DAY 19 Redundancy Update

What I have discovered in redundancy and the times we are living in.

Me, myself and I…?

The health ‘war’ we are confronted with today was referred to on 60 minutes as an ‘Orwellian Nightmare’, during this time of bulldozed freedoms and unfamiliar way of life.   We have just experienced an Easter of social isolation, not traditional celebration, during a time where everything is an unknown and it seems, perturbingly, not a single soul on Earth has any assurance of how this virus will all play out. Except that we will partake in a balancing act between restricted living and manageable virus spread whilst in anticipation of some sort of vaccine.

Throughout this ‘battle’, and whilst being unemployed, I have noticed myself feeling mostly singularly focussed on the needs of my household first.   Although this is natural, it has made me wonder whether I might be more self-absorbed than I had previously assessed myself to be.   I did, in fact, check in with the committee chairman in my estate to see if any of the more elderly residents needed help with their shopping or food preparation. But I question myself – am I being outward facing enough?

There is no point in denying certain truths – especially through this time that seems to lead us to these new awareness’s. I am very, very human. Despite the overarching assurance and positivity, I maintain – even through the global unknown - that I will find employment again (and the good news for me is – there is a very sparkly silver lining gradually emerging…), the reality is - being made redundant is a blow.  Nobody likes their economic security taken from them. Nobody likes to admit that their job is the number one economic contributor to sustain life lived.  Nobody can avoid the thought processes around the ‘why’s and ‘how’s’ this happened to ‘me’.  The rational mind can direct your thoughts to what has been stated in the redundancy letter ‘Due to the economic impact of COVID19’.  But the ego pushes back at times to alternate questions around ones’ very worth.

The internal dialogue is a revolving door and presently interspersed with the mind at times being taken hostage by the worldwide health crisis. It can wake you in the depths of night and shatter your peace in daylight hours.  Ration and ego collide and no matter who you are or how determined you are for your higher mind to conquer, your subconscious requires time to unravel what is essentially a loss when your job is vanquished.

In most cases, like for myself, there was a conscious and directed choice to originally engage with the organisation you now no longer ‘belong’ to.  Not to mention the ascension to the place in your career that led you there.  Whilst in the role, there was an energy exchange.  There was an investment in the projects you were passionate about. The strategy you had created, you were diligently chipping away at and envisioned taking shape.  The partners and clients you were engaged with and collaborating with for outcomes you believed in.  For me, I loved my actual job.  The industry, my truly spectacular immediate team (guys I miss you every day), the product, the reason the product existed and how it directly impacted a cause I have been passionate about for over 4 years.  When you are fortunate enough to have a role where you are imbued by the purpose, it drives your very energy centre.   When you have a long term outcome drilled into your psyche within the vehicle you have chosen and were chosen for – you are undeniably discombobulated when the ejector seat is initiated.

At times, I have wanted to repudiate the necessity to process all of this.  Because rationally, there is nothing I can change about the ‘event’ that now exists on my career timeline.  And it is not in my ‘to do’ list of ‘embracing’ future opportunities and focussing on moving forward!   I have come to acknowledge processing it is necessary.   To work with the waves that come and to strive to partake in healthy coping mechanisms when they break into me.

Self-soothing is human nature, right?  Chocolate, wine, Netflix, languidity….. extremely luxurious and temporary diversions.   Hypnotising desires exploited as avoidance to obstruct the processing.    Whilst these pacifiers have played their part and have their place, what I have found is effective for me is exercise, writing and allowing the right people to enter my mental realm.   As well as choosing to adopt a constructive mental diet as outlined in my first redundancy article.

About the new consumer experience

Few companies are exempt from the changing needs of customers during a parallel health and economic pummelling.

Essentially, since 26th March, like so many around the world, I have been on a customer ‘journey’ as a consumer with changed circumstances.  This has allowed me to review companies I am a customer of as I sequentially engage in new conversations.  Some updates, and customer journey experiences:

·      Home Contents & Car Insurance – Automatically supportive and responsive - waived home contents insurance fees for 3 months – no question - and no ‘tacking’ on fees at the other end. 

·      South East Water – Bills on hold if necessary

·      Energy & Gas – Bills on hold if necessary

·      Real Estate Agent – Clear email communication last week to all renters.  It outlined there is a moratorium on evictions for 6 months for those impacted directly by COVID19 only. Advised tenants to pay as much as we can towards the total rent to buffer the ledger and maintain a good relationship with the landlord who may concurrently be facing unemployment, financial pressure and stress.  No government rental assistance packages released as yet. 

·      VicRoads – Car registration (of course it was due just after the redundancy!)  Registration must be paid regardless, shorter-term registration options offered but no actual reprieve.

·      Centrelink – No official personal response as yet, after the online intent to apply for the job seeker allowance 2 weeks ago.   Except for one generic communication that a response may be delayed until 20 April 2020.

