Dealing with emotional upheavals that come in the aftermath of being issued a pink slip
Published: Fri 10 Aug 2018, 6:52 PM
Last updated: Thu 23 Aug 2018, 9:20 AM
Once in a while, right in the middle of an ordinary life, you may find yourself wondering if you really love the job you have been working so hard for. It's not hard to be in love with your job if it ticks the right boxes (creative fulfilment: check; decent remuneration: check; employee benefits: check). And even if it is, a bad job can become a habit... besides, 'need' can prevail over 'want'. Either way, what one is never really prepared for is to be served a pink slip at the end of what one believes to be a fruitful stint.
A pink slip can not only disrupt lives, it can destroy one's sense of self-worth. After all, for those who choose the 'conventional' path, nothing succeeds like success and nothing fails like failure. When that dream job makes its way back to the dream, what it leaves you with are emotional scars that, at times, never heal completely. Does a 'family man' react differently to loss of a job than a 'married woman'? How would a millennial react to such a situation? There are no definite answers. If at all, it's the personal stories that offer insights into what is really at stake when one is made redundant.
COPING WITH LOSS
A home away from home. That's what the UAE is for many couples who move to the country shortly after or before tying the knot. When Anupam Sharma* moved to Dubai after marrying his childhood sweetheart, their life in the emirate seemed to be an extension of their honeymoon. One that lasted seven years, until the radio station that Anupam worked for pulled the plug on its operations. All of a sudden, Anupam - an RJ -was not only without a job, but also confidence. "It gets tiring to find another job within the grace period of visa expiration and coaxing the former office for visa extension. Packing up and going back home is always an option, but, ideally, one wants to do it on his or her own terms," says Anupam.
Men are breadwinners; women are homemakers. In modern age, this dictum is undergoing a makeover with a number of women - single or attached - holding their own in a familial setup by asserting their financial independence. When Ashwathy Sukumar* was made 'redundant' at a lifestyle publication she'd been working for, she had no idea what the word stood for, let alone its repercussions. "I was fresh out of India; there you're either hired or fired. I felt the pressure to hide this from family and even potential employers during interviews." On the home front, Ashwathy says that while her husband was supportive, the dynamics at home changed. "The 'independent girl guilt' took major stabs at me - no income equalled no power."
On the other hand, Ankur Sinha* was only 25 when he lost his job as a producer with a media production company in 2015. The company was restructuring and could not find a spot for Ankur. As he looks back at that time, he says his reaction ranged from numbness to hurt to betrayal before a sense of freedom prevailed. Freedom? "I found a greater sense of purpose after I lost my job. Unemployment broke my rose-tinted glasses and ended up giving me more happiness and understanding of myself that I thought it would," he says, adding that he dealt with it even as he battled depression.
At a time when everything is viewed through the prism of gender, one may as well wonder how men and women react to loss of jobs. Neither is elated for sure, but according to Abhijeet Mukherjee, CEO of Monster Gulf, since male identities are often tied to their jobs in the MENA region, men tend to be more affected. "In the UAE, job security is more than just income. The law states that a male resident must be employed in order to sponsor his immediate family members. Therefore, with no job, they will not be able to provide income nor residency for their families. This is especially difficult for families that come from countries facing geopolitical challenges."
HOW TO REHABILITATE
At a time when confidence makes way for self-doubt and the roles in which we envision ourselves - be it that of a breadwinner or an independent woman in a marriage - stand threatened, emotional rehabilitation does not come easy. The first casualty of the breakdown is the family. Psychiatrist Dr Shwetank Bansal says the aggrieved partner often feels as though s/he is a burden on the other. "It is important that the other partner be aware of the spouse's potential emotional vulnerability and address it by keeping the communication going." While finding another job may help normalise things, self-doubt persists. In women, says another psychiatrist Dr Subhas Pradhan, the symptoms reflect more somatically, while in men the reactions may vary.
Anupam says that rejoining work and getting back the economic mojo surely puts a lot of things back in shape. "But to think that everything goes back to normal like it was earlier would be a bit foolhardy. Honestly, the scars remain - to remind you of your battle wounds and what you went through to bail yourself out of a certain situation."
