Taking care over the start and the exit: the art of professional transition in the service of the employer brand

When candidates attend a job interview, they know that everything counts: the way they enter the room, their posture, their gaze, their first word. They are often reminded to take care over how they make their entrance. But just as much emphasis is placed on the exit, because it is the final impression that lingers, the one that anchors how others perceive them and influences the final decision. The same is true for organisations. Their reputation does not depend solely on the way they welcome an employee, but also (and perhaps above all) on the way they support that person when the time comes to leave.

In a Swiss labour market marked both by strong mobility and by pressure on talent, professional transition becomes a mirror of the employer brand. Yet recent figures reveal an imbalance: while onboarding is widespread and increasingly well orchestrated, outplacement (support on departure) is still too often experienced as a defensive cost, reserved for sensitive cases.

Onboarding: the art of the entrance

Swiss organisations have understood it: onboarding is no longer a formality, but a strategic moment. Almost all hires today come with a structured pathway: digital modules, buddy schemes, checklists, training sessions, mentoring. Some organisations extend this process over 6 to 12 months in order to support both cultural and operational adaptation.

Why this interest? Because the start shapes a rapid sense of belonging, increases engagement and reduces early turnover. The Swiss HR Barometer and other Swiss HR surveys highlight that the first weeks determine the employee-organisation relationship, the intention to stay or to leave.

In other words, taking care over the start means building trust, easing integration and protecting the employer brand from the outset.

Outplacement: restoring value to the exit to preserve the employer brand

Conversely, outplacement, or transition support, is still too often perceived as a one-off cost, triggered only in cases of restructuring or dismissal.

Yet it is precisely in these moments of rupture that an essential part of an organisation's reputation is at stake. An employee who is well supported through their departure can become a loyal ambassador, whereas a poorly handled departure can turn a once-engaged employee into a detractor.

What is more, the employees who remain are not indifferent: they observe closely how their colleagues are treated, and their trust in the organisation grows stronger when it acts with fairness and respect.

Finally, in a Swiss market marked by annual mobility close to 20%, of which 13.5% are voluntary changes and 6.5% job losses, every former employee becomes a potential ambassador to future candidates. Their experience, whether positive or negative, has a direct influence on the organisation's external appeal.

Employer brand: the challenge of symmetry

The current trend shows that outplacement is gaining in value and visibility. According to a survey by LHH (a subsidiary of the Adecco group), 82% of HR leaders in Switzerland already say they offer a transition programme, and 94% plan to develop such schemes in the years ahead, a sign that supporting departures is becoming an increasingly committed reflex.

The 2023 barometer by von Rundstedt, based on 2,182 people made redundant and 223 organisations, shows that the job search after a separation lasts on average 6.1 months (under 30s: ~3 months; 50 and over: ~6.6 months). This demonstrates the full importance of support tailored to age, experience and aspirations, because the longer the transition lasts, the greater the psychological, financial and social stakes for the individual, but also for the organisation letting them go.

Taking care over the end of the relationship means giving coherence to the employer promise and turning a constraint into a lever for reputation.

Supporting the exit to enhance the employer brand

It is precisely on this ground that Valeur Plus sets out its action. We view professional transition not as a constraint imposed by a departure, but as a genuine strategic opportunity in the service of the employer brand. We champion a deeply human and ethical approach, convinced that a separation can become a constructive and respectful experience, beneficial both for the employee and for the organisation.

The methodology developed by Valeur Plus is based on a clear and progressive pathway. It all begins with a three-way meeting bringing together the organisation, the employee and the coach in order to clarify expectations and align objectives. This is followed by a process of assessment and exploration to bring to light the coachee's skills, strengths and aspirations. This stage paves the way for building a realistic, motivating professional project that is aligned with the realities of the market. Then comes the phase of concrete tools: CV, cover letters, LinkedIn profile, interview simulations and networking strategy. The support continues on the ground, with active follow-up of applications and regular support until reintegration is secured.

Beyond this framework, Valeur Plus offers a TRE (Job Search Techniques) platform that works directly with the regional employment office to provide subsidised solutions for people who find themselves unemployed.

For organisations, this support represents far more than an HR service: it is an investment in coherence and reputation. By handling departures with as much care as arrivals, Valeur Plus helps its clients to strengthen internal trust, maintain good employee relations and consolidate their appeal in a demanding labour market.

Reconciling the entrance and the exit

When employees arrive, they gauge the quality of the welcome. When they leave, they assess the quality of the separation. Swiss organisations have invested heavily in onboarding and are already reaping the benefits in terms of retention and image. But they can no longer afford to neglect outplacement, at the risk of seeing their reputation weakened by poorly managed departures.

Valeur Plus embodies this ambition of symmetry. By offering respectful, human and pragmatic frameworks, it helps organisations to take as much care over their exits as over their entrances. Because a credible employer brand is built as much in the first step as in the last. And it is these two moments, the entrance and the exit, that durably forge trust and reputation.

​Produced by Romain Moracchini, trainer and coach