1. Listen to your emotions
Professionals leading the redundancy process often describe it as:
“A rollercoaster of emotions: fear, anger, frustration, disappointment, regret, sadness, loneliness, shock, with guilt being the most prolific emotion.” CITY CV
You may find yourself sitting across from someone you’ve worked with for years, who you’ve come to know personally, sharing the devastating news.
You can’t help but sympathise with them, their struggles to pay their bills, feed their families and so on. By making them redundant, you might feel like you’ve betrayed them, even though the decision is out of your hands.
The first step in coping is to make sure you listen to your feelings, and give yourself time to work through them.
2. Get the support you need
To help work through your emotions and develop ways of coping, talk to others who understand what you’re going through.
Reach out to:
- Trusted colleagues
- Professional counsellors
- Mentors or friends
- Therapists
With the right support you can manage your emotions, meet the challenges ahead, and protect your wellbeing.
3. Practice self-care
Throughout the redundancy process, make sure you’re resting enough, eating well, and taking time to recharge.
Help calm your mind and reduce stress through:
- Meditation or mindfulness
- Deep breathing exercises
- Regular physical activity
- Short, meaningful breaks throughout the day
- Spending quality time with loved ones
These small actions can make a big difference in how you feel and function, at work and beyond.
4. Look for the positives
This is probably one of the hardest steps when you’re in the middle of a redundancy process, which can seem so overwhelmingly negative.
But the fact is, by making people redundant you’re helping to save the business AND the jobs of others you work with. It’s a necessary pain in the short term that will hopefully lead to better times for everyone who remains in the long term.
5. Take time to reflect
Once the redundancy process is behind you, take time to reflect on it.
Ask yourself:
- What did I learn about myself?
- Which strategies helped me?
- What would I do differently next time?
This can help you grow as a person and a professional, helping you meet future challenges with greater confidence.
Take good care of yourself.
Helpful sources
“Why HR is feeling the impact of delivering redundancy news” CITY CV
https://citycv.com/why-hr-is-feeling-the-pain-of-delivering-redundancy-news/
“Overcome the guilt of redundancies: Compassionate support for HR managers” Career Consultants
Professional help from UNVAELD
https://unvaeld.com/professional-help/
“How to meditate for beginners” NHS
https://www.nhs.uk/every-mind-matters/mental-wellbeing-tips/how-to-meditate-for-beginners
“3 breathing exercises to relieve stress” British Heart Foundation
https://www.bhf.org.uk/informationsupport/heart-matters-magazine/wellbeing/breathing-exercises
