ICF Coach Klub

Almost fifty coaches are contributing to a joint project run by the Hungarian Chartered Chapter International Coach Federation (ICF) and MALÉV F.A. (the Hungarian national airline company, under liquidation). The massive CSR project involves providing pro bono outplacement coaching to former MALÉV employees in order to help them overcome the loss of their jobs and to ensure them a better chance for a career change.

MALÉV went bankrupt at 6:00 am 3^rd February 2012, leaving a thousand people unemployed and the whole country in shock. The grounding of the company brought an end to 66 years of almost continuous service and to many life-long careers. Some of the employees were in the air flying when they heard that the company they work for went bankrupt. With the bankruptcy of MALÉV the airline’s pilots, stewards and stewardesses lost their jobs, but the subsidiaries partly remained in operation. MALEV Ground Handling dismissed 75%, Aeroplex of Central Europe dismissed 50% of their employees. The last ad of the company –featuring portraits of current and ex-employees- was paid for by the employees, who chose this extraordinary way to say goodbye to the passengers. “The employees would like to thank the passengers with this symbolic last ad purchased by themselves. We keep all those lots of happy moments of 66 years spent together in hearts!”

The Hungarian Chartered Chapter of ICF created its CSR concept earlier this year.  Some of the key aims are to represent to the community the core values that are important to our members (collaboration, cooperation, empathy, respect and responsibility), and to fulfill an important role from a social aspect while generating change in the lives of those coping with disadvantages or inequalities. The pro-bono outplacement coaching project involves 50% of our members. They provide coaching on a voluntary basis in their spare time. They are supported by ten mentor coaches and supervisors. Former MALÉV staff members were offered a 3-months outplacement coaching process and 90 employees grabbed the opportunity. As a result of the coaching, some of them have already been hired by new employers; others are attending job interviews with higher awareness, equipped with an updated CV, strengthened self-confidence and refined interviewing techniques.

The real challenge lies in the fact that some of the careers cut short by the liquidation of the company had been specifically connected to the airline industry. Competencies, skills and strengths have been identified during coaching, beside their special knowledge and experience connected to the airline industry. All ICF volunteers are working on supporting these valuable people to find their places in the world again and are using the power of coaching to identify and learn the strengths that will serve as a solid base for their future.

Dismissed employees found themselves in an emotionally difficult situation, a real grief, since many of them had been working at the airline almost as family member since their high school graduation or the completion of their college degrees. They were forced to enter the labour market, in many cases for the very first time in their life. Most of them were disappointed, depressed. The coaching focused on dealing with the shock of accepting a final change and overcoming the fear of a new job. The most frequent results of the coaching are growing self-awareness and self-esteem, and the ability to deal with the grief consciously.

The project involving 140 people is managed by Dóra Hegedűs, past president and member of board and Beáta Schäffer, CSR responsible of ICF Hungary. This project is an excellent professional challenge for the chapter that builds a strong cohesion among its members and increases the sense of belonging – resulting in a renewal ratio of 91%.

József Király HR Director of MALÉV: “I was very happy when I managed to get in touch with ICF through a former colleague of mine after the shutdown of MALÉV. We worked really hard with the responsibles of ICF in a record-breaking couple of weeks: we organized for 90 former MALÉV-employees to receive professional support in overcoming the shock they had encountered and in rebuilding their lives after MALÉV. I believe that for those participating in the program, it will be easier to deal with the situation resulting from losing their jobs and they will have a better chance at setting off on the way to a new life. On behalf of my colleagues, I would like to say thank you to all coaches contributing to organizing and implementing the program and for their generous voluntary work and support.”

This is how the coaching is perceived by a former MALÉV employee: “I had been hunting for a job for 2.5 months when I started the coaching. This means that by then I had read as much as possible on how to write a CV or a motivation letter, etc. Yet my coach had something new and useful to say. The biggest benefit for me was that she has made me confident, and strengthened my belief that I am going in the right direction and I am able to overcome any difficulties. Now employers are connecting with me and I don’t feel vulnerable because I know I am really good; any employer should be happy to hire me! This might sound like an overstatement but I am sure it makes a difference in a job interview whether you speak shivering or you project a positive and confident but not conceited attitude that creates a good impression and makes an employer believe that there is no better choice for them.”

7min report in the morning show of TV2 that has the highest reach in the country (42% of all viewers): click on this link.

Budapest, June 2012