Change is hard. 

It seems like 2024 is the year for many people to move on from their employers – some by choice, many through involuntary redundancy. It can be challenging irrespective of whether the decision was yours or it was made for you. Redundancies can be especially hard as they usually happen quite quickly with limited notice to colleagues and before you know it – you’re out the door wondering “what was that all about?”. In the blink of an eye, you feel like you’ve been unceremoniously hurled off a fast-moving bus in the middle of nowhere, bag in hand, well before you reached your intended destination.

AI image generated by Angela Baker using Canva

 

What I’ve learnt along the way 

I recently left an organisation by choice, and thankfully it has been a seamless experience so far. The difference for me at this point in my career is that I’ve been around the work block a few times and realised some time ago that your only job security is the diversity of your CV, gaining career fulfilment is up to you (and you alone), and companies don’t care about you per se – people do. Plus, my social network is consistent with solid friendships and working relationships that have withstood the test of time and are not purely tied to my last job. I am prepared for change at any point in my career.

 

Why should anyone listen to me?

Well, you don’t have to. But! I have experienced leaving companies in many different circumstances and the first time it happened – through a voluntary redundancy – it was hard to wrap my head around the experience. I was initially excited to explore the new world I found myself in after 14 years with the only company I had ever worked for and ended up in a terrible role where I was asked to clean toilets, serve tea (hello 1980s!) and do all sorts of things that were not in the job description. Cue buckets of tears, mum writing my resignation letter for me (true story!) and me running out the door as fast as I could. 

 

What I didn’t understand…

My mistake was accepting a new job too quickly, before understanding my worth and allowing time to adjust. Leaving that first employer was like leaving a cult, where no one seemed to understand why anyone would choose to leave (let’s see: poor career prospects, appalling salary, in what we would now call a toxic male culture where the boys were supported and promoted, the girls were tolerated and called all sorts of names behind their backs?). Once I left, many friendships I thought were solid simply evaporated overnight and surprising new friendships formed with less familiar acquaintances. I was a little bit lost and there was some mourning to be done – this hovered over me like a cloud for the first two years of being out in the ‘real’ world.

 

What the research says

According to some very smart people who research these things at the University of Maryland in the US, turning up in the ‘unemployed’ category “can exact a considerable toll on workers’ psychological and physical health” (Lent et al., 2023, p. 1) and generate lower levels of mental health and life satisfaction. To help cope with this, the focus of most advice tends to be problem or control-focused – getting back into the workforce as soon as possible (and the mortgage and bills wait for no one, apparently) without much thought of the emotional side of coping. The collateral damage (or psychosocial impact) of leaving a role – which can include disruption to brain functioning and reduced access to your social support systems and sense of daily purpose (Johoda in Lent et al., 2023, p.1) – and maintaining some sort of psychological balance can be challenging, as employment is the most common source of direction in life (Navarro-Abal et al., 2018); it is central to your concept of self.

Who am I outside of my job? Image by Choi Dongsu via iStock

Active ways to cope with disruptive change and maintain a sense of self 

As I often point out on transformation programs, the only way to really embed change is from the start of any change program – that is, don’t wait until you reach the point of transition to start ‘embedding’ what’s different and then vanish several weeks later to leave behind a trail of confusion. Millions of years of evolution have shown that us humans are a very adaptable species, so the best way to be prepared is to …well… prepare! Whilst nothing can necessarily prepare you for the shock of losing your job in an unexpected away (or even what it might feel like when you make a change of your own free will), you can establish ongoing coping mechanisms that will help you to better respond to change in a healthy way – even if it comes as a surprise.

There are six areas you can focus on to help cope with the loss of a job and/or significant career transitions:

Image created by Angela Baker, adapted from Psychological Coping with Job Loss. Navarro-Abal et al., 2018

1. Plan: spend some time anticipating what you will need to have in place should a career or life disruption happen, or develop a plan of action at the time a change happens. This could include getting your finances more organised, understanding your commitments, calculating what a redundancy might look like and how long you might be able to manage without a regular income. 
2. Find avenues for emotional support: identify who your emotional support people are- friends, families, a coach, your regular doctor, a psychologist or your local barista! If you don’t have this support, start considering how you can build stronger relationships with those you trust.
3. Establish your social support network: this might include your professional network, as well as work friends. Do you know who you could lean on after leaving your current employment? Make an effort to reach out and communicate regularly, make plans to meet up, be supportive and respectful – your former colleagues may be going through their own challenges, coping with smaller teams to deliver the same volume of work, and they may actually envy you!
4. Re-evaulate: instead of focusing on what you’ve lost or left behind, identify the positive aspects of the change. Every change presents new opportunities and a chance for growth, no matter how crap it might feel at the time. It can be annoying when others say this but unfortunately it’s true – times of challenge are what give you the GRIT to cope with life and career upheavals. Anyone can reinvent themselves any time.
5. Accept: whilst the term ‘it is what it is’ can sound dismissive, it is a true-ism. All you can do is find a way to get on with your life and understand that it might take time to process any feelings you have about the change – so be mindful that how you feel shortly after finishing up in a role might not be how you feel in a few months time. Try not to make big decisions or career leaps when emotions are high or you suspect you’re not quite ready. 
6. Active coping and self-distraction: you are in control of your next steps – determine the direction you now need/ wish to head in and if you need help, access it. If your employer offers post-seperation support with a redeployment agency, take advantage of their experience and support – they also often provide access to free counselling and many employers also provide this support for you after you’ve left. 

These coping strategies are shared with the loss of a job in mind, however they can be put in place to help you cope with the ongoing challenges of a corporate career at any time. By establishing these coping mechanisms, you will be better equipped to take care of yourself when the unexpected does happen.

 

References

Lent, R. W., Wang, R. J., Cygrymus, E. R., Moturu, B. P. (20 September, 2023). Navigating the multiple challenges of job loss: A career self-management perspective. Journal of Vocational Behaviour. Volume 146, October 2023. Elsevier. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jvb.2023.103927

Navarro-Abal, Y., Climent-Rodríguez, J. A., López-López, M. J., & Gómez-Salgado, J. (2018). Psychological Coping with Job Loss. Empirical Study to Contribute to the Development of Unemployed People. International journal of environmental research and public health, 15(8), 1787. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph15081787

About the author

I work with organisations to help create work environments so irresistible that people never want to leave, where career experiences can be extraordinary through:
– team and individual coaching
– Advisory in relation to organisational change strategies, culture transformation, Respect@Work, and leadership

I also work with mid-career women to help cultivate a satisfying and resilient career without compromising their health, happiness and wellbeing through tailored coaching programs.

I live by the sea in one of the most beautiful parts of the world and remember having hobbies until I decided further postgrad study and starting up my own business was a good idea. Past hobbies included sleep, flying, photography, consuming Aperols and generally being social with family and friends.

If you want the inside scoop on my coaching and consulting services, I can be reached via my contact page or you can book an initial discovery call here.