Dealing with Redundancy - Part 3 - Psychological Impact

photo shows small plant overcoming advertisty and growing through a crack in hard ground

So far we have looked in detail at the practicalities surrounding being made redundant but it is important to be aware of the psychological impact that redundancy may have on you.

Psychological Impact

Unfortunately, many people are being made redundant each year and no sector is safe from this. Redundancy is usually caused by falling profits, increased competition, takeovers, technological advances or even poor management. In essence, factors that are beyond your control.

The most important thing to remember when faced with redundancy is not to take it personally; the job was made redundant not you. It does not reflect on you as a worker and should not be cause for shame or embarrassment. You should focus on moving forwards rather than looking back.

Negative thoughts

It is easy to slip into negative thought patterns after losing your job, particularly if it is a position you have held for sometime. We tend to wrap up our identity in our job and spend so much of our life working that losing our job can feel like a bereavement. This grief can easily lead you to self blame and anger. It is common to feel like you will not find another job or that you are somehow worthless.

Negative thoughts can prove to be very destructive so it is key that you remain positive. This is easier said than done but there are a number ways you can help yourself in this area. Focus on the positives of your situation. Is there something you always wanted to do? Could you use this opportunity to retrain (see Article 4 for more information on this)? Have you felt that you could receive a better salary or more job satisfaction from another job?

Be constructive

Try to be constructive. Make a list of relevant companies that you might want to approach, register with recruitment agencies and job boards (see Article 5 for more information on this). Make a list of your strengths to remind yourself why you would make a good employee as confidence is appealing to a potential employer. By focusing on the future and the opportunities available to you, you are much more likely to find employment quickly.

Talk to someone

Finally, it is important to know that it is natural to feel upset by being made redundant. You may find yourself shocked at the level of emotion you actually feel when faced with this situation but you should remember that you won’t be alone in feeling this way. If you find that your feelings are preventing you from moving forward or you would like to talk to someone do not be ashamed about seeking professional help from your doctor or a counseling service.

You may find the following numbers useful:

Additional resources related to this article

The following organisations are based in, or near to West Sussex and may be able to help you with some of the issues discussed in this article - we hope you find them to be useful.

Counsellors near West Sussex

  • Mary Ashwin
    29-31 Wellington Road
    Chichester
    West Sussex
    Tel: 01243 786 501
  • Jonathan Ingrams
    Timbers
    Itchenor
    Chichester
    West Sussex
    Tel: 01243 511181
  • Chichester Counselling Services
    32 Little London
    Chichester
    West Sussex
    Tel: 01243 789200
  • H.A.C
    52 Fratton Rd
    Portsmouth
    West Sussex
    Tel: 023 9273 5151
  • Sue Finlayson
    St George's Osteopathic Clinic
    25 St. Georges Road
    Worthing
    West Sussex
    Tel: 01903 200748
  • Offington Counselling Service
    South Farm Rd
    Worthing
    West Sussex
    Tel: 01903 212275
  • Gill Pryce-Jones
    Lynn House
    Ivy Arch Rd
    Worthing
    West Sussex
    Tel: 01903 265122
  • Jules Marshall
    23 Spring Gardens
    Copthorne
    Crawley
    West Sussex
    Tel: 01342 717357
  • Jean Bush MBACP
    34 Rosedale Close
    Crawley
    West Sussex
    Tel: 07769 913483
  • North Downs Counselling Service
    65 Three Bridges Rd
    Crawley
    West Sussex
    Tel: 01293 521594
  • Kristin Brodrick
    Stableyards
    Pinkhurst Lane
    Slinfold
    Horsham
    West Sussex
    Tel: 0800 8048412
  • Chris Smith Counselling
    1 Trefoil Close
    Horsham
    West Sussex
    Tel: 07725 856913

If you contact any of these organisations, please mention that you found their details on AllWestSussexJobs.com - thank you.

Could you help our visitors? To have your organisation listed here (for free) please send us a message.

Much of the advice on our website has been kindly provided by local companies and organisations for which we are very grateful - could you offer some advice to our visitors in return for some free coverage on our website? If so please get in touch here as we'd love to hear from you.

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Legal Disclaimer: Please note that this information is not intended to be exhaustive or be a substitute for legal advice. The application of the law in this area will often depend upon the specific facts and you are advised to seek specific advice on any given scenario.