"They Had Our Backs": The Reality of Corporate Redundancy and Broken Trust
Redundancy is always an awful process, but at times when it’s necessary there are things that can make it smoother for the individual whose job is at risk. Proper notice, prepared facilitators, a process that feels like it was designed with the people going through it in mind and being transparent and sensitive towards the people at risk.
What I experienced was three hours' notice that consultations were starting, with nothing to prepare with, a facilitator who was late to my consultation because they couldn't find a meeting room and then didn’t bother capturing my concerns properly in the notes. The same people who had driven the whole decision were on LinkedIn that week, announcing their exciting new roles and how great things were looking for the business, and the facilitator who didn’t bother having a meeting room ready was recruiting for this “new and exciting” team and times for the business.
I was working in HR when this happened, so I had an idea of what a good process looks like and how to be sensitive towards the people going through this.
Knowing something was handled badly, knowing it was a cost decision and not a verdict on you, doesn't stop it knocking your confidence and it doesn't stop you questioning yourself, especially when the people behind this had assured you and your team for months that they had your back. Even if they did all the stuff like bringing forward open roles in the business and outplacement support, that all felt like lip service when other fundamentals were brushed aside, and you’re more likely to remember how little time you had to prepare and how excited they were about a new team than the outplacement support that was offered. Being angry about something like this is so exhausting and takes energy that these people don’t deserve, but it’s absolutely valid.
Redundancy is one of the most disorienting things that can happen in your working life, and the way a lot of them are managed makes it worse. If they'll do it to the HR team, they'll do it to anyone. To me it changed how I feel about work because businesses will make decisions that are right for them. They will do it while you are in the middle of giving everything and they will do it without much warning, and sometimes without much care. Knowing that doesn't make you bitter, but you stop being surprised by it and you may even learn to set boundaries on how much you’re willing to give back.
If you've been through a redundancy recently and you're still carrying it, still not quite feeling like yourself, maybe your confidence has been knocked and it’s impacting the way you approach job interviews, that's exactly what Klar is here for. You can read what my coaching looks like here and you can book a free discovery call at here and we can talk about what that support looks like for you.