·      Life & Income Protection Insurance – Currently I am being escalated - the fine print of this policy is a source of agitation and disappointment to me.  I have been told redundancy is not covered by my income protection which I have had in place for many years.   Effectively income protection only covers people when they are sick or injured and unable to work.  My challenge with this is based on being made redundant as a result of the global pandemic.  This is exactly the reason I put income protection in place – for times such as this.  I have never claimed on it in the past or analysed the fine print – hence my naivety, however, I am truly astounded that even out of a sense of corporate social responsibility, this company is not currently suggesting any support.   This circumstance is unique for so many, and I have decided – with very little hope of an outcome – or to take away from anyone who is directly sick or injured, to continue to question this. 

About recruiters

What a learning curve this has been within a candidate experience during a pandemic!  

The reality is most recruiters are in a very unfamiliar situation.   With the severe decline in active roles and existing active roles being either completely pulled or put ‘on hold’.   Additionally, recruiters are being asked by their clients to source candidates for active roles, and yet are on the fence as to the execution of those roles on some days!  On other days, instructions are to proceed.  This everchanging beast is understandably exasperating for all recruiters.   

This unchartered territory is triggering a variety of interesting responses by recruiters I have experienced as a candidate or potential candidate.

In most cases, experienced recruiters are adopting a communicative and understanding approach.  This works well.  As a candidate, provided you are made aware of amendments efficiently and with consideration, the recruiter relationship remains intact.   As a client of the recruiter I am certain the same applies.

Wise recruiters are projecting ahead.   When they engage with candidates, they are taking the opportunity to invest time into them. Time they currently have more of. To talk to about where they are at. To ask them in-depth questions about their recalibrating visions.  To seek to understand their passions and purpose.   Genuine interest in the candidate with the goal of successfully aligning a future role and company.  Checking in on the candidate even when it is not a result-oriented touchpoint.    These recruiters recognise that there is a large pool of exceptional talent presently in limbo and when the shift out of our current climate occurs, the authentic candidate relationship based on true values and guardianship developed will be unequaled.    

Wise recruiters are analysing market trends, researching, housekeeping their CRM’s, asking clients how they can be of service, reviewing the landscape laterally.  Adapting with resilience and faith.

Conversely, as in all facets of life during a ‘quandary’, other occasional responses have emerged. This is truly a defining moment for every single person.  For every single company. I am reminded, that if you put anything under pressure - true characteristics emerge. And these are the less illuminating paradigms I have experienced thus far:

Frustration towards me and apparently other candidates who are not in a desperate hurry to chase particular available roles.  Two attitudes have emerged here:

1. ‘Every post is a winner’  Translated – everyone who is currently out of work must run towards any available opportunity with great enthusiasm.   

The assumptions in this attitude are interesting.   Firstly, that a candidate is in a critical mass position.   Which is an understandable hypothesis if the candidate is open to new opportunities during this time.  Also, one that might be incorrect - and easily identified by the aforementioned ‘enabling’ candidate care.   However, the bigger – more concerning issue is that this attitude drives a fear and scarcity mentality – when we are already dealing with all-pervasive fear of the unknown!  It strikes me that this attitude promotes limited thinking and reactive, not responsive behaviour.  To entertain a role with an instilled belief that it is the only viable role likely for the foreseeable future is a little unhealthy.  I am fortunate I have been in a position to resist this ‘push’ towards roles not designed for me. And to be clear – this means I have moved reluctantly into my conservative personal emergency savings account – reserved for any unexpected familial health issues; the braces fund for my youngest child; and theoretically a holiday fund (Ha!).    So, this is not an altogether enjoyable conscious decision. And it is at a potential financial risk. However, I have decided to avoid the fear mentality and adopt an abundance and faith attitude.  Despite the ‘on paper’ available job statistics and loaded statements by a small number of recruiters.  Statements that can only result in diminished hope, career goal abandonment and denial of the long game approach.

2. The Government is being too soft and supporting those who have been made redundant or stood down – and this creates no sense of urgency by candidates who should be getting back into work immediately.    

What I would like to point out here is: 

a) As mentioned in point 1 - some of us have by some magical means managed our finances over time so we are not in a position of absolute desperation immediately after being out of work; 

b) The government are so overwhelmed that in many cases they have not released JobSeeker payments at all as yet (the idea is support will be backdated but funds have certainly not immediately flowed). Just maybe your candidates are working through some personal and immediate financial issues right now; 

c) The intended JobSeeker payments are considerably less than half of the average Australian wage.  This means that few people are going to survive for long periods without securing new employment.  NB See the Australian Bureau of Statistics average weekly earnings report for 2019 https://www.abs.gov.au/ausstats/[email protected]/mf/6302.0

I would challenge anyone NOT experiencing redundancy, stand down or reduced hours during COVID19 to think more laterally.    I would encourage everyone to consider their own mental state if they are still employed during this unparalleled time. I would then encourage those lucky people to consider some of the additional elements bolted on to that mental state – if they didn’t have the security of employment right now.  The facts are people financially affected by COVID-19 outbreak are experiencing even higher psychological distress than others.  Before judging – we must all seek to understand. Dissociation and differing ideology with the reality of what the collective are facing today will not unite us against the common enemy we are all being transformed by and in most cases - helping each other with. If you as a recruiter have had your hours reduced or are personally struggling – on top of the severe decline in active roles – I encourage you to share this with your candidates.  To give your candidates some extra perspective on your situation. It could potentially help them to associate better with you and serve to deepen and strengthen your relationship. We are all having a peculiar experience right now.   Communicating how we are respectively traveling is one way we can support each other.  I would argue that this is a time to be more transparent than ever.

About the time we are living in (briefly… because this is one thing that does leave me speechless!) ….

The reality is nothing is certain for anyone in these times.  The only thing we can control is how we respond. We are worried about our friends and families and our hearts are breaking for the many victims and their families.

It seems so many of us have been quite mystified that globally we didn’t see this coming. And we didn’t properly prepare for it.  I have asked myself why have we been so radically overconfident about our immunity to threats to our existence.  

We are now identifying the oracles of our time.  Whose predictions and/or warnings have not been heeded.

The sanctity of life….

I am reminded that there is so little inside of our control.  That everything is truly temporary.  That there is no time to hold back what we really need to say to people in our lives.    In our time here on this planet.  Living in the moment is pretty paramount.  

I have realised I have taken SO much for granted. I recognise, I have lived in a time of abundance and freedom.  Abundance in health, in love, in demographic sphere as an Australian citizen.  I am becoming far more gracious.

I’ve reviewed what it is I am missing about ‘normal’ life.   I am asking myself what it was about it I found fulfilled me.  And what was simply habitual or expected.

No doubt these are universal thought processes these days.

The blessing of being a parent…

Whilst, like so many other parents, there is a great adjustment about to happen with a high school child embarking on homeschooling this week, I am somewhat intrigued by how the shift will roll out.   To have this opportunity to watch my sons adapt.  To be near without external work in this time they will never ever forget in their lives.  To understand how teachers are adjusting and communicating.   To have the precious time to watch their adaptation.

I have found overall I am more fully present with my sons.  As they respond to these unexpected changes in their lives.  To tap into their sense of loss, through not seeing their friends and family in the flesh.  Through the subtraction of their extracurricular activities and passions.  Through their perceptions of world events.  

I have also been doing some research as admittedly cabin fever has already made an appearance at times (concurrent with the never-ending disappearance of food!).  Raising Children – provide free, reliable and up-to-date and independent information to help families.  Funded by the Australian Government, reviewed by experts and non-commercial, this website has become a trusted resource for me: https://raisingchildren.net.au/teens

I would encourage world leaders to tap into these brilliant fresh minds of the Z generation.  Some of the discussion responses, insights, and ideas I am literally annexing from my boys (! Hey, some days I am not creative) are truly profound.

No one is untouched we must find the joy….

There is no exemption in this hour.   There is impact on every living soul.  To varying degrees, at varying times and for varying reasons.  The psychological impact is obvious through the Victorian State Government yesterday announcing an additional $60 million in funding to organisations like LifeLine and BeyondBlue due to the strain created by COVID2019.  It was outlined that the need has evolved because so many people who have never before sourced such services in the past are adding to those who traditionally do.  

For some, this could be like the darkest hours of life.  Understandably so.  But somehow, I think this is going to be a time for the most profound personal growth some of us have ever experienced.  I often feel I am being reinvented inside out. Personally, and professionally.  Ultimately, like so many others, I am questioning how I want to emerge from this.  

Despite these difficult times – in the words of the Queen this Easter

‘Light and life are greater’

We can choose to allow this experience of a global pause to give us a moment of space and grace and to reach out to others in an adapted way.  What if we welcomed a new epidemic of kindness and care for ourselves and each other as we learn how to be truly content alone?

Lastly, I want to mention my remarkable friends and family who are only ever a phone call, text, WhatsApp or LinkedIn message away.  I have had some profound and very moving conversations lately.  This Easter weekend, one of my diamonds reminded me of a real joy that she has over the past 10 years brought back into my life.  The profound gift of great music.  This sister brings her light – even through isolation by directing me to this, and bringing tears to my eyes: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DQLRjV5YQAQ   

So CC – this image and YouTube link is a boomerang back to you to thank you. These two artists remind me of you. We will go out dancing together after this time passes with the rest of the world and celebrate! https://youtu.be/CFLfMj6YKC0

#Don’t forget to find the joy.