Warning: Redundancy can seriously damage your health

The hidden cost of change- dealing with redundancyThe hidden cost of change is almost always overlooked by HR teams, outplacement agencies and even your own line manager. At best, you may get a few sessions with an outplacement agency that will help whip your CV into shape and give you a few interview tips. You may possibly also get some in-house counselling advice if you are feeling "under the weather". Whilst you are marched through the redundancy procedural sausage machine, everyone ignores the fact that you may still be feeling unprepared and overwhelmed – in shock, or in denial, and angry at what is being done to you and how you are being treated. The emotional state that you find yourself in is further brushed aside as the culture of "stiff upper lip" means that you brave it out- especially if you are at managerial level and still have to hold the fort and continue to help others through the change. However, this is exactly the time when you need to understand how you may be responding emotionally and how you may need to cope with the overwhelming feelings whilst trying to carry on. This report highlights the human cost of change which could cause longer term damage to your health if not properly understood. If you are faced with redundancy, you must read on.Change is a fact of life. Positive or negative, most of us have a strong response to change. Any period of change, between something ending and something new or different starting, requires a transition. This is where we have to let go of the old and embrace the new, move from the familiar to the unknown. Even though we may think we know why we are facing redundancy at work, we may feel we are no longer in control or know what the future holds or where we stand; we may feel we no longer know what to do or how to manage; we may lose our understanding of where we are going and why; we may feel the loss of our familiar contact and friendships with colleagues and co-workers if this disappears. How we react to change depends on how it is initiated – whether we have chosen it or whether we feel it was forced on us and out of our control.  Most people go through a sequence of emotional reactions to change: Initial shock at the newsDenial that it's happening to themBlame –others or themselves for the issue/ problemAnger Uncertainty or even depressionExperimentation and a move towards acceptance of the changeIntegration of the change into a new way of working, or a new way of lifeIt may be helpful to think of the transition process as descending into a valley and then climbing back out. This is demonstrated in the diagram of the "The Change Curve.[1]" The Change CurveIt is important to remember that although most people will experience each stage, not everyone will go through every stage, and you may jump from one stage to another, or even swing back to a stage you have already been through. How long you spend in a particular stage may vary from days to weeks to months. Change affects people differently and often in waves of emotions in varying intensity. How you experience each stage and how quickly you move through the transition, depends on your ability to: 1. Identify and acknowledge where you are on the change curve2. Develop coping strategies for each stage 3. Make sure you have the level of support you need  By following these 3 steps, you can develop your own change readiness and resilience, and equip yourself to self manage and support others through the transition, so let's consider each of these in turn. 1. Identify and acknowledge where you are on the change curve Tip: To help you know where you are on the change curve, be aware of how you are feeling and pay attention to how you are behaving. Stage 1 – ShockInitially you may experience shock and surprise to the announcement of being made redundant. Think back to when you heard the news about the radical changes in the public sector. Huge job losses in your Department or Agency. Spending cuts of up to 40%. How did you feel? You may have experienced an initial adrenalin rush, followed by a kind of numbness, almost as if you were not feeling anything. It is possible you may act as if you are carrying on as usual but actually you feel dazed or confused. If you feel like this, then you're not alone. A lot of people go through this when they've been given bad news. The key thing is to recognise this.Stage 2 – DenialThe second stage is one of denial, where you tell yourself that this isn't really happening, or if you ignore it, it will be soon be over and it won't affect you.  This is a perfectly natural defence mechanism and it may take some time to move through this stage. However, some people can stay 'stuck' at this stage. If you are aware of feeling this way, you can get the information and support you need to move through it. Stage 3 – Frustration or angerDuring this stage, you may become aware of the negative impact on your self-esteem.  Is my role being targeted for redundancy because I am just not good enough? You may feel you want to withdraw from what is going on at work or notice a drop in your performance. You may feel powerless, and experience both anger and frustration.  This stage is often accompanied by a tendency to blame others, including those close to you. It's my boss's fault for not managing the budget in the first place. If my partner was more supportive I would have been able to move to a different role sooner. Stage 4 – Depression or uncertaintyAt this stage, you may feel despair and hopelessness. What am I going to do? How will I cope? Everything seems pointless and without purpose. Self-confidence is at its lowest ebb. The dotted line on the curve illustrates if you remain here, ongoing depression and a loss of self esteem can set in. This is why acknowledging if you are at this stage is critical, as is getting the right support as soon as possible.  Stage 5 – Acceptance and experimentationOnce you accept the situation, you can start to move on. This is where people who have not given up entirely and opted out of the process, start to consider the potential and possibilities in the new situation and experiment with new things with emotional neutrality. Could this be a genuine opportunity for you? Is there a different job you have always wanted to do, but never felt you had the chance? People genuinely explore options during this phase, and with action, their personal performance and self esteem increases. Stage 6 – Actions and decisionsAs you begin to take action, you become clear of what interests you and what does not. You start deciding what works and what does not.  You are coming to terms with what is happened and start feeling optimistic and positive about your career and your future. Stage 7 – IntegrationThis is where you have begun to integrate the changes into your life so it becomes part of the way you now do things. You have moved through the transition and your self confidence has returned. 2. Develop coping strategies for each stage Tip:There are different strategies to help you manage yourself and help others through the broad categories of Denial (stages 1-2), Resistance (stages 3-4), Exploration (stage 5-6) and Commitment (stage 7).  Dealing with Denial (stages 1-2) Be patient with yourself and others. Make time to discuss the implications of the change. Get as much information as you can so that you can make informed decisions going forward. Dealing with Resistance (stages 3-4) Listen and empathise. Offer support, help and encouragement to others and find this for yourself too. Consider working with someone who will support you like a mentor or coach to help you identify and understand the obstacles and barriers that may be getting in your way, and to develop goals to help you move forward. Dealing with Exploration (stages 5-6) Encourage calculated risk-taking and learning in yourself and others. Dare, dream, discover. If not now, then when? Ask for help and give yourself the time and opportunity to brainstorm and explore all your options.  Dealing with Commitment (stage 7)Reflect on the change you have experienced. Review how you responded to it. What have you learnt about yourself through the process? What actions have you taken? What would you do differently next time? Celebrate what you have achieved and the steps you have taken so far. And remember… Each stage requires a different approach and may vary in time for each individual.  For example, it is possible you may go through stages 1 to 4 repeatedly before breaking through the 'pain barrier' and coming to terms with the new situation. You can movebackwards along the curve from Exploration to Resistance if you come up against a disappointment, but the overall movement will be towards Commitment to a new role, a new career direction, a new way of working. You can't go from Denial straight to Commitment in one step. If you do, there's a real danger that you'll swing right back to Denial, at the first setback – this is often known as ‘The Tarzan Swing'! And finally…  3. Make sure you have the level of support you needTip: Create your own Transition Success Team.During times of change, we sometimes feel that we have to struggle through each of the stages and ‘go it alone.' In fact, the opposite is true. If you want to accelerate your transition and fast-track your results, gather a talented team around you to stretch you and support you. Include trusted family and friends who will champion you. Work with a coach or mentor who has a track record of success l and who you know will help you set clear goals and keep you on track. Two (or more) heads are better than one. Become a member of a mentoring group of like-minded professionals, so you can tap into each others' experience, expertise and support each other and use the group as a peer advisory board to help you during the transition period and beyond.   If you would like to know more about getting mentoring support, then please contact us on info@civilservicejobscoaching.org. [1] As developed by Elizabeth Kubler-Ross