Survive and thrive after redundancy Get through it and bounce back stronger

Recent events have left redundancy figures at an all-time high, with women almost twice as likely to be affected than men. Here’s how to get through it – and bounce back stronger

The pandemic has wreaked havoc on some of the country’s biggest employers, including airlines and high-street stores, leaving many people with uncertain working futures. Dubbed the ‘she-cession’, it’s a soul-destroying blow suffered by more and more women – and especially mothers. Research by one charity* in 2020 found that 15% of mothers had been made redundant or were expected to be made redundant before the end of that year, and of those, a shocking 46% said that a lack of childcare provision played a role in their redundancy.

Even in normal times, redundancy is tough to deal with and the feelings of rejection can feel similar to heartbreak. Eleanor Tweddell, founder of Another Door and author of Why Losing Your Job Could Be The Best Thing That Ever Happened To You,

says it’s important to remember you’re not alone and that, while it might feel difficult now, it is possible to find a new path and come back even stronger. ‘There are still jobs out there, people are reinventing themselves, and there is hope,’ says Eleanor.

Dr Susan Kahn, business psychologist and author of Bounce Back, adds that it’s important to remember ‘it is the role that is redundant and not us as people’. She admits we can place too much emphasis on our jobs as defining our identities. In fact, Susan believes that redundancy can give a sense of freedom: ‘It forces you to reflect and redirect in ways you may not have considered before, or in ways you had always dreamed of.’

You can make changes to improve on what you had before.