Work. Made Better. Series
By Alan Kearns, Founder, CareerJoy
In recent months, I’ve had the same conversation with HR leaders from coast to coast, across ministries, agencies, municipalities, and Crown corporations. It starts with a pause, and then the question:
“How do we manage workforce reductions in a way that protects employee dignity, minimizes legal and union risk, and maintains public trust?”
This isn’t just a theoretical HR problem. In the public sector, restructuring decisions are subject to:
And behind all of those layers, there are people — employees who have dedicated their careers to public service, colleagues who remain after the changes, and leaders whose credibility will be measured by how they navigate the moment.
Public sector workforce change is more complex than in most private organizations because:
According to the 2024 HRPA Workplace Transitions Report, 74% of HR leaders agree that career transition services play a significant role in protecting employer brand after layoffs. In the public sector, that brand is not just organizational — it’s tied to the trust citizens place in government institutions.
The 2025 International Coaching Federation (ICF) Global Coaching Study also found that employees receiving career transition coaching during layoffs experience 50% faster re-employment and 60% higher career confidence compared to those without support.
Employees leaving a public sector role often feel their professional identity is tied to service and mission. The way they are treated in this moment has a lasting impact on their career trajectory, mental health, and willingness to speak positively about their employer.
The ESA, collective agreements, and arbitration decisions in your jurisdiction set a floor — but public scrutiny often sets the bar much higher. Well-structured outplacement support can demonstrate procedural fairness and mitigate claims of bad faith.
Case in point: In Khalil v. Ontario Ministry of Labour (2023), the Ontario Labour Relations Board noted that the employer’s inclusion of career transition support was a factor in establishing fairness, even though it wasn’t a legal requirement.
The public measures government not just by fiscal outcomes but by how it treats its people. A respectful, transparent, and well-supported restructuring process can reinforce public trust rather than erode it.
1) Plan Early and Broadly
Engage legal, HR, union, and communications teams in one integrated plan. This avoids surprises and conflicting messages.
2) Train Leaders on Difficult Conversations
Managers often have never delivered a layoff message before. Providing them with language, roleplay scenarios, and emotional intelligence training can prevent harm.
3) Offer Outplacement as Standard
Not just to executives, but to all employees. This is a visible sign of fairness and a practical tool for transitioning people into their next role faster.
4) Support Retained Employees
Survivor syndrome is real. Without attention to morale and clarity of vision, productivity and trust can erode.
5) Document and Communicate Fairness
Keep a clear record of how decisions were made, how people were treated, and how commitments to equity and inclusion were met.
In my work with ministries, agencies, and Crown corporations, I’ve seen outplacement make the difference between a smooth restructuring and a prolonged reputational challenge.
The most effective programs:
When a federal agency in Ottawa restructured in early 2024, over 80 roles were affected, ranging from policy analysts to program managers. The agency invested in outplacement for all impacted employees, coordinated with union leaders, and trained managers in empathetic delivery.
The results:
CareerJoy’s role as an official learning partner of APEX gives us direct access to public sector leadership insights and a deep understanding of the cultural realities of government. Our partnerships span both public and private sectors, from the Office of the Superintendent of Financial Institutions (OFSI) to Canadian Forces Morale and Welfare Services (CFMWS) to Shopify, giving us unique insight into cross-sector opportunities for public servants in transition.
This breadth matters because employees leaving government often need guidance to position themselves competitively outside the public sector while still respecting the value of their service experience.
According to the 2024 HRPA Workplace Transitions Report, organizations that include career transition support in restructuring see:
In the public sector, that ROI isn’t just measured in dollars — it’s measured in maintained trust, stable service delivery, and the morale of the people who remain.
Restructuring in the public sector is never easy, but it can be done with dignity, fairness, and strategic foresight. CareerJoy partners with government employers to design transitions that protect people, minimize risk, and strengthen trust.
We are an official learning partner of APEX and proudly hold a 4.7-star Google rating.
📧 Contact Matt Goff, VP, Partner Solutions: matt.goff@careerjoy.com
📞 1-877-256-2569
Human-first. AI-smart. 100 Percent Canadian. Global reach. Proven results
Work. Made Better. Series
By Alan Kearns, Founder, CareerJoy
In recent months, I’ve had the same conversation with HR leaders from coast to coast, across ministries, agencies, municipalities, and Crown corporations. It starts with a pause, and then the question:
“How do we manage workforce reductions in a way that protects employee dignity, minimizes legal and union risk, and maintains public trust?”
This isn’t just a theoretical HR problem. In the public sector, restructuring decisions are subject to:
And behind all of those layers, there are people — employees who have dedicated their careers to public service, colleagues who remain after the changes, and leaders whose credibility will be measured by how they navigate the moment.
Public sector workforce change is more complex than in most private organizations because:
According to the 2024 HRPA Workplace Transitions Report, 74% of HR leaders agree that career transition services play a significant role in protecting employer brand after layoffs. In the public sector, that brand is not just organizational — it’s tied to the trust citizens place in government institutions.
The 2025 International Coaching Federation (ICF) Global Coaching Study also found that employees receiving career transition coaching during layoffs experience 50% faster re-employment and 60% higher career confidencecompared to those without support.
Employees leaving a public sector role often feel their professional identity is tied to service and mission. The way they are treated in this moment has a lasting impact on their career trajectory, mental health, and willingness to speak positively about their employer.
The ESA, collective agreements, and arbitration decisions in your jurisdiction set a floor, but public scrutiny often sets the bar much higher. Well-structured outplacement support can demonstrate procedural fairness and mitigate claims of bad faith.
Case in point: In Khalil v. Ontario Ministry of Labour (2023), the Ontario Labour Relations Board noted that the employer’s inclusion of career transition support was a factor in establishing fairness, even though it wasn’t a legal requirement.
The public measures government not just by fiscal outcomes but by how it treats its people. A respectful, transparent, and well-supported restructuring process can reinforce public trust rather than erode it.
In my work with ministries, agencies, and Crown corporations, I’ve seen outplacement make the difference between a smooth restructuring and a prolonged reputational challenge.
The most effective programs:
When a federal agency in Ottawa restructured in early 2024, over 80 roles were affected, ranging from policy analysts to program managers. The agency invested in outplacement for all impacted employees, coordinated with union leaders, and trained managers in empathetic delivery.
The results:
CareerJoy’s role as an official learning partner of APEX gives us direct access to public sector leadership insights and a deep understanding of the cultural realities of government. Our partnerships span both public and private sectors, from the Office of the Superintendent of Financial Institutions (OFSI) to Canadian Forces Morale and Welfare Services (CFMWS) to Shopify, giving us unique insight into cross-sector opportunities for public servants in transition.
This breadth matters because employees leaving government often need guidance to position themselves competitively outside the public sector while still respecting the value of their service experience.
According to the 2024 HRPA Workplace Transitions Report, organizations that include career transition support in restructuring see:
In the public sector, that ROI isn’t just measured in dollars — it’s measured in maintained trust, stable service delivery, and the morale of the people who remain.
Restructuring in the public sector is never easy, but it can be done with dignity, fairness, and strategic foresight. CareerJoy partners with government employers to design transitions that protect people, minimize risk, and strengthen trust.
We are an official learning partner of APEX and proudly hold a 4.7-star Google rating.
📧 Contact Matt Goff, VP, Partner Solutions: matt.goff@careerjoy.com
📞 1-877-256-2569
Human-first. AI-smart. 100 Percent Canadian. Global reach. Proven results
