How to deal with redundancy
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Don’t take it personally. Redundancy is not about your personal performance, but about
your company responding to the current economic conditions. It is a business decision
and future employers will understand this.
Emotions. Reactions can vary from mild distress to devastation. Initially you might
experience shock, anger, denial “this can’t be happening to me”, sadness for the loss of a
great position and/or team or fear for the future. These are normal reactions and will
change over time.
Positive thinking. Negative thinking can make you feel worse or helpless. Challenge
yourself to see the situation from a more positive perspective.
Financial contingency plan. In this day and age it’s unrealistic to think that any job you
have will be a job for life. It’s important to preempt this and to have a financial contingency
plan and be aware of your redundancy entitlements.
Career direction. Reflect where you might like to head for the future. Review your
qualifications, skills and interests. Consider updating your resume and perhaps using a
professional to assist you with this.
Network. Let your network of friends, family, neighbours and former colleagues know
that you are on the market. Job leads can come from anywhere.
Planning. Schedule time for career planning and job hunting. Break down the tasks
involved into manageable chunks. Create a career profile, sign up to job websites and
recruitment agencies.
Goals. Give yourself short-term targets or goals, such as updating your CV within the next
fortnight or researching potential employers online.
Focus on your wellness. Maintain your self-care activities such as exercise, maintaining a
balanced diet, socialising with friends, family and normal bedtime routines.
Seek support. Visit a Counsellor or other support if you are experiencing difficulties. Many
employers allow staff who have been made redundant to utilise their EAP service for up
to three months after they have left their employ. If you are eligible, EAP is a free
counselling service to assist during challenging times.