Redundancy Threat Leads to New Opportunities

Redundancies are on the rise according to the Office of National Statistics, at a rate of 4.1 per 1000 employees between June and August 2019 compared to just 3.3 per 1000 for the same period last year. However, while both the individual impact and the knock-on effects for ongoing productivity within the workplace can be devastating, a leading UK confidence coach claims that redundancy can actually be a very positive and highly motivating life event.

Kate Bishop, one of the UK’s leading career coaches, believes that redundancy is a powerful facilitator of new beginnings and opportunities, enabling individuals to pause and thoroughly consider their future direction.

“I’ve seen firsthand how emotional wellbeing can take a turn for the worst in

redundancy and how the stress of not finding another job can lead people

to panic and take any role in any organisation. The problem is that workplace

dissatisfaction can cause emotional wellbeing to deteriorate further, with

feelings of stress seeping out into many other areas of a person’s life.”

Bishop works with both individuals facing redundancy and with remaining teams to empower their impact within an organisation. Offering future-focused sessions, coaching can be used to explore the overlooked side of redundancy and highlight the numerous opportunities that can arise from uncertainty in the professional future, including complete career changes.

“Working with a career and confidence coach reaffirms what an individual wants to do and empowers them to create their ideal role quicker and with more ease, reducing any emotional stress regarding the uncertainty they face,” continues Bishop. “Some decide to take a break and re-evaluate what is paramount in their lives, supported by a qualified career coach that helps them to uncover so much more about what they want, what they can achieve, and ultimately puts them in complete control over their own lives”.

Bishop voices her belief at a time when several high profile organisations are facing the risk of redundancies. Following the estimated 6000+ UK workers made redundant by the collapse of travel agent Thomas Cook earlier this year, Mamas and Papas, Fox’s Glacier Mints, Playstation, WeWork, and Wonga have all recently had their names associated with redundancy risk.

Redundancy can be incredibly demotivating not only for the individual but also for the remaining team as they lose colleagues, potentially take on a higher workload, and face an uncertain future. Change, on any level, can be destabilising and stressful, highlighting the urgent need at this time for professional support in building resilience and maintaining performance.

“With so many companies experiencing tough times right now it is vital for employers to ensure they are providing necessary support for their teams through periods of disruption to help them navigate change and create resilient and productive employees who feel valued and cared for.”

To find out more about Kate Bishop, visit www.kate-bishop.co.uk