Reinvention Pays Off: Supported Transitions Drive Organisational Agility

 

When people are laid off, the natural instinct is to look for the same job, or something very close to it. It’s a rational response, grounded in familiarity and proven experience. But with the rapid acceleration of AI, automation, and digital transformation, roles are transforming. 

In a work environment defined by ongoing disruption, reinvention is essential. 

Over the last four years, while 74% of our career transition candidates began their search looking for roles similar to the ones they had lost, 58% ultimately pivoted into a new function or industry.  

We wanted to empower individuals to discover new possibilities and make informed decisions that lead to more opportunities that can evolve alongside their skills, ambitions, and the changing needs of the market. So, we designed Career Studio, a platform that reimagines the career transition experience. 

Workforce disruption is constant 

According to LHH’s 2026 Redeployment & Outplacement Trends Report, nearly 9 out of 10 HR leaders (87%) say they have recently completed layoffs or are considering them in the coming year. This shift is driven by a near equal combination of factors including AI and digital transformation (22%), skills mismatches (21%), and M&A duplications (20%).  

The constant state of organisational change impacts those tasked with transformation as well as those experiencing it. Almost two-thirds of HR leaders admit frequent restructuring is negatively affecting their mental well-being.  

Workers who stay feel the stress too. According to the 2026 LHH report, after experiencing team redundancies, remaining employees note increased workload (30%), reduced morale (26%), team instability (26%), and loss of leadership trust (25%). The way organisations handle transitions shapes not only the exit experience, but also the organisation’s reputation, culture, and ability to attract future talent. 

The New Success Measurement for Career Transition 

Traditionally, the success of most career transition programs is evaluated on speed to placement.  

But speed alone is not the only indicator of success. In an era of ongoing workforce disruptions, more than half of employees now worry that industry layoffs will  damage their long term prospects and nearly just as many are afraid their skills are not up to date. Preparing candidates for nonlinear career path options and skills transformations is just as necessary than finding the quickest next fit. 

Source: LHH’s 2026 Redeployment & Outplacement Trends Report 

As a result, workers need more than placement support. They need a transition experience that reduces the risk of repeat layoffs and equips them with the skills, confidence, and direction to thrive long-term. Part of that is exploring the possibilities of a career pivot. 

Employees often feel uncertain about how to approach this phase. More than half (56%) want to explore a new career path but don’t know how to start while more than three-fourths (78%) don’t know which skills or training will move their careers forward. 

Career Studio: Reinvention, supported. 

Stepping into new professional identities is a transformation journey. It requires clarity, direction and confidence. To meet the complexity of that journey, LHH created Career Studio, an award-winning digital platform designed to make career reinvention accessible, actionable, and personalized. 

Career Studio brings together the best of human support, behavioral science, and AI-powered tools, backed by over 50 years of career transition expertise and informed by real-world insights from nearly half a million individuals each year. Every feature is designed to turn uncertainty into inspiration, and inspiration into momentum. 

• Career Canvas: Our proprietary, inspiration engine that uncovers career paths people may never have considered. 

• Resume Builder: A tool that helps tailoring CVs, LinkedIn profiles and cover letters to reflect each candidate’s unique strengths. 

• Interview Centre: Interview practice tool providing instant AI feedback to build confidence and readiness. 

Job seekers are increasingly turning to AI-powered tools to support their search, but many remain unaware of the full range of capabilities these AI-driven platforms can offer. That’s where structured, expert guidance becomes essential.  

Reinvention Does Not Happen Alone 

We’re seeing our candidates schedule +70% more coaching sessions than six months ago. The increase in support is marked by an increasingly complex job market, longer search times, and growing uncertainty about where they fit in a rapidly changing workforce. 

Career coaches help candidates: 

• Make sense of AI insights and market signals 

• Understand their strengths, transferable skills, and employability 

• Build a structured pathway to reemployment 

• Shift their mindset and identity when transitioning into unfamiliar sectors 

Career Studio connects candidates not only to career coaches, but also to personal branding experts, recruiters, peer communities, live events, and learning opportunities, ensuring candidates have the right network and resources to move forward with confidence. 

Why Reinvention Matters for Organisations Too 

Organisations that treat redundancies and career transitions as part of a human-centered talent strategy create better outcomes for both people and the business. When organisations provide high-touch, clearly communicated transition support, departing employees land new roles an average of one month faster because they are better informed, engaged, prepared and supported.  

But more importantly, they are ready for whatever comes next. They are not simply employed, they are employable. Beyond the responsibility of providing a duty of care, this approach strengthens employer brand, reduces reputational risk, boosts employee engagement for colleagues that remain, and helps maintain a healthy alumni community, a valuable investment in future talent attraction and retention. 

Organisations that also adopt a reinvention mindset internally through proactive upskilling and targeted redeployment will be better equipped to navigate evolving workforce demands with greater agility.  

The upside? Redeployment can offer significantly reduced costs to hiring and preserve institutional knowledge, while giving employees continued meaningful opportunities to grow with the business, while bolstering morale and retention of top talent. 

To do this well, organisations need partners who bring both empathy and innovation. LHH has already helped 500,000 people across 60 countries reinvent their careers. Career Studio embodies our vision of modern career transition: an approach moving beyond transactional, toward solutions blending deep human care and advanced technology to deliver strategic foresight. 

Because the real opportunity is in rethinking how we prepare people for what’s next.  

Contact us to discuss your workforce transformation.