What to do if you're retrenched
Expert advice on surviving retrenchment.
How to cope
Loss of livelihood rates in the top 10 stressors of life - enough said. Psychologist and career expert Dr Gloria Marsay advises:
• If a counselling service has been provided by your former organisation, make use of it. Or talk to someone who has successfully survived retrenchment.
• Don’t live in the past, either by idealising or damning the organisation that retrenched you. Take your time, grieve, and then move on.
• Ask family/friends for their support and suggestions for other work.
• Do some reflection and planning – bounce ideas off people you trust, and acknowledge that initially you may find it difficult to engage in more rational, less emotional thinking.
• Take stock of your financial assets, and your personal assets such as your attributes and marketable skills.
• Reconnect with family, friends and your professional network.
• Do voluntary work to give you a sense of purpose and to maintain a daily routine (it will also look good on your CV).)
• Eat well, sleep well, and exercise.
What if family or friends are retrenched?
In the beginning, resist the temptation to give advice, especially advice like ‘be strong’, ‘pull your socks up’ or ‘get out there’. Once your friend/family member is over the initial shock, and feels stronger, then you can offer to be a sounding board, helping her to reflect on what it is she does well, and what work she would like to do in future.
Wise counsel
You’ll experience retrenchment emotionally, but it is clear thinking and decision-making that will help you successfully survive the process, says labour attorney Alexander Rocher of Farrell & Associates, a Durban-based firm specialising in labour law.
• Don’t allow a retrenchment to become the defining moment of your life.
• Principles can cost you. Don’t litigate to get even, save face or prove a point – you won’t.
• If you challenge your retrenchment, seek proper advice – and take it.
• Partake in the consultation process, make sensible representations, ask relevant questions and check the minutes of meetings thoroughly.
• Ensure that your company gives you your pension or provident withdrawal forms for signature, duly completed and signed by them, so that you can lodge them with your fund administrator for investment elsewhere.
• You are entitled to unemployment benefits. Your employer must lodge the UI 19 Form with the Department of Labour.
• Currently, the first R30 000 of your package is tax-free – an employer who follows good practice will obtain a tax directive from SARS at the time of dismissal. Your IRP 5 will be sent to you at the end of the tax year, not when you leave.
• Should you feel that your retrenchment is unfair, refer an alleged unfair dismissal dispute to the CCMA on an LRA 7.11 Form (available from www.ccma.org.za) within 30 days of your dismissal, and attend the CCMA conciliation session. The dispute will then be referred to either the CCMA or the Labour Courts.
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Reretrenched
This being the second time of going through a retrenchment, having survived one already less than a year ago, my suggestion to people undergoing the same life-changing experience would be to do the following which has worked in the past for me: 1. Look up all the open jobs as presently advertised within the Company of your employ, that is if you wish to remain in the firm you are presently employed in, if not choose the firm you want to work for and do the same. 2. Select as many open jobs & work opportunities that you think you would enjoy or that would suit your present interests, development or skills. (Note that the jobs you are applying for do not always have to be in your career-path, as sometimes a change in job and scenery is healthy.) 3. Try to write seperate cover letters for each different application you wish to apply for, as this makes it possible in each case to seperatly hi-light & identify your strengths, talents & skills in different areas that you have in relation to every different position you are applying for and how you would be able to use these to strengthen the value of having you in such a post. 4. Ensure that your CV is up to date and doesn't read like a Wilbur Smith novel...I have two CV's that I use, the first is almost an encoded, very brief version CV, giving only the most necessary details in less than 3 pages with a personal recent photo. The second CV can be the Novel version, if you wish, but always make sure that if the second version is quite long, that it does not drag at any point. Do this by inserting pictures or photo's of any work successes, scan's of certificates or diplomas etc., maybe so that it reads more like a magazine. Always be sure to attach copies of your certificates & documents that you think could be required or could possibly assist you in attaining the post, already part of the first document you send in. As changes or additions to your CV at a later stage just look bad, and make people suspect you of being a very disorganized candidate. 5. Ensure you are always well presentable and dressed for your interviews, this is important in the Corporate world of selection, also try to be jovial, maybe a little funny, but always have a positive outlook giving people the impression that they will have a complete winning team by your addition, ask questions in return, escpecially in areas or directions where your skills are strong and then explain how you have had experiences and solved some problems with your expertise in these areas. Asking questions and interacting strongly with interviewers lets them see your strengths, demeaner and personality. Be the salesman of your life...and sell yourself! - Good Luck to all of you ! - and always remember - you are not alone...Forresybm
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