"How could they treat me like that when I have given them so much? Why me - wasn't I doing a good job? They can't do this to people - they must have been able to do something to keep us! What am I going to do - I have a mortgage to pay?!"
Scary, but how many of us will be having these thoughts over the coming months as the credit crunch bites ever harder and redundancies become increasingly common?
Suppose you are one of the unlucky ones to be made redundant. In that case, you are likely to experience a range of natural emotions through shock, denial, hurt, and anger before finally being able to accept the situation and move on. Some of you may find it hard to talk about your feelings, and some will take longer than others to come out of the tunnel. It is often forgotten that co-workers who survive the redundancies may suffer too, experiencing feelings of relief, guilt, anger, or insecurity. They will be the ones who have to pick up the duties of those who leave, and restructuring can create change which many will find threatening. They will have to go on with that sword of Damocles hovering over their heads!
Some companies will provide trained redundancy counselors to help you work through your feelings. Talking with a partner, relative, friend, or close colleague can help too - keep an eye out and try to be there for that person who needs you. You must channel your feelings and emotions into moving forward rather than looking back with regret.
Rather than seeing the situation as a disaster, why not consider it an excellent opportunity to re-evaluate, especially if you are leaving with a lump sum as a financial cushion! Some out-placement consultants will be keen to point you in the direction of similar jobs, but why not think outside the box and look at where else your skills and experience could be transferable? Then again, this could be the ideal time to retrain, start your own business, move to the country, or take that career break and travel the world! This could be the push you need to follow your dreams and make a real career change.
Try and stay positive and motivated, and take control rather than bury your head in the sand! What are your main concerns? What action can and needs to be taken? Write a list and prioritize:
When you start to focus on the negative, try the following techniques to help you see things more positively and reduce pressure.
About the author: Erica R. Gibson is a technological writer at the service where everyone can ask to write an essay for me. She is highly interested in keeping up with advancing technologies. In this case, she spends her spare time reading various blogs to obtain new knowledge and improve her professional skills.