Season 4: Episode 5 Protecting Employee Confidence During Redundancy

Hello and welcome to the Redundancy Matters podcast, helping

compassionate HR professionals managing redundancies who want to put

people at the heart of the process.

I'm your host, June Hogan, a qualified career coach and outplacement

specialist with a background in HR and founder of Outplacement

services provider Wildwood Coaching.

In this podcast, I'll be sharing my insights and experience from being

on both sides of the redundancy table and from my years of experience

supporting individuals after redundancy through our placement support.

Welcome to today's episode of Redundancy Matters.

I'm your host, June Hogan.

I'm a career coach, I'm an outplacement specialist, and

I've got a background in HR.

And what I want to do today is to start by asking you to imagine

someone sitting down to write their CV after being made redundant.

They've got years of experience and lots of things that they could talk

about, and until recently they felt they were doing a good job, and now

they're looking at a blank page wondering what they've actually got to offer.

Thoughts like, "Was I ever any good at my job?"

and, "If I was any good, then why didn't they want to keep me?"

The skills that person has haven't disappeared.

Their experience is still there, but the redundancy has changed something

in the way that they see themselves.

And so in today's episode, I want to explore how that can happen and what

employers can do during the redundancy process to really help people to

retain that belief in their ability to retain their self-worth, and

their dignity, and their self-belief.

Because through the work that I've been doing in outplacement for the

past few years, I get to see firsthand how the experience of redundancy

can follow somebody into their job search, into the interview room, and

into their next role potentially.

And so understanding that connection can really help HR teams and leaders to think

about the conversations that are taking place during the redundancy process,

and also to think about the support that someone might need afterwards as well.

Now, redundancy feels personal.

I still say when I was made redundant, it's roles, not

people, that are made redundant.

But it's very difficult to separate yourself from that when you are

going through a redundancy process.

Because work gives us so much more than just an income.

It gives us those regular reminders that we have something

to contribute, that we're valued, that we have a sense of purpose.

Someone comes to ask our advice, or a colleague thanks us for helping them,

or maybe we might solve a problem, or deliver something that we're really proud

of, and those experiences in our work help us recognize that we're capable

and that what we do really matters.

So in a redundancy process, when someone says that they may no longer need the

role that you do, then that really challenges something that people have

come to believe about themselves Someone might understand the business reasons

for the redundancy and still think that if they really valued me, then

surely they'd find a way to keep me.

And certainly in my second redundancy, those were some of the thoughts that

went through my head at the time.

And then that doubt can spread, and you might start wondering whether another

employer would really value what you've got to offer, or actually maybe you're

not as capable as you thought you were.

And for lots of people, that can affect their self-esteem.

They might feel embarrassed or carry a sense of shame about telling people

about their redundancy, that they've lost their job, comparing themselves with the

colleagues who are staying, or questioning whether the years that they gave to that

organization really counted for anything, and the sacrifices that they made, the

long hours that they worked, and in some cases, the things that they may have

missed out on in their personal life due to the commitment to the organization,

whether that was really worth it at all.

Now, of course, not everyone's gonna feel that way.

Some people might feel relieved or see redundancy as an opportunity.

But someone can also appear calm in a meeting and still go

home questioning themselves.

So it's about the role, it's not the person.

It's definitely helpful, but it's not necessarily enough.

People also need to understand what's happening and feel that they still matter

while that process is taking its course.

Because when someone's already wondering whether they're good enough, the

explanations that they receive during the redundancy process and also the

way that people behave towards them can really matter , if we think about the

different ways that confidence can be eroded during the redundancy process,

one of the things that I see in the work that I do is the mixed messages that

people sometimes get during the process.

The announcement might give one reason for the proposal, and then

their manager might suggest something different in a conversation.

I've worked with individuals who've had line managers say to them how

wonderful they are, how great the work that they're, that they've

done has made a big difference, and, you know, reassuring them that it's

nothing about them as an individual.

And all of that is great.

All of that is what people need.

They need to understand that sometimes it's just circumstances outside of their

control where the organization has to reduce costs and has to reduce headcount.

But then at the same time, there might be other roles in the organization

that the individual may or may not be encouraged or considered to apply for.

That's a kind of a mixed message in that sense that somebody

might get during a process.

And so if there are mixed messages, then it leaves people trying to figure out,

well, what do they actually believe?

That can damage their trust in the organization, and it can also affect

their confidence in themselves because they might be questioning

it and thinking, "Well, are people really telling me the right reason?

Perhaps it's actually me."

Um, and without that explanation that they can actually make sense

of, then of course, like we all do, they'll fill in the gaps themselves.

And if they're already feeling vulnerable, then some of those gaps

that they fill in and some of those assumptions they make about themselves

may indeed be quite negative.

The other thing that people can also draw conclusions from and impact

on their confidence is silence.

Perhaps their manager used to check in regularly with them, and now

they seem quite distant, or the conversations become shorter, and

there's only really connection and contact when there's a formal meeting.

Now, their manager might feel awkward or worry about saying the wrong

thing because they're now in a formal process, but the individual doesn't

necessarily know that, and they're experiencing a change in the relationship.

So they might start thinking about, "Well, you know, I

obviously don't matter anymore.

Maybe I didn't matter before, and they've already, you know, written me

off before the process has concluded."

And that can make the message about the role feel difficult as well.

So the explanation says one thing, but their experience

may lead them to think another.

And I've certainly worked with clients who, after the first consultation meeting,

had very little contact with their line manager, and the line manager didn't

even make an effort to say goodbye to them at the end of the process.

And so the process was handled by the HR team, and that really is

something which people carry with them.

That's something they're gonna remember, and that's something which impacts

on their confidence and how they feel about things moving forward And if in

a redundancy consultation meeting where there is selection criteria involved,

so if, if it's, if it's a site closure, for example, then you're not gonna

be using, uh, selection criteria.

But if someone hears about their performance for the very first time during

a redundancy consultation meeting, then that can be a real surprise to them.

It can be disappointing, and it shouldn't be the first time that

that conversation is raised.

So imagine someone who's always been told that they're doing well, and

then they hears, hear that their performance has contributed to a

lower assessment on the selection criteria than they were expecting.

So alongside the worry about their job, they're now thinking,

"Well, why didn't anyone tell me?

Why wasn't I given the chance to improve?"

You know, they can't make sense of it all, and then they might start

questioning their own judgment, thinking, "Well, I thought I knew what I was

good at, so maybe I've got that wrong."

Now, the business reason for reducing roles in any individual selection

assessment needs to be explained, and where performance does form part of that

selection, then of course it needs to be fair, objectively assessed and evidenced.

There's another feedback area that's worth considering as well, is that some

people may have received very little specific feedback about what they do well.

So they've carried on doing their job, perhaps assuming that everything's

fine, and then redundancy knocks their confidence, and they're left with very

few reminders of what they can draw on for the contribution that they've made.

And so though that experience is what makes those connections that

people then make with their own value and their own self-worth.

And so the notion that the conversations that line managers are having with

their team members should be happening on a regular basis, regardless

of whether there's a restructure or redundancy on the horizon.

Because not only is that best practice, but then when it leads into a potential

redundancy conversation, the individuals are able to kind of join up that

information and it's not a huge surprise.

Because at the end of the day, if you have to reduce a team from 10 down

to eight, well, two people have to be bottom of that selection criteria.

Um, but it shouldn't be a surprise to those individuals that that is where

they might be sitting So thinking about the things that help people

retain their confidence during the process, these are just a few of them.

So communication is designed to help people understand the situation.

Being clear on what's proposed, the things that are open for discussion,

and if information changes, then explain what's changed and explain why that is.

Now, consistent messaging doesn't mean repeating a set of words regardless

of someone's questions, because managers are gonna need to understand

that explanation well enough to be able to discuss it with people.

And when they don't know something, it's far better to say that they don't

know and agree that they will come back with follow-up in a timely way.

Now, someone might still disagree with the proposal, but the understandable

explanation is what can reduce the room for any unnecessary kind of

self-blame and then impacting on their confidence ,, there isn't a need for

a new process to have a worthwhile conversation with somebody during

a redundancy consultation process.

Managers can simply just check in with s- how someone's doing, ask them

what they're finding difficult, ask them what support they need, and just

agree how they'd like to keep in touch in between those formal meetings.

Because someone who's at risk of redundancy is still a colleague right

up until the day that they leave the organization, and those interactions

really help someone know that they haven't become invisible now just

because they're at risk of redundancy.

And those open conversations give line managers a chance to hear

what the person is taking away from those formal communications.

What are they understanding?

What might have got lost in the messaging?

What's worrying them?

What help do they need?

What support do they need?

What questions do they have?

And so of course, those answers might reveal that there's been a

misunderstanding in some situations, and someone returning to the same

question might just be trying to make sense about it all So of course, there

isn't the opportunity to make any guarantees or any promises during the

process, and the leadership during that process starts well before any

redundancy consultation meeting start.

Because performance, development, feedback conversations, as I've said,

they need to be part of everyday line management responsibility.

So people should know what they do well.

They should know where they need to improve and have the

opportunity in order to do that.

Avoiding difficult conversations on a regular basis might feel like

the manager's kind of avoiding that discomfort, but it can leave the

individual facing a much harder message when they get that information later

on, or indeed too late in some cases.

I think there's a role for the HR teams to help line managers prepare to have

those difficult conversations on a regular basis, including how to give feedback and

how to discuss development opportunities.

And thinking about career conversations that line managers can have with

individuals, both during the process, but ideally along the way as well,

because alongside the formal process, there might be opportunity

for a line manager to help someone recognize their strengths and also

help to consider their options.

So whether or not they've had regular conversations, whether or not this

is the first time that they may have heard about areas for development,

for example, or performance issues,

There's an opportunity for the line manager, even if they might

find it difficult, to sit with that individual and to remind them of

the contribution that they've made while they've been working for them.

So these are the sorts of things that someone can see outside of the

individual who might just say, "Well, I'm, I just come to work and do my job."

I hear that a lot.

People say, "Well, I just do my job."

But a career conversation can help someone look at that job differently,

and asking questions like, "Okay, so what are you known for?

What do colleagues come to you for?

What have you contributed here that you're really proud of?"

And it doesn't matter what type of job you're doing, these questions

are still really relevant.

Asking people which parts of their work they enjoy doing, what do they want to do

more of, what do they want to do less of?

Really getting them to think a bit more deeply other than, "I

just come to work and do a job."

And then, of course, the line manager can offer observations.

They might have insights that the individual hasn't thought of, and

specific examples really matter to give someone evidence of those abilities.

And ultimately, this will help them when they are preparing their CV and

potentially going for interviews.

But in that moment, at a time when they might be questioning themselves,

hearing a manager recognize that contribution can really help them

to remember what they have to offer.

And career conversations like this should be framed around the fact that

this is all subject to consultation.

Nothing has been decided, and it's just to help people consider possibilities

and have a more of an informed view of their strengths whilst respecting, of

course, where they are in the process And some people often carry a lot of

this into what happens after redundancy.

I see this in the work that I do with clients because some people might

start ruling themselves out of suitable roles because they've already begun

questioning whether they're good enough.

So their experience during redundancy, the mixed messages they've received,

the information about their ability, their performance, or their skills,

they're seeing in a negative way, and that's impacting on how they feel about

the future, on how they think about themselves and their capabilities and

their ability to take on a job that was similar to the one that they left.

They just think to themselves, "Well, I'll look at something less

senior because that'll be easier for me to do because I obviously

wasn't good enough in my last role."

Now, people can choose a different level of responsibility for lots

of good reasons, um, but my concern is whether their self-doubt is

narrowing down their options before they've explored them properly.

And of course, that can happen with internal opportunities as well.

If someone's in a large organization where there are internal opportunities, then

people might discount themselves from applying for those during the redundancy

process because of how they're feeling about their confidence So confidence

doesn't guarantee someone a job,

but when some- someone interprets each of these setbacks during their job

search, which inevitably will come, if they interpret those as a judgment

on their ability, then of course, that job search becomes harder to sustain.

And I see that with clients where they will apply for roles and regularly

don't get any feedback, and that's the way things are, unfortunately.

It's not a reflection on them.

But they will read into that, that it's something about them because of the

way their redundancy has been handled and because of how they think about

themselves differently now and how their confidence has been impacted.

And I think that's why the support that people need during redundancy

goes beyond when they leave, and it's beyond the practical job search

advice , and building material for CVs, preparing for interviews.

Because outplacement support is one opportunity that people can work with

someone who's completely objective and not involved in the process at all.

So whilst a line manager can have some helpful conversations about helping

people to recognize their contribution and see their value, they're also involved

in the decisions that the individual may indeed find quite painful, so it's

quite difficult for them to open up.

And the same can be true of opening up to the HR team as well because there might

be things that the individual doesn't feel comfortable talking to them about.

So having somebody independent, having a confidential space gives

people more opportunity to talk openly about their experience and how

that's impacted on their confidence.

And one of the things that we do with people is that we, we will meet

them where they are in the process.

So there's no point us saying, "Right, we're gonna work on your

CV today," if somebody isn't in that right frame of mind.

So we will start by understanding where they are, what they need,

and what's important to them, and we'll meet them wherever they are.

Because giving people space to talk helps us to understand some of the

conclusions that they may have drawn about themselves during the redundancy process.

And of course, we can't answer those questions, but we can help them to look at

their skills and experience more broadly, rather than judging their whole career

through what has just happened and seeing everything through the lens of redundancy

And when we are able to focus on the practical side of things, one thing that I

do notice is that when we're working with individuals to prepare a CV or helping

them get material together for interviews, then that can be part of rebuilding

their confidence as well, because we'll be asking them questions about what

they've done, their responsibilities, the difference they made, and that helps

them remember those achievements which they may have forgotten or disregarded.

Because we're helping them to find examples that they can really believe

in and use, and to start recognizing that they have so much to offer

another employer And of course, these changes can happen gradually because

there will be setbacks along the way.

But making outplacement support available and revisiting that with people gives

them somewhere to turn when they're ready, both during the process, if

that's appropriate, and afterwards.

And it also gives the HR team a way to support people beyond what they

can personally offer if you are looking to do something in-house.

Because after somebody leaves, which is when they often need the

most support, that's difficult to then continue that relationship.

Now, outplacement support won't fix a bad redundancy process, but it can help

someone make sense of their experience and begin to move forward with more

self-belief and more confidence.

So if we think back to where we started with the person sitting

down, staring at a blank screen, writing their CV, then can they still

recognize the contribution they made?

Do they understand what happened during the redundancy process?

And do they have the support if they're struggling to see

what they can offer next?

, Because even a carefully handled redundancy process can

knock someone's confidence.

But the clear explanations, the continued contact, and those meaningful

conversations can really help to avoid any unnecessary damage to

someone's confidence and self-belief.

It's likely that redundancy will impact on confidence, but the extent to which it

does that is how the process is handled.

And the process may finish for you, if you're managing that, and for

the organization before the impact on someone's confidence will end.

Because that makes confidence something to consider during the planning for

your redundancy process, alongside the formal steps in the process and the

support that's available afterwards.

And if you'd like to talk about outplacement support and how that could

support your people through redundancy, then there are details of how to get in

touch with me in the show notes, and all conversations are always confidential.

So thank you so much for listening to today's episode of Redundancy Matters.

I hope you found that helpful, and I'll look forward to you joining me again

soon Thank you so much for listening to the Redundancy Matters podcast.

I hope you found today's episode helpful.

It would mean a lot to me if you would follow rate and review this

podcast wherever you listen to your podcasts, as this helps it reach more

people who are managing redundancies.

Let me know what you thought, and if you have ideas for future

episodes, I'd love to hear from you.

You can find me on LinkedIn, June Hogan, and get in touch via my

website, wildwood coaching.co.uk,

where you'll also find more resources to help you manage redundancies.

I hope you'll join me again soon for the next episode of Redundancy Matters.