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How to cope with being made redundant
Being made redundant is not something we talk about openly. When it happens, it’s often a taboo whispered in the corners of offices and a source of awkwardness. But redundancy is not always a wholly negative experience. Just like a break-up, leaving something you love could lead you towards something you love even more. And just as heartbreak hurts deeply at the time, it could also be the best thing that ever happened to you.
Redundancy is a normal and inevitable reality of the working world and is likely to affect most of us at some point in our lives. Between December 2018 and February 2019, 3.2 employees out of every 1,000 were made redundant, according to the Office for National Statistics. This number has increased during 2019 and may rise over the same period this year as a result of the current economic climate, with firms forced to restructure and make cuts, or even close down all together.
According to Eleanor Tweddell, founder of AnotherDoor, which coaches people after they've been made redundant, these lay-offs often happen in the new year. ‘I was made redundant from my senior role at a phone network just before Christmas,’she says. ‘Many companies work out their finances and where they need to make changes in October, and all these changes need to be made in time for the new financial year in April, so it’s common for people to be made redundant around the festive period.’
The emotional response to being made redundant is never easy. ‘The rejection of being told you’re no longer required can be a visceral experience, and can trigger a similar process to grief or heartbreak,’ says Dr Susan Kahn, business psychologist and author of Bounce Back.
Dr Kahn was made redundant from a role at a time that coincided with her maternity leave. ‘It was a voluntary redundancy, but there remained a niggling feeling that if I was really valued, why would they let me go? My identity, so closely forged with my professional role, was challenged. I didn’t know who I was any more.’
It is easy to think that you, as a person, are unwanted. ‘We take it personally, when, really, it is the role that is redundant and not us as human beings,’ says Dr Kahn. The problem, she says, is that we place too much emphasis on our roles as defining our identities. ‘The first thing we are asked in social situations is, “What do you do?” We often value the labels more than the roles themselves.’
It’s normal for people to slip into a state of melancholy after losing their jobs, says Dr Kahn, and we should allow ourselves to grieve in the same way as we would for any other loss. However, she says, ‘This turns into a problem when it becomes deeply lodged inside you, and you can’t differentiate yourself from the job you had.’ It’s important to reach a point where you are aware of your potential to have an ongoing, flourishing career elsewhere.
Dr Kahn believes that being made redundant can be a gift: ‘It gives you freedom, forcing you to reflect and redirect in ways you might not have considered before, or in ways you had always dreamed of.’
Here, her six-month plan for bouncing back from being made redundant.
BEFORE IT HAPPENS: Plot your Plan B
It might seem negative to plan for the worst but, according to Dr Kahn, preparing for the inevitability of change can be liberating.
‘No-one is on a path of absolute work security, so you should always consider alternative ways of working,’ says Dr Kahn. Learning to separate your identity and sense of self from your current role will make you better equipped to handle a dismissal should it arise.
ON THE FIRST DAY: Be gentle with yourself
‘When you hear the news, you may be shocked, ashamed, angry and depleted,’ says Dr Kahn.‘Do what you need to do to get through the day. Try to separate yourself from your workspace to create some distance, and find someone supportive to talk to.’
You could also try imagining yourself a year from now. From this perspective, you can have greater clarity; remind yourself you can handle whatever comes next.
IN THE FIRST WEEK: Prepare how you communicate
We base so many of our conversations on work, so communicating that we have been made redundant can be challenging. Dr Kahn recommends preparing a sentence, such as ‘I’m looking for a new position’, or ‘I’m having a rethink’, without any further explanation.
Or reverse the question: ‘Have you ever been made redundant?’ This could bean opportunity to find out how others have coped and even forge new bonds.Redundancy can feel isolating, but it doesn’t have to be.
IN THE SECOND WEEK: Process the loss
‘Write down what exactly you feel you’ve lost,’says Dr Kahn. ‘It could be the project you were on, a great team, or your identity. Write what you miss, and what you’re angry about. Then ask what could you learn from this loss.’
IN THE FIRST MONTH: Rebuild your confidence
‘Write down everything you achieved in your previous position, big or small,’ says Tweddell. ‘This is a confidence booster, and will also help for future job interviews.’
Then, she recommends creating a grid with four sections: strengths, weaknesses, what you love, what you hate. ‘Look at the weaknesses and think, “Is this something I actually want to work on? Do I care?Am I happy to embrace my weaknesses?” she says. Understanding these parts of yourself will help you figure out your next move.
IN THE FIRST THREE MONTHS: Stick, twist or bust
‘If you decide you were great at this job and you enjoyed it, you will want to stick – so start looking fora similar role at a different organisation,’ says Tweddell. ‘But you can also make changes to improve on what you had before.’
You may choose to twist:keeping to the same skillset but working differently, perhaps by going freelance.Or you might realise you want to bust, and start something completely new. Be honest with yourself about what you really want.
IN THE FIRST SIX MONTHS: Move forward
'The financial pay-off of redundancy may grant you the time to plot a next move that’s right for you. But, if you do take what Tweddell calls a ‘rebound job’ in order to pay the bills, you can still use the experience.
‘View each step as an opportunity to develop,’ she says. Keep moving forward and you’ll eventually find that door.
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