What to do when people lose their jobs
I have worked as an ‘outplacement’ coach helping people deal with job loss and supporting them to find new opportunities for themselves. Later on, it was a privilege to be able to bring some of the knowledge and skills learned at that time to an organization where constant global contraction and expansion meant that employees found themselves facing redundancy in local markets where jobs were scarce. One of the most important aspects of this work was helping people identify some of the feelings which accompany momentous life changes including job loss. Anger is so often suppressed in the service of good organizational functioning that it is difficult for people to discuss its impact. Unless time is spent on this, however, it is hard for people to focus on the more practical aspects of self presentation and job search.
The stages of grief model is a useful tool to help encourage the sharing of change experiences. It was developed by Elizabeth Kubler Ross and suggests 5 stages of reaction to loss beginning with denial, followed by anger, bargaining , depression, and finally, acceptance. It has been developed and expanded upon by many authors for use in organizational change processes and is often depicted in the form of a curve, with its lowest point representing the stage of depression. It is something of a classic now and I think this is because so many of the reactions described resonate with the experience of many in an immediate way.
What helps
Allowing for full discussion of the impact of the loss or approaching loss of work.
If possible, facilitating the sharing of change stories where people have triumphed in the past or at least learned about themselves.
Using tools like change curves to ‘normalize’ the emotional journey inherent in any change processes.
Pointing out that anger is an often un acknowledged part of normal reaction.
Using ‘distancing’ techniques such as images or pictures of people in different emotional states. Talking about a third party can be much easier for some than talking about themselves.
Resources
Kubler Ross, E. ‘On death and dying, Tavistock Publications Limited (1970).
It is hard to imagine that Kubler Ross’s understanding and description of the stages of grief was in relation to people receiving the news of their approaching death.
Peter Hawkins and Nick Smith, ‘Coaching, Mentoring and Organizational Consultancy’, Open University Press, (2006).
In Chapter 3, Hawkins identifies the skills that mentors need to develop in order to help others navigate life and career transitions and refers to the Kubler Ross model as well as other models.
