New research shows losing a job can impact a person in a variety of ways. What else do you lose when you lose your job?
In the world of sports, decisions to release or demote players are usually made due to a change in philosophy or direction or because the team is in a slump. The decisions often do not seem fair to the players affected, but management has the prerogative to make these choices and will ultimately be judged by the performance of the team. As it is in sports, so it is in business.
Anyone who has been cut loose by a team (I know that feeling) knows that the decision disappoints and can be difficult to comprehend. Often there is no definitive explanation. It is difficult not to feel rejected. Many players feel a combination of anger, disappointment and anxiety. They also experience losses of confidence, camaraderie and clarity of purpose. It is difficult not to wonder, “Will there be another team which wants me?”
Coming to grips with what has transpired begins the moment a person receives the news and new research shows there are a variety of losses that accompany the loss of a position. The research was conducted amongst executives who have been my transition clients. The sample of 150 shows that 72% of respondents experienced a sense of loss associated with their “personal routine.”
Second to the loss associated with the loss of their personal routines was a sense of loss of “status” with 65% reporting such a loss. Third on the list was the loss of “workplace friendships” with 61% agreeing that the loss of their job impacted this aspect of their lives. Given how many of us live in large urban areas, it is entirely possible that unless you arrange to do so, you may never see someone you had previously seen daily for years. The odds of just bumping into someone are low.
Continuing down the list to complete the top five losses associated with losing a job were “self esteem” at 59% and “purpose” at 46%.
In my experience with more than 600 executives in transition, the initial shock has to be dealt with but the accompanying emotions need to be acknowledged, discussed and managed too.
This is why high-touch, personalized, one-on-one consulting is so important. There are many things that need to be addressed that cannot be addressed in groups or via technology. In my experience, how a person is feeling is high on the list and important to explore.