It used to be the case that people could get a job and expect to stay there for as long as they wished. But with the current economic climate, the job for life is no longer guaranteed…but that’s not necessarily a bad thing. It just means that you have to be prepared for the possibility of a redundancy so that it doesn’t have a compete negative impact, should it happen to you.
The prospect of a redundancy can make us feel like we are out of our comfort zone and have no control over our working lives, and the impact it will have on us professionally and personally. The fact thaJt something is happening to us that we don’t want can make us feel hurt, sad, anxious and resistant to that change.
No matter what our thoughts about it are, we have to deal with it – here are some tips to soften the blow:
- Ensure that there is balance between your work and your personal life. Being a dedicated employee is great, but if it means you don’t make any effort to spend time with loved ones, they will start to resent it, and you will grow further from your support network.
- Keep an eye out on the job market – just because you’re happy in your job doesn’t mean you can’t keep an eye out for what’s going on in your industry. It can actually be useful to check out what other employment is available from time to time, request job specifications etc, because this may indicate to you what prospective employers are looking for. You will also become clearer about how marketable you are and if you need to update your skills or take a course.
- Have a contingency plan – what would you do today if you were made redundant from your job? After all the shock and tears, would you look for another Jon, start temping, start anew business? Don’t wait for someone else to put you in a position of stress before you start panicking – have a clear plan of action, so you have something to refer to if you are made redundant.
- After the shock has worn off, try to look at your situation as an opportunity for positive change rather than as a problem. Yes, it can feel very lonely and dark when you are going through redundancy, but it is also another chapter in your life – you can use that money to make changes that will have a positive impact on your life, and it may even force you to pursue that lifelong dream you’ve always had…it’s really not all doom and gloom.
- Explore whether your skills and experience to date are transferable to other areas – if jobs are running on empty in your industry, can you use the same skills in another industry? What transferable skills do you have that would leverage you into a higher paid job in another industry? Are there any basic training courses you can take now to make you more marketable?
- If you can afford to, it can sometimes be helpful to go away for a few days where you are removed from the situation and may be able to see things more clearly. Yes, this can be a challenge when you have young children, but this is the time to call in those favours (again!) so you can get some clear headspace to think and make the right decisions for all concerned.
- Sometimes sharing your concerns with others is useful – especially if they have had similar experiences and will be able to empathise with you and perhaps share ideas about how to manage this change.
