Demoted at work? Don’t worry
Have you ever been forced to move down the corporate hierarchy, so to speak, by your boss? How do you deal with such a situation? Sad, confused, upset, or hurt, it’ll help to accept these feelings as legitimate, and then set them gently aside so that you can focus on moving forward. Take some deep, calming breaths, exhaling anxiety and stress, and breathing in a sense of peace with your situation. If you’re perceiving anyone or anything as an enemy, let go of that, too.
Move toward accepting the current state of affairs as the new “what is,” from there you can determine whether it continues to meet your needs.
What’s going on in your company as a whole? If there are multiple restructurings or a major redirection of staff, it’s likely that you’re just caught in the shift. However, if this is a more limited move organisationally, some serious “taking stock” is appropriate.
While it may not be personal, it may be related to perceptions of your past performance or your capacity for going forward. It may not feel fair, but this needs to be taken into consideration, looking at feedback you’ve received in recent reviews.
Your boss may have had little to do with the decision to “layer” you, so expecting him/ her to speak to the reasons is probably not realistic. So, ask for a conversation about where your role is headed. Be prepared to share aspects of your past role that you particularly liked and be willing to discuss ways that the change has affected you.
Finally, figure out what is acceptable to you in a role. If this no longer fits, start taking steps to find a position that’s a better fit, but be careful not to burn bridges.Learn from the experience, while also paying attention to what you need to feel satisfied in your job.