What To Do If Your Job Is Made Redundant

 

So you’ve been made redundant?  Where do you start looking for advice and support?

 

A great resource to read over is the Beyond Blue guide ‘How to Take Care of Yourself After Retrenchment and Financial Loss‘ . It is filled with practical information to help you with both the financial and emotional aspects of redundancy or retrenchment and financial loss.

 

Some other key tips to dealing with your new situation are:

 

1. Try to accept the situation. Whilst it is normal and understandable to have a range of emotions, getting stuck in anger and blaming the company or managers is not helpful. Losing a job is a top stressor and a loss and grief process. Accept it could be challenging and it will take time.
2. Look after your physical and emotional well being by eating well, exercising and getting good sleep.
3. Take some action and be open to help and opportunities. For example; use your workplace Employee Assistance Program (EAP) for counselling support and take advantage of help with resumes or job seeking. Companies often use an outplacement service to support you with this.
4. Talk to someone and watch out for signs of not coping whether this is you, your partner or a family member or mate. If you are worrying excessively, feeling very down and negative or not sleeping well then it is a good idea to go and talk with someone; a professional if you are really struggling. However talking to friends, family and workmates can really help and they may come up with ideas and opportunities that you haven’t thought of.
5. Focus on the positive and have fun. Remind yourself of things that make you feel good and do them regularly. Savour the moment when you are having fun and remind yourself of the things you are grateful for.
6. Use problem solving techniques/skills to work on your challenges or worries (see our earlier blog How to Solve a Problem in 5 Steps) here.
7. Focus on your hopes, dreams and goals. It is an opportunity to really get clear and think about what you and your family really want in life and ‘be the best you can be’! (see blog when redundancy comes out of the blue…)
8. Choose happiness. Avoid people and things which make you feel down, are negative and full of doom and gloom. Make decisions that will enhance your happiness and be around those people who will help you embrace the opportunities and the next chapter in your life.

For more information see Beyond Blue’s website for further information and why not take a look at their forum on ‘Made Redundant‘.