Do the scars of redundancy ever go away?

[cinderellaaaa]

I was made redundant two years ago, and I still feel crap whenever I think about it now. I've had two other jobs since, but I'm always worried that it's going to happen again, at any point. It makes me worry financially and think 'oh I can't buy that, I may be redundant next month so need to save more money'.

I am only in my 20 so very early in life to be redundant, and I didn't get a nice pay out to soften the blow either.

I think I'm going to worry about it until the end of my working career (unless I worry myself to death first).

If you've been made redundant, how did you get over it?

Two years isn't that long and you haven't been settled in a new job for long since. It will take some time but it will get easier, so unless you plan to retire at 30 I think it's unlikely you'll spend the rest of your working career worrying this much.

It's been about a decade for me. I'm not as jittery anymore but I don't feel as secure as I once did. It is manageable though. Keeping a savings buffer, remembering I found work again afterwards, and trying not to dwell on it too much help. Plus time, it is quite the shock to the system especially if you thought it was something that would never be a risk for you.

What is it that makes you feel crap when you think of it? The insecurity? Or is there part of you that feels it reflects on you somehow? I struggled with that for a while but that also became easier (hence forgetting it initially when I posted!). You've got to put it in its place - redundancy isn't personal. Even if it feels it at the time!

It was made redundant after 18 years working for the same company. I didn’t mind really as the ethos had changed so much & I didn’t agree with it but I was hurt with how they dealt with it. I felt there was a lack of respect really as I had been a good & loyal employee but my own line manager didn’t even acknowledge or talk me when I was going through the process & neither did other members of the SMT. I struggled with that more than the redundancy itself. I felt as leaders of the business they should have had the balls to say something. I’m a realist & I understand why redundancy happens but they were just cowards the way they dealt with it. Ridiculous really. That for me was more hurtful than anything else.
Try not to worry. It’s been the best thing for me. I’ve built up my own business which doesn’t earn me mega bucks but I earn more than I did & it works for our family and I don’t miss the politics of a large employer at all. You’re still young & adaptable I’m sure you will be absolutely fine. Good luck.

My DH was made redundant four and a half years ago. It was a shock and not dealt with particularly kindly IMO. He's definitely not 'over' it yet (despite finding a new job fairly quickly afterwards) and maybe never will be in terms of feeling completely secure in his job. Maybe that's no bad thing though, as long as you're not crippled with anxiety and insecurity? Previously he was very loyal to his employer, now he would put himself first which might be a good thing.

I worry more it now that I'm older with dependent children. I've been made redundant three times - the first two times I was in my twenties and single and it really didn't bother me in terms of personal circumstances although of course it's not nice working for a company that is making a lot of redundancies because it's not a happy atmosphere.

The third time I had three young kids and was a single parent and yes that one was very unpleasant to live through although I did get another job quickly. I fear at 50 though I'm less employable now and my kids although older are still under 18 so I'd not want it to happen.

So, in brief, yes for me it wasn't like a shadow hanging over me in the immediate years afterwards but now that I am perceived as being a less valuable member of a potential workforce the fact that I know it happens is something that crosses my mind now whereas it might not do if I'd never been through it previously. If that makes sense.

It did teach me not to take things for granted which is probably useful. The first time it happened was a FTSE 100 company that had been around for ages and then suddenly wasn't. That was a harsh but illuminating lesson.

I think redundancies are much more common these days and to be honest many of us will be made redundant more than once in our careers.

I actually think it's sensible to consider that you might be made redundant at any point and need to build up savings to be able to pay bills until you have something else.

Too many people me included don't and then it is a nightmare (for example there's likely going to be a global recession this year so redundancies will be something many people go through).

So unless you have overwhelming anxiety about it then actually I just think you're being sensible and I wish I was too.

Yes the scars go. I know it feels shit but it isn't personal and moving companies is great for building skills and experience.

I have taken out redundancy insurance so would actually quite welcome being made redundant! It would feel nice to have a break from work without worrying about money. If you are really anxious then look into income protection insurance.

It's hard not to expect it to happen again tbh.
I've been made redundant twice
Once in 2001 with no notice and only statutory minimum redundancy pay
Again in 2010 with 6 months notice where they couldn't decide what they were going to do and decent redundancy pay.
And I still think it could happen again.

All you can do is put in place sensible precautions e.g. make sure you've got some savings to tide you over if it happens again, if you've got a mortgage then take out a mortgage protection policy.
I didn't have one the first time and I was so stressed, I did have one the second time and it made such a difference.
But it's still there in the back of my mind.

Yes and no

It took me 5 years to get over it / fully recover my confidence

But 12 years on I have not shaken off a lurking sense of unease that it will happen again