Does Being Made Redundant Make You Redundant?

Redundancies are a natural occurrence during economic cycles such as a recession; and despite them being expected during difficult times, redundancies are never easy for both employers and employees.

The questions ‘am I good enough?’ and ‘what did I do wrong?’ start to emerge. However, we believe that you shouldn’t feel this way whatsoever. Yes, being made redundant can be stressful, however, it can provide you some wonderful new opportunities as well!

It’s Not Personal, it’s Business!

Unfortunately, the most common feeling for a person that’s been made redundant is insecurity; and although it’s a terrible feeling to have, it highlights something important. The fact that you care about yourself and your career integrity. Think of it this way, we would be far more worried if someone became redundant without a care in the world; in our opinion, that’s just giving up!

Once you have overcome your insecurity and mixed bag of emotions, you can start to evaluate the situation strategically, by doing the following:

• Assess the macro and micro factors that could have contributed to your redundancy. Has an unforeseeable situation such as COVID-19 placed a strain on the business you worked for? Or, were they experiencing a downward trend in sales?
• Talk to your former employer. It’s within your right to ask the question ‘why have I been made redundant?’ A simple and honest question like this, can provide a secure sense of closure.
• Negotiate your redundancy package. You can negotiate your redundancy package by understanding your legal entitlements and by having good faith. After-all, it is just business!

Most forced redundancy cases in Australia are made in order to protect the future of a business and the wellbeing of employees. A business would much rather offer a suitable redundancy package that’s fair on both parties, compared to facing redundancies during bankruptcy.

Discover New Opportunities!

One of the scariest parts about redundancy is knowing what to do after it’s all said and done. As human beings we’re accustom to being stuck in our ‘comfort zone’; yet, redundancy takes that comfort and kicks it to the curb! Instead of feeling overwhelmed, do the following:

• Create a redundancy budget. This will help avoid spending your redundancy pay out and will keep you financially secure until you find a new job.
• Consult with a financial advisor. If you’ve received a large redundancy pay out and aren’t sure what to do with it, a financial expert will be the best person to guide you on that investment you’re thinking about, or whether or not you should pay off your home loan!
• Take the time to reset your skillset! Re-enter the market with a new variety of skills to support your experience and career ambitions.
• Gage the helping hand of a recruitment expert. Finding a job all on your own can be hard, especially in niche industries. Let the experts like us do the work for you!

At Digital Monk International, we have witnessed a number of redundancies occur in the ICT sector due to budget cuts. If you’re a Microsoft Dynamics 365 professional, who has recently become redundant, it’s time to contact us or browse our Live Jobs!

And remember, being made redundant does NOT make you redundant!