By
Impactpool 2025
Funding cuts are slicing deep. Programs are closing; offices scaled down; staff laid off. And behind every number is a real person.
It’s Elvas, whose work kept her and her family fed, now plunged into uncertainty about her own next meal. It’s Farai, working 18-hour days to keep the program afloat but drowning in powerlessness as increasing numbers of his countrypeople starve.
Robust outplacement support is the most effective way humanitarian agencies can support the Elvas’ and Farai’s – and protect future hiring at the same time.
Outplacement support isn’t just an ethical imperative. It’s a strategic necessity for mission-driven organizations – to protect employee relationships, organizational reputation, legal compliance, and long-term talent resilience. In a sector defined by instability and rehiring cycles, that matters.
Contraction now; crisis later?
From Afghanistan to Brazil, from Geneva to Goma, the sector is under enormous pressure. Thousands of jobs have already vaporized. The International Rescue Committee, Danish Refugee Council, Norwegian Refugee Council, and Norwegian People’s Aid have all announced mass layoffs.
But it’s worth bearing in mind, the humanitarian sector is no stranger to the pattern of contraction and expansion. The circumstances of this current crisis may be new but the principle isn’t.
Cuts feel like they’ll last forever but they won’t. Programs will reopen. Recruitment will unfreeze.
And in a sector where recruitment is cyclical, how you treat departing staff today directly impacts who you can hire tomorrow. Where you can maintain a bridge – both practical and emotional – yesterday’s laid-off staff can become tomorrow’s priority-hires.
What is outplacement support? And why does it matter
Outplacement support provides structured, compassionate guidance to help people transition after job loss. It helps people navigate the job market, manage the emotional impact of redundancy, and build the skills to transition to their next career opportunity.
Impactpool’s sector-specific outplacement support includes:
One-on-one coaching with international sector experts
Support for CV writing, interview skills, and career clarity
Guidance around stress management and family impact
Access to a curated sector-specific library of resources
For your staff, the benefits of outplacement support can be enormous:
Faster re-employment
Reduced unemployment costs
Reduced stress and anxiety
Guidance with job search
Improved jobseeking skills
Increased wellbeing and engagement
But this isn’t only about looking after your people. The value proposition for outplacement support is especially strong for humanitarian organizations, because of the nature of recruiting in the sector.
Not only is the space buoyant, with regular push-pull rehiring cycles that depend on the ability to reach (and persuade) former talent. It’s also characterized by ongoing recruitment challenges – such that any ‘edge’ that can support with future hiring is a powerful asset.
The ROI of treating leavers well
Departing staff don’t vanish. They talk. They post. They shape your employer brand. Layoffs handled badly erode trust. Handled well, they build trust and keep talent pipelines warm, when you’ll need them tomorrow.
Many international orgs already have internal redeployment structures. At IOM, for instance, laid-off staff retain internal status. But that only works if a) the organization has a structured way to track and keep in touch with those people and b) those people remain warm and willing.
Outplacement support is a bridge: a way to protect relationships, keep doors open, and maintain a warm pipeline for the future. Organizations that support their leavers:
Protect and strengthen your employer brand and values
Streamline restructuring while also supporting leavers
Reduce future hiring costs through rehire
Strengthen trust and loyalty with current staff
Increase application conversion through brand ambassadorship
Improve DEI outcomes by retaining diverse talent longer
Reduce legal risks and costs
Letting people go might be necessary today. But tomorrow, when hiring returns, your old recruitment challenges will still be there – plus a flood of competition for talent.
Providing outplacement support now means you’re better positioned for the future.
Why choose sector-specialist outplacement support
There are many outplacement service providers, but few (if any) dedicated to the impact sector. That’s the unique value of working with Impactpool.
We’ve provided career development, coaching and outplacement assistance for the global impact sector for nearly a decade – completing more than 4000 coaching sessions.
Experienced humanitarian sector career coaches
Our training and coaching team combines profound humanitarian expertise, HR and recruitment expertise, and coaching/counselling expertise. For your staff, that means receiving outplacement support from people who really get it.
Extensive (often 20+ years’), direct experience working in humanitarian organisations internationally. They understand organizational structures, decision-making processes, skills requirements, and cultural politics.
Deep knowledge of talent acquisition and talent management within humanitarian and development organizations. They understand how hiring works, both for your organization and employees.
Exceptional track record in career coaching and counselling. All Impactpool coaches hold a coaching certification and a minimum of a Bachelor’s degree plus five years’ experience or Graduate degree in counselling.
Broad international experience from culturally diverse and geographically dispersed backgrounds. We offer coaching in many different languages, so international staff can access support without language barriers.
Access to Impactpool Fellowship
Impactpool’s Fellowship is an on-demand platform that gives Fellows access to exclusive articles, webinars, podcasts and newsletters dedicated to building and growing an impact-sector career.
Impactpool outplacement support includes a Fellowship subscription for all leaving staff, providing a self-service career portal that educates and empowers.
Access to world’s largest impact-sector community and jobs board
Impactpool is the world’s largest community of impact sector professionals, with:
1M+ professionals
195 countries
5K to 10K new members monthly
3500+ organizations
1.1M+ jobs posted
With outplacement support, transitioning staff get access to this community and job board, to:
Network with peers
Search for jobs with sector-specific filters
Get weekly tailored job alerts
Layoffs are hard anywhere. But in the humanitarian sector, they carry a unique emotional and operational cost. Providing staff with the right emotional and practical support to transition into their next role can ease the burden.
Support your people through transition with Impactpool
We’re facing the sharpest contraction the humanitarian workforce has seen in a generation. But people will always be needed. And the people you support through job loss today may be the ones who help you rebuild tomorrow.
Impact isn’t just what you do in the field. It’s also how you show up for your people. Especially in hard times. Mission-driven organizations must model the dignity they advocate. That credibility starts inside the building, even when the building is scaling down (for now).
Outplacement support isn’t just smart strategy. It’s values in action.
Your values don’t pause when funding does. Talk to Impactpool about outplacement support that’s ethical, effective, and built for the humanitarian sector.
