for companies
- Thanks to redeployment, companies can streamline structures and reduce excess capacities in certain areas without having to lay down for operational reasons. At the same time, companies are building up “manpower” elsewhere.
- By converting their capacities, companies are reducing both the costs of dismantling and the costs of recruiting processes.
- Despite the change in the labour market, employees receive new professional prospects. This has an effect on loyalty, willingness to change and productivity.
- The results of the potential analysis show the top performers in the organisation who are to be retained in the future.
- Long-standing employees have company-specific skills and experience that they also use in new fields of employment – instead of, for example, switching to competition.
- The retraining and further training within the scope of redeployment provides your own employees with additional specialist knowledge and company-specific skills that have a positive influence on the company’s success.
- Personnel development measures also pay off in the long term. Employees who gain further qualifications and take on new tasks contribute to making the entire organisation more flexible. A high willingness to change and adaptability can also counteract the shortage of skilled workers in the future.
The benefits of redeployment for the employee
- During the restructuring, employees receive security through new professional perspectives and are thus absorbed in a phase of uncertainty.
- Filling a new position promotes the employee’s learning ability and professional development and thus contributes to long-term employability.
- Redeployment gives employees new opportunities to shape their own careers. In times of mosaic careers, in which professional change includes not only vertical but also horizontal development, employees have the opportunity to set and achieve new professional goals within the company.
Conclusion
For many companies, mobilising their workforce is the biggest hurdle in a staff-restructuring project. The strategic concept, the tailored communication and the coaching of executives are therefore part of every restructuring measure.
If a company uses redeployment successfully, the measure will pay off in any case. The identified high performers and key people will play a key role in the company’s success, a high willingness to change creates the basis for long-term sustainability and time-consuming recruiting processes are reduced.
This article was written for Career Star Group by von Rundstedt. von Rundstedt represent Career Star Group in Germany and is one of the leading experts in workforce transformation and outplacement in Germany. With over 35 years’ experience in supporting over 2,000 individuals annually to successfully transition, von Rundstedt’s proven methodology combined with their depth of knowledge on the current and future job market and employment trends provide those who use their services with a real competitive advantage. 86% of Germany’s largest corporations work with von Rundstedt.
To find out more about Career Star Group in Germany, or any other location, click here.