When Ashwathy started working again after four months of unemployment, she remembers being more self-conscious. "I was worried that one wrong step would mean redundancy again. I'd reach work 30 minutes earlier and sit 30 minutes after the stipulated time because I didn't want to give the impression that I wasn't working hard enough."
Ankur says that while he never regained his confidence, he replaced that emptiness with "composure, drive and being rightly disillusioned with my idea of perfect way to live"
THOSE THAT FIRE
While receiving a pink slip can break you, handing one out is not all roses and peaches either. Former HR professional Sneha Nitin Saini says it depends on the circumstances under which the decision is made. For instance, if an employee is lagging behind or has violated a company's code of conduct, it is tough to empathise with them. "In other cases, well, what needs to be done must be done."
As a teamleader in a digital firm, Nived Nischal* once had to let go of 30 employees at once simply because the company was downsizing. Having closely worked with them for over seven years, Nived acknowledges this being his toughest task yet. He remembers not being able to look into the employees' eyes as he broke the news to them. "If the firings are based on performance, then it is easier. If it's not, then letting go of people can crush you from inside. The biggest challenge is to manage your emotions. You need to be blunt and maintain a poker face." As a team leader who engages and empathises with his employees at a personal level, would he ever protect the interests of those who may be marginally less talented but have major financial commitments over those who are more talented but do not have such obligations? It is at this point that Nived pauses, only to issue a disclaimer, "Don't think I am heartless," before adding, "The idea is to keep the best talent. If I can buy time and retain everyone, then I'll try my best. If it's affecting my balancesheet, then I will make the choice, however tough it may be."
YOUR CHANCES
One of the major stigmas around redundancies and firings is that it is believed that it severely impacts your employability. Surely, negotiating for better remuneration and benefits becomes a tad difficult but it's important to realise that what employers factor in is under what circumstances an employee lost his or her job: were the grounds of firing based on ethics or did the business unit close its operations? "Times have changed," says Mukherjee. "The global economic challenges have affected performance in all industries across all regions leaving companies with no choice but to downsize or shut down. At the same time, technology is revolutionising many industries, making some jobs irrelevant. Today's employers recognise that such business decisions are not related to an employee's performance."
So what must you do when you're in that period of unemployment followed by a redundancy? One, look for a job (that's a no-brainer!). It may also be worthwhile to utilise the time to update skills. "How employers perceive gaps in employment depends largely on how candidates choose to utilise their time off work," adds Mukherjee. "In some industries, employers look for continuous certifications to ensure candidates' skills and knowledge are updated. This is especially true for industries that constantly evolve such as IT, finance, or healthcare. In healthcare, for example, employers tend to look for academic qualifications for specialist positions. On the other hand, travel can be a great way to gain exposure to different cultures, which is a great advantage in professions such as hospitality."
In a world that measures success on parameters such as bank balance and income, losing a job is seen as the 'ultimate blow'. What is useful, then, to remember is that you're a sum total of many things in life, a job being just one of them!
HOW TO BETTER YOUR JOB PROSPECTS AFTER A REDUNDANCY
. Work on gaps in skills. Every employee has a set of strengths and weaknesses, and successful jobseekers will take this opportunity to build on their weaknesses.
. Look for niches in the industry. With our ever-changing industries, different skillsets are needed today that were not in demand previously. Try to adopt skills that distinguish you from the rest and make you indispensable to employers.
. Update your CV. Because remaining subjective while reviewing your own CV can be difficult, having your CV reviewed by professionals can be helpful. Professional career advisors can highlight key elements that employers are looking for in a candidate.
. Stay active. You are bound to be noticed by employers if you are active on online recruitment websites and make the effort to get in touch with relevant companies.
. Network. Networking with peers in the industry is vital. The chances that you will come across job opportunities increase when you know a number of people in your field. Reach out to people you know and solicit their support in making any introductions or connections that could help you.
Courtesy: Abhijeet Mukherjee, CEO, Monster Gulf
anamika@khaleejtimes.com
iPhone | iPad
Android
Huawei
