Outplacement services in Australia in 2026: what HR managers need to know

Outplacement provides critical support to employees as companies navigate downsizing, restructures, or acquisitions. By guiding displaced staff into new employment, outplacement services in Australia provide a meaningful way of positioning a business as a people-first organisation whilst also protecting its reputation and minimising legal risk. 

Outplacement services don’t just support the departing employee, they also support the business. 

It can take years for a brand or a business to recover from a damaged reputation. Stressed employees, who feel let down, singled out, or badly treated during a redundancy process, can damage a company’s reputation locally or online with just a few words. Providing outplacement services shows the workforce they’re cared for and treated well, even when the business no longer needs them, making it less likely that they’ll vent their grievances in public. 

Offering outplacement as part of a severance package or hiring contract can position the company as a top employer, making it easy to attract talent in the future and also to retain existing employees who can see the business putting its people-first values into action. 

For larger companies, outplacement can reduce the cost of hiring by supporting the redeployment of redundant staff to other areas of the business. This has the added benefits of retaining valuable institutional knowledge and ensuring regulatory compliance. 

Outplacement can contribute to maintaining productivity throughout the transition period, when retained employees may be feeling insecure about their own roles and overworked as they take on additional responsibilities. Seeing their colleagues supported into new positions ensures morale remains at a reasonable level as the new order settles in. It also retains employee trust in the business. 

Outplacement is not a legal requirement in Australia, but it can reduce legal exposure. According to the Fair Work Act, a company can make an employee redundant when it no longer requires their job to be done by anyone (for example, it has been automated), or the company becomes insolvent or bankrupt. They must then follow the consultation requirements in the award or enterprise agreement. 

A redundancy is deemed to be “not genuine” if the job still needs to be done by someone, the employer hasn’t followed consultation requirements, or the employee could have been given another job within the business (or an associated entity). In that case, the employee can apply for unfair dismissal. 

That’s where outplacement services in Australia come in. Working with an outplacement partner can help employers meet their legal obligations by: 

• Evaluating internal redeployment options for displaced staff.
• Providing support to those exiting the business to minimise expensive unfair dismissal claims – valid or otherwise.

National Employment Standards determine notice periods and severance pay rates. In Australia, outplacement support can be added to the severance package, protecting the company’s reputation by showing it lives its values and cares for its workforce even in the toughest of times. 

Different employees have different requirements. An entry-level administrator will need very different outplacement support to a C-suite executive. When choosing an outplacement provider, it’s important to choose one that can support staff at every level. 

Where standard redundancy support in Australia will offer assistance with career coaching, resume writing, LinkedIn profile optimisation, and interview support, executive outplacement services are tailored to the unique needs of the board and C-suite.  

Rather than working towards a simple career transition into an equivalent role elsewhere, executives often have more specialist needs. In those cases, outplacement can include advice on transitioning into academia, private equity, NED roles, retirement, entrepreneurship, consultancy, and more. 

Senior leaders can also benefit from networking opportunities, roundtables, one-to-one coaching, personality assessments, job search strategy advice, and executive-level careers content. Beyond a simple resume and LinkedIn profile, they’ll need executive bios and even personal branding support. 

When a cross-section of your workforce is affected by redundancies, a partner that can adapt their approach to support employees at every level will ensure you see a return on your investment.

Traditionally, outplacement services in Australia were engaged for a set period of time – usually between three and six months. These days, that isn’t good enough. With the average job search taking several months, time-limited services can leave a job seeker without support late in their job search, when they need it the most. 

Finding employment following redundancy isn’t just time consuming, it’s stressful and can negatively impact an individual’s confidence and sense of identity. That’s why, at Careerminds, we stay with program participants until they are successfully placed in a new role. We call this support “until placement.” Unlike traditional services, which abandon staff as soon as the agreed time limit ends, we work with them for as long as it takes. 

With many businesses embracing remote working and operating on a multinational scale, it’s important to choose an outplacement provider that can support every displaced employee – no matter where they are based geographically. 

Careerminds provides outplacement services across Australia, including Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane, Perth, and Adelaide. Unlike traditional providers, who only provide in-person services, we’re proud to offer online coaching and virtual resources that can be accessed by everyone. There’s no need for them to travel to meet their coach. 

As well as offering virtual coaching, our online resources, such as articles, webinars, and e-lessons, can be accessed whenever and wherever is convenient for your employees. We can provide services in multiple languages too, ensuring that your global employees are served just as well as your local staff. 

The unemployment rate in Australia rose to 4.5% in 2026, with the total number of job seekers increasing by 33,000. On a brighter note, the number of vacancies has increased, by 2.7% since November 2025. 

With AI adoption constantly in the news, the latest AHRI report notes that 82% of people believe AI is improving efficiency and productivity, but many are cautious about its fairness and bias with regards to hiring decisions. The same report cites 41% of employers predicting an increase in entry-level roles due to AI, and just 19% reporting a decline. However, they also report that 27% of employers plan redundancies this year. 

Clerks, receptionists, accounting clerks, bookkeepers, sales staff, marketing executives, and PR professionals have been identified as most at risk from job losses due to AI, with cleaners, midwives, nurses, construction workers, mining labourers, and hospitality staff least at risk. 

Australian tech companies are cutting roles five times faster than in 2025, with AI the main driver, meaning that workers made redundant in this sector will be facing increased competition for ever-fewer jobs. Restructuring due to AI is also affecting the banking and finance sector, with ANZ announcing 3,500 job cuts and Commonwealth Bank cutting 120 roles.

Against a backdrop of redundancies, particularly within tech and banking, businesses can provide softer landings for their workforce by supporting staff with outplacement programs that work with them to secure faster re-employment than they would achieve by going it alone. 

They can also identify skill gaps and advise on skill development and training, ensuring staff are equipped to navigate the modern labour market and remain competitive during their job search. 

The cost of outplacement services in Australia is influenced by multiple factors. Choosing a service should not be based on cost alone, but one that can truly meet the needs of all affected employees. 

Consider the following elements of outplacement that can impact cost: 

• Group versus one-to-one coaching: One-to-one coaching services can be tailored to the exact needs of the participant, whereas group coaching can be more cost-effective. 
• Virtual versus in-person coaching: Online services reduce the costs involved in travel and meeting spaces, meaning virtual services are often lower cost. 
• Seniority of employees: Executive services can come at a premium, in comparison to standard services. 
• Retainer fees: Some career transition services in Australia charge retainer fees, which can be wasteful if the services aren’t used. Careerminds does not charge retainers. 
• Length of service: Some providers will limit participants to enrolment of just a few months, which is a false economy.
• Coaching expertise: Look for providers that use accredited coaches with significant experience in outplacement – they may cost slightly more, but you can be assured that they’ll be able to offer quality advice. 

Request a pricing sheet from Careerminds.

The right outplacement provider for your business is the one that achieves the right results for both the company and its employees. Use this checklist from Careerminds to evaluate your shortlist:

• Support until placement – no time limits. 
• Accredited and experienced coaches.
• Support for both executives and less senior staff.
• Local knowledge with global reach.
• Virtual coaching delivery.
• Online resources. 
• Real-time program data.
• No retainer fees.
• Free demos.

Outplacement is paid for by the employer, to support affected employees back into work following redundancy, and is often offered as part of a severance package or included in employment contracts. 

Outplacement is not a legal requirement in Australia, but it can minimise legal exposure by protecting against unfair dismissal claims and supporting internal redeployment. 

The cost of outplacement in Australia is affected by the seniority of the program participants, as well as whether the program is delivered remotely or in person, whether coaching is offered on a one-to-one basis or in groups, and the volume of staff participating.  

Most outplacement services include resume writing, LinkedIn profile optimisation, job search support, interview preparation, and career coaching. Some providers also offer executive coaching, online job search resources, job matching, internal redeployment support, and skills development coaching. 

Choosing the right outplacement service in Australia means evaluating which provider can best meet your needs in terms of the seniority of your employees, the geographic locations of your staff, the length of support required, and the balance of virtual versus in-person support required. 

Outplacement is offered and paid for by employers to support newly-redundant employees, whereas career counselling is paid for personally by individuals, at any stage of their career, to support their development and progression. 

Career counselling takes place when an individual is employed and ready to evaluate their next steps, whereas outplacement specifically focuses on helping professionals experiencing redundancy. 

The ROI of outplacement is measured in terms of participant engagement rates, time to placement, participant satisfaction rates, and placement rates. 

At Careerminds, we’re proud of our 99% participant satisfaction rate, 80% participant engagement rate, and 95% placement rate. We provide real-time benchmarking data for your HR team so that you can monitor ROI throughout the life of the program. 

Outplacement is worth the investment as it protects your company’s reputation, minimises legal exposure, positions your business as an employer of choice to support future talent attraction and retention, and maintains productivity and morale among retained workers throughout the transition period. 

Outplacement services in Australia aren’t a luxury in this job market – they’re a necessity, offering human support and business ROI while protecting the future of both the company and its people.

Contact Careerminds to find out more about our outplacement services and discover if we’re the right partner for you.