Let go, terminated, laid off, downsized, declared redundant, canned, axed, transitioned out, sent packing, fired… the list is endless. Whatever the term, the bottom line is that our services are no longer required. For most of us, the impact is pretty much the same – it’s devastating and traumatic. The loss extends far beyond the job. For many, it is a loss of identity, of who we are in the family and how we are seen in the community. It shatters our confidence and causes us to question our self-worth. It impacts the feelings of security and stability that we had in knowing that we had a place to be every day and a paycheque to receive at the end of the month. It abruptly separates us from coworkers with whom we had become good friends. Our sense of trust, belonging, purpose and the meaning we attributed to our work are all suddenly lost and we are set adrift.
What is critical to know, however, is that, that our job loss may have nothing to do with us or our performance on the job. There’s an epidemic going on amongst white collar workers that started with the tech industry in 2022. After an over-hiring of workers post-COVID, there has been a ‘correction’ made in the form of massive firings, currently impacting white collar workers in many other industries. This has led to what employers euphemistically call restructurings, streamlining, reorganizations, etc. Here in Ontario, we can be let go ‘without cause’ as long as we are provided with some sort of compensation package. If we are lucky enough to receive a great severance package with lots of time to regroup and think about next steps, we are lucky. If not, it can be rough and scary. If we want to challenge the termination, it could take three years and lots of money to fight it. An easier route might be to consult a labour lawyer, ask for some extras (like a referral to outplacement counselling, extension of benefits, etc.), before signing the package.
Many people will tell us that we need to start our job search immediately. And if we are able to, that’s great. But for most of us, the initial shock will take some time from which to recover. Our minds and hearts have been torn open; we feel broken and wounded. We are unable to make sense, let alone make a plan out of what has just happened to us. So, as an alternative, it might make better sense to be proactive and consider what needs to be done now, should anything like this happen to us in the future.
If we have been employed for many years without having updated our resumes, there is no better time than now to start doing so. If we have not made much use of a LinkedIn profile, it is important that we learn how to maximize its many benefits. Since we will likely be unceremoniously escorted out of the office after being given our walking papers, it’s a good idea to have copies of our job description, performance evaluations and other important personal documents at home. These will not only remind us of how well we were liked and respected for our contributions, but also provide us with great information that could be used in updating our resumes.
Most importantly, we need to share what has happened to us with others. We can benefit enormously from the love and support of friends and family and colleagues. We may even be surprised to discover that the shame and embarrassment that we are experiencing now might also have been experienced by many people we know.
And if this happens to you, please let me know. I’m here to help.
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