Job loss can be catalyst for positive change

Illustration by Zhou Tao

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GIVEN the sometimes harsh reality facing many in today's volatile economy, we have looked at the impact that being made redundant has on individuals.

What does it mean for their future careers? And can being laid off actually improve individuals' overall health and well-being?

It is easy to think of losing a job as overwhelmingly negative, but our research indicates that the disruptive effect - the "jolt"- of job loss can also be a catalyst for positive change.

This type of jolt has the potential to shake people out of inertia, forcing them to discard the old and focus attention on the new. For many, this jolt opens doors to opportunities to move in a direction of increased authenticity.

We asked professionals who had recently lost their jobs how it had affected them and how they were approaching the search for new employment.

Four key themes emerged, three of them tied to a desire for increased authenticity. Said another way, these individuals expressed new interest in knowing and living by their values.

Lifestyle quality

One respondent noted quite simply "flexibility and quality of life are more important than salary and title."

Thus, employment came out as a means to maintaining a lifestyle, not as a goal in itself. Salary mattered to a majority of respondents, but only in so far as it was necessary to support other lifestyle goals.

Meaningful work

People overwhelmingly wanted jobs that offer them meaning and align to personal values. A common reason for this was the need to contribute to society. "I am concerned with, and have as a priority, finding work that doesn't scar my soul," someone said.

Career advancement and matching skills and abilities was equally emphasized. "At first, I was thinking about taking any job, but now I want to stay focused on managing my career in a way that fits closest to my talents."

Job security and happiness

Security and stability were given as important criteria for the next job, even if it meant accepting a lower salary or position. "Happiness and a good and positive work environment have become a huge priority. I will not attempt to survive a toxic work environment again," a respondent said.

Self-doubt and cynicism

This final theme is darker. For the respondents who made these more jaded comments, being laid off sparked two types of negative reaction: self-doubt, and general cynicism about their futures in an organization.

Self-doubt, an obvious precursor to reduced confidence, can affect not only how people see themselves, but how others see them - thus making the process of finding a job that will help to restore their confidence even more difficult.

Cynicism links to viewing a layoff as unjust, resulting in a negative feeling about any future jobs or workplace environments.

Respondents questioned business leaders who talk about values but rarely practice or demonstrate them.

Despite feelings of self-doubt and cynicism, the larger part of the feedback showed that being laid off is, at least at a very basic level, positively associated with individuals' search for authenticity. And this has implications for how organizations can handle layoffs differently.

First, organizations that must cut operating costs should consider being more strategic. For example, they could offer increased unpaid vacation time or sabbaticals in order to offset potential slow demand. This makes sense given that time with family and friends, and non-work pursuits, can be valued more highly than money. Even a 10 percent reduction in annual hours (and salary) could result in win-win solution.

When layoffs are necessary, organizations could offer affected employees workshops that will help them to identify and prioritize their values rather than simply update their resumes.

These workshops could also include financial strategies for living on less money and increasing the quality of one's personal time.

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