How organizations treat departing employees can affect their ability to engage and retain future talent, according to a new survey, Moving On: How Best-in-Class Companies Are Helping Exiting Employees Find Their Next Career, conducted by IMPACT Group, a global career development firm.  The survey reports on responses from 363 exiting employee who participated in the IMPACT Group's outplacement program during 2013.

According to the report, “Providing outplacement support doesn't just help departing employees move on, but keeps them moving forward in their careers….The feeling of support for those who are let go reverberates back to employees who remain with the company, in turn helping to maintain positive engagement, productivity, and motivation.”

The survey of 363 exiting employees participating in the IMPACT Group’s outplacement program found the following:

• A dedicated career coach was the "most valued" aspect of the program. Personalized career consulting means candidates truly stay ahead of the curve with up-to-the-minute advice and guidance on developing an individual career plan, writing a strong, relevant résumé, preparing for interviews, learning about networking best practices, negotiation strategies, and alternative career options.

• More than half of respondents used their personal network to land their new job. But knowing the importance of networking and knowing how to actually network correctly are two different things. Career coaches also provide tools to assist candidates with networking essentials, such as LinkedIn training, how to secure networking referrals, and best practices for marketing skills to their network.

• More than 95 percent of respondents consider access to the latest career technology helpful and a time-saving resource. For example, online career portals aggregate job search databases, assessments, webinars, and resources into one location. They also can act as a home base for maintaining job search materials and discovering and tracking opportunities.

• More than 75 percent of respondents reported their outplacement program accelerated their job search. Respondents felt that the program helped candidates build communication skills to take their interview performance to the next level and make smarter job search choices, leading to more successful careers.

Bottom line from Moving On: “Just as job hunting has changed dramatically in the past decade, outplacement support has transformed to meet new demands in the marketplace. As a result, best-in-class companies have turned to outplacement services to help their exiting employees gain a competitive advantage over other job seekers.”

For full details on the findings and survey demographics, please visit IMPACT Group to download the report.