Companies undergoing layoffs can save big on outplacement costs by choosing Transition Concierge, according to data from a recent survey by the Institute for Corporate Productivity (i4cp), RiseSmart announced in a news release. The i4cp survey shows that employers are spending an average of more than $5,000 per executive or manager to provide external outplacement support for a period of three to six months - more than double the cost of RiseSmart Transition Concierge outplacement service. According to a survey of 355 employers by i4cp, the average employer spent $5,574 per employee to provide between three and six months of external outplacement support for its laid-off executives, and $5,052 per employee to provide between three and six months of support for its laid-off managers. These figures represent more than twice the per-employee cost of RiseSmart's services.

In an environment where companies are reducing headcount, trimming travel, postponing capital purchases -- anything they can think of to survive in the current economy -- it doesn't make sense to waste money on overpriced outplacement services. It's time for employers to take a closer look at what they're paying for. Services like grief counseling and office space, for example, do little to help workers with their most pressing need -- finding a new job. CFOS and HR directors should begin demanding more for less. The i4cp data was part of a survey referenced in the Wall Street Journal's Aug. 20 story on outplacement, which highlighted RiseSmart. The folks at i4cp were kind enough to cross-tabulate some the data they collected for purposes of our news release.