Summary: Improving the redeployment process helps employees transition smoothly into new roles after displacement or redundancy. In this guide, we explore practical steps individuals and employers can take to support career continuity, build confidence, and reduce the emotional toll of job loss.
Job loss and role displacement remain a reality for many employees today, whether due to organisational restructuring, automation, budget cuts, or shifting market demands. Even if you’re currently employed, you may be concerned about the stability of your role- especially if your sector is undergoing change or your company is adjusting its strategic priorities.
In some cases, entire teams or departments are restructured, leaving skilled professionals uncertain about their next steps. If you’ve recently been displaced or are facing redundancy, the pressure to find new employment can feel overwhelming. You may feel like you’re navigating this alone, with limited clarity about how to move forward.
But here’s the truth: there are effective ways to regain control, rebuild confidence, and improve your prospects of reemployment. By taking focused action – and understanding how to position your skills – you can transition successfully, even in a competitive or uncertain job market.
But don’t give up hope. There’s a lot you can do to influence your employability so you can improve your chances of getting your next job – and fast.
What is employment displacement?
Employment displacement is when your job disappears. It probably feels the same as redundancy, but unlike redundancy, it’s not a planned dismissal caused by a change in the company’s strategies or goals. The end result is the same, though. Your employer can no longer make use of your skills and experience.
The good news is that your skills, experience and knowledge remain relevant and desirable if you know where to market them. Despite the rise in job losses, there are still opportunities – and redundancy avoidance strategies – that can lead to fulfilling new roles.
But… and it’s a big but… becoming reemployed in a new industry or role requires you to look at yourself and what you have to offer. That’s why you need to know what you have to offer in the way of skills, knowledge and experience. Then you can present yourself as a viable employee in a new company and in a different role.
Now here’s your golden opportunity: despite the massive rise in job losses since the start of the global pandemic, what’s becoming apparent is that there are still skills shortages and jobs to fill. Most encouraging of all, some employers are actively looking for people who bring experience from a different sector or role into their company. After all, businesses are having to pivot and find ways to respond to changes in demand and methods of delivering their product or service – and that requires new thinking and approaches.
Am I likely to get early warning signs of redundancy?
You may get early warning signs of redundancy but you may not. It depends on your situation and what’s going on within the organisation. When there’s a crisis, some roles and industries are always at higher risk than others. The Covid-19 pandemic has been particularly hard on travel, leisure and retail.
Indicators of job loss could come from a variety of sources. For example, you might notice that you have less work to do or that staff in similar roles are being let go from other companies. You may have already seen that your industry is likely to be affected by technology changes or the impact of a world event.
In case you hadn’t noticed, having a job for life is less and less likely in our fast-moving, technologically advancing world. Instead of worrying about keeping what you’ve got, plan your next step and focus on gathering the skills needed to take that step. Instead of looking at change as a threat, look at it as an opportunity to do something different – and maybe something that’s more meaningful and enjoyable.
What should I do when made redundant?
Your first step when you’ve been made redundant is to check your employee rights and that the redundancy package you’ve been offered is the best one for you. Ask whether you can have an outplacement package as part of your redundancy deal.
Understand Your Rights
No matter how job loss comes about, employers must follow the correct procedure and make redundancy payments. That’s why it’s important you know your rights, whatever the cause of your job loss.
If you’ve worked for the company for any period between one month and two years, you’re entitled to a notice period. This means your employer is required to give you at least one week’s notice before dismissal. You get an additional one week’s notice for each year of employment between two and 12 years, and three months’ notice if you’ve been employed at the same company for more than 12 years. If you’ve worked at the company for at least two years, in most cases, you’re also eligible for financial compensation:
- Half a week’s pay for each full year of employment under the age of 22.
- One week’s pay for each year of employment between the ages of 22 and 41.
- One-and-a-half week’s pay for each year of employment over the age of 41.
There are some exceptions to this and you may have a contract that offers more benefits, so make sure you know what you’re entitled to receive.
What Does an Effective Redeployment Process Look Like?
There are a number of ways your employer can help you but the most notable one is an outplacement package. Assistance for departing staff offers both practical and emotional support to anyone facing job loss, helping them find a new role quickly and confidently.
Outplacement services offer both practical and emotional support to anyone facing job loss. This acts as support in finding a new role quickly. At London Outplacement, we offer and online service, which is perfect in the current lockdown. And even when social distancing is no longer necessary, an online solution offers many benefits. It means you can work at your own pace, make use of the full range of resources at any time and make use of career coaching calls when you need them. It’s flexible, comprehensive and supportive. You can move on in your career as quickly as possible.
How do you survive redundancy emotionally?
Redundancy and displacement at a time of crisis can be especially traumatic so it’s important to manage the emotional fallout. After all, losing your job is never going to feel great.
So it’s important to focus on what you want next and what will lead to rapid reemployment.
Who else can help me?
Outside of your immediate workplace, you may have built a professional network of people who can help you in your career. Now is the time to develop and strengthen those connections. Arrange some video meetings, connect via LinkedIn or contact people via email. LinkedIn is a particularly good platform for professionals as it’s a business-focused environment. You can also conduct a job search via LinkedIn.
You can reach out to London Outplacement to get help and support. Find out about our online outplacement packages so you can get back to work as soon as possible. Remember, at London Outplacement, we treat everyone as an individual so we can address your specific needs and job requirements. We’re here to help you see yourself with fresh eyes and rediscover your talents so you can find the best opportunities available.
How do I move on after redundancy?
Use Redeployment as a Stepping Stone
Moving on after redundancy can be both liberating and terrifying. Ultimately, your ability to make a successful transition depends how you look at it and how confident you feel about getting another role. That’s why your first step needs to be a skills assessment.
Assess your skills
Your skills, knowledge and experience don’t disappear when you lose your job. Your first step to coping with redundancy or displacement is to assess those skills. Understand what you have to offer so you can more easily align yourself with opportunities that become available.
You may think your skills are related to your now-departed job, but many of them are transferable. And don’t forget the skills you’re not using in your current role. That’s why it’s important to do an inventory of all the skills you’ve used throughout your career.
Those skills fall into two categories: ‘hard’ technical skills and ‘soft’ interpersonal skills. Hard skills include software literacy, website design, social media management, content writing, market research and data analytics.
Soft skills are less quantifiable and describe how well you interact with others and manage your work. Your soft skills might include communication, flexibility, teamwork, leadership, conflict resolution, time management or creativity.
5 Top Tips for Coping with Job Loss
How do you stay strong through this period in your life? How do you ensure you don’t sink under the pressure of your fears about money and getting a new job?
1: Build yourself up
Develop a positive mindset and actively focus your thoughts on possibility and opportunity rather than fearful and negative thoughts. Learn how rebuilding your confidence post-redundancy can accelerate your recovery.
2: Take care of yourself
Job searches can be tiring so you may need more rest than usual. Take time to build your energy. Exercise, meditate and do things you enjoy and that build your energy.
3: Focus on your value
Employers hire staff to add value to their business. It is, therefore, a good idea to promote your value within your CV and LinkedIn profile page. Your focus needs to be on how you solve issues within your area of expertise and in doing so you´ll set yourself apart from your competition