Redundancy-What Next?

Coming To Terms With Redundancy -What Do You Want To Do Now?

You need to give serious thought to your next steps, which path to choose. What this might be may depend on your specific situation.

• For some people it will be a job hunting strategy for a specific type of job
• For some it will be job hunting for any job
• For others it may be a period of retraining in a job that is more likely to have vacancies
• For some it may be considering self employment as a sole trader or setting up in a company business.
• For others it may be travel...
• Or deciding to take early retirement.

"The trouble with unemployment is that the minute you wake up in the morning you're on the job."

Slapp

Here are some useful sites for you to read more advice regarding redundancy

Careers Advice Coping With Redundancy

• Careers Advice Coping With redundancy
  A case study about redundancy and the careers advice given to this person
• Career Article Coping with redundancy
  Advice re how t handle redundancy and career advice

Redundancy At Age 50 Plus

• Redundancy Age 50+
  Redundancy is difficult anytime but if you are over 50 it can be more challenging. Equally you may be aware of more people over 50 taking redundancy though it does affect any age group. Here is a specific article to help those over 50.

Coping With Redundancy UK Website

• Coping With redundancy
  A UK based website which details about your rights, and things to consider. Please note if you are not in the UK these things may well differ a lot so please consult relevant sites for your country.

“Nothing can stop the man with the right mental attitude...

Thomas Jefferson

Just Don't Quit.

Redundancy can be very difficult but there are ways to cope and survive and even thrive. We wish you well.

Redundancy-Financial Considerations.

How to Deal with Redundancy Financial Considerations

If you are made redundant or take voluntary redundancy you will hopefully receive a sum of money. Do make sure you are clear how much  you will receive.

It is important to know how long you can survive financially on your redundancy money so that you can plan.

It is also important to find out if you or your family are entitled to any benefits at all. This will vary between countries and may depend on if the redundancy is compulsory or voluntary. If you are asked to take voluntary redundancy do check what this means for you before accepting it.

If your workplace holds any talks for people whose jobs are going to be redundant do attend them and ask any questions you would like to know, particularly about the financial aspect.

Financial Checklist After Redundancy. If you do not already know exactly what they are you need a list of all your outgoings:-

Mortgage or rent

Utilities ( gas, electric, water etc)

Telephone
Mobile phone charges

Internet

Car repairs,MOT,Tax, breakdown service etc

Insurances- House, car, life etc

Healthcare costs

Childcare

Pet Insurance/feed/healthcare
Food
Clothing/Shoes/School Uniforms
School Trips/expenses. 
Gym/other club memberships
Charity donations
Loan repyments
Debt repayments
other

Then you need a list of all your incoming money post redundancy as a family

So if you have a partner or adult children living with you, anyone is working, include that.

Your Redundancy payout

Partners salary

Any Benefits

Savings

Shares
other

If things do not add up and you have more outgoings than incomings post redundancy check is there anything you can currently live without i.e. gym membership, TV services you pay for etc.

Check if you are entitled to any benefits for you or your family. 

Do you have any other skills you can develop to bring in money? Some people have found it possible to turn a hobby into a means of income.

Then you need to think - if you need to, if it comes to that, is there anything you would/could sell?

If you are struggling to any debts then sooner rather than later seek help. Go see your Bank or Building Society or who ever you owe money to and ask for help and advice. We do not advise borrowing more money.

If anyone owes you money now is the time to call it in. 

This is a useful book to help you. 

Tips For Surviving Redundancy

Coping With Redundancy Twelve Top Strategies 

 This book is aimed to help you to help yourself to be prepared for the effects of redundancy.This includes your financial position and the mental survival process.

Redundancy Emotional Considerations

Emotional Considerations

It is surprising how emotional redundancy can be. I was not prepared for that when it happened to me.

However, in a way it is not surprising, your workplace may be somewhere you have worked for 40 or more hours each week for twenty or more years. That is a lot of emotional investment in a place.

The people you know the social events the regular routine and the role you have is all important considerations. therefore do not be thrown off by having an emotional response to being made redundant.

So do not worry if your initial response is one that you were not anticipating.

Yes there is life after redundancy, it may even be better , but it is not an easy process to go through and you need to be gentle on yourself at this time. It is after all a form of grieving and may well have been a shock.

Please read the article below to help you at this time. 

Coping With The Psychological Effects of Redundancy 

Surviving The Axe Book
 

Surviving the Axe: How to Deal with Redundancy and Unemployment

From handling job loss, seeking opportunities and going to interviews. Surviving the trauma of redundancy and job loss in a positive way forward.
 

"Nothing can stop the man with the right mental attitude...

Thomas Jefferson"

After Redundancy-Keep A Routine

After Redundancy-Keep A Routine

Do Not Isolate Yourself

When we get up and go to work we have a structure a basis for the way our day will go. 

When you suddenly do not have that any more it can be a very strange place. We need to think of new beginnings and a new structure to our lives.

"Doing nothing is very hard to do...you never know when you're finished."

Leslie Nielsen

1. Keep in touch with your friends and any ex colleagues who may also have been made redundant. Make regular coffee dates so you can support each other. Not only will this stop you becoming isolated it is also an excellent support network and a network to find employment and opportunities for each other.

2. If you are job hunting make that your job. Set a plan, a strategy for each day, each week and stick to it. Get a Diary or do a Diary online and put tasks and appointments in it.

3. Get up at the same time each day. make it a rule to stay in bed no longer than 8am. If you start sleeping in a lot or find that it does not matter what time you get up you can very quickly see the days disappearing and nothing achieved. Give your self an hour for lunch then work again until 4 or 5 pm.

4. Seek out opportunities to volunteer at something you like and enjoy. Do check any rules and regulations on volunteering if you are claiming benefits before you start. 

Surviving Redundancy Check List For The First Week

In order to capture the very best of you and who you are do this in the first week after you have finished work. Do not leave it any later than this. You need to capture all your positives now.

Write down all your 

• Skills
• Abilities
• Interests
• Accomplishments
• Qualifications
• Voluntary work
• Achievements at work
• Achievements outside of work
• Specific skills
• Personal qualities

Consider your CV/Resume and update it.

Coping With Redundancy The First Steps.

Redundant - What Next? The First Steps. 

Redundancy is difficult for most people. This series of posts over he next few days aims to help you through the first stages of it. Having faced redundancy myself I understand.

 There can be a subtle difference whether it is compulsory or voluntary redundancy and how that makes you feel, but it is redundancy all the same.

It is harsh to feel that you are no longer needed or useful somewhere you have worked and committed to maybe for a large portion of your working life, maybe somewhere you felt you had a real career path. Redundancy can cause real difficulties in terms of finances and emotional fall out as well.Anyone going through redundancy needs support and understanding.

If you are to cope with redundancy you need to know that you are needed and useful, perhaps not in the same way, in the same place but with support and time you can again make a difference and live a good life.

When I accepted redundancy people would ask what did I do and I would say I have been made redundant from ...(my old job title) A friend told me early on not to say that. Rather to say my job was made redundant and I am seeking opportunities in ...(what i wanted to do )

Oh yes it might just seem like playing with words but in my experience it made a difference to the way I felt about redundancy and that was very important to me.

The Stages Of Redundancy Grief

The grief of losing a job has been likened to the grief of other loss in life. There are stages we go through and it should be noted that these stages are not linear 1 to 5 but may go back wards as well as forwards until we settle and really accept and move on.

Stage 1 - Shock. It is often a huge shock when redundancy occurs. even if you know things are not all well at the company somehow there was always hope it would get better....Shock is a natural reaction.

Stage 2 - Denial. No its not happening to me I won't have it.

Stage 3 - Anger/Resistance. To be expected but anger on its own it not helpful, and it is important we learn how to deal with it so we can move on and direct our new life in a positive manner.

Stage 4 - Acceptance. This is when we start to deal with what has occured and can move onward.

Stage 5 - Exploration. Moving forward on from redundancy and wanting to seek new ways to travel forward into a new way. That may be self employment, a new job, retraining or something else.

Stage 6 - Challenge. Making the change and actually moving forward. Having a positive attitude to the future and taking positive actions.

Do bear in mind that not everyone goes through every stage in a neat fashion. Indeed especially during the early days  people may easily go back and forth through many of these stages. You may skip stages or go through them all. It is simply a guide what you may expect.

Redundancy is a shock and causes great difficulty for many people and that should not be understated. It also perhaps should be noted that many people I have talked with and myself included have found a greater joy and happiness and purpose since taking redundancy. I know this certainly will not be the case for everyone but it is a possibility...



Overcoming redundancy: 52 inspiring ideas to help you bounce back from losing your job Helping you to refocus and reassess after the shock of redundancy. Encourages you to look at practical things you can do after redundancy to rebuild and seek opportunities from now on.


What is Voluntary Redundancy?
Explanation of what voluntary redundancy actually means. it is important to know the differences so that you are not caught out in the legal speak of large companies and that you know your rights and responsibilities.Voluntary redundancy

What Is Compulsory Redundancy?
Here is an explanation of compulsory redundancy. Do check carefully what type of redundancy you are being asked to take or made to take and what it really means for you.


NB Please note laws and rules and benefits governing redundancy will be different in different countries. Please make yourself familiar with the ones that apply to the country you live in.

Next : After Redundancy Keep a Routine