Organisations
Through our Pathfinder Programme, we work for organisations with their senior executives.
Working Free Ltd is a specialist career advisory business supporting senior Director-level executives coming off the permanent payroll into an independent working lifestyle. We coach them from dependency into independency – for their own future; for the enlightened reputation of their sponsoring company and – increasingly – for the benefit of the community. Reflecting the level at which we operate, these senior executives will be in their 50s but with many in their 40s. Our primary offering is to organisations but we are also pleased to work with individuals.
This is how the Working Free Pathfinder Programme for organisations works:-
- Working Free constructs a bespoke programme in consultation with each organisation in terms of modules (which we refer to as Technical Topics), participants, locations and timings. Each programme consists of the Foundation Module + a selection of Technical Topics chosen by our client.
- Each module lasts three hours and fees are based on the number of executives on the programme and how many modules are included in the Programme by the client. This is based on a minimum of five delegates and a practical working maximum of fifteen. The Pathfinder Programme is invoiced on a monthly basis for work delivered in that month. Full details available from admin@WorkingFree.co.uk.
- After each event, Working Free reports on outcomes – mentioning no names – but enabling our client to assess value and determine future needs.
- Our focus is on people – the way they operate and their career futures. Integral to this, of course, is the organisation – we are pleased to comment creatively on their resourcing methodologies and their thinking as regards people.
Investing in the Working Free Pathfinder Programme – making the case.
- Working Free offers an additional, a supplementary support to traditional outplacement services. People leave organisations for differing reasons – mostly personally positive; sometimes negative. Where positive, offering practical support in moving to an independent work lifestyle is important and specifically appreciated.
- Those leaving under restructuring programmes don’t all want to find roles mirroring the one they’ve just left. Some want to do their own thing. Few know how.
- Many senior people adopting an independent working lifestyle discover a new career – and are grateful for the opportunity.
- In many cases, local – and wider -communities are beneficiaries of newly fledged independent workers. A worthy inclusion in corporate CSR programmes.
- Good leavers are worth keeping in touch with – whatever they are doing – it’s a variation on the Alumni concept – successfully adopted by many professional organisations.
- Those retiring under normal conditions don’t all want to go on lots of holidays and look after the grandchildren. Their skills and energies and some aspirations are still there – but their salaries are gone. Their pensions may not be enough. Their ambitions will not have disappeared entirely.
- Employees with an employer mindset and strong Independent Enterprise behaviours are valuable – and often thought of as new thinking. This programme does not magically produce this – but it does lay the foundations for its generation in those who have been through the programme. If you expect your senior people to behave like this, they will respond positively – knowing how to is important.
- Re-engaging former employees on a freelance basis is a small but resident feature within many organisational resourcing programmes. Getting it right and doing more of it is good for business.
- Endowing your own senior people with many of these characteristics is good for them; good for your organisation and good for the community. It should also be good for those still with you – those who run businesses are increasingly looking for results-driven mentalities in their people.
- Modern thinking includes collaborative working. This includes organisations of all shapes and sizes and individuals.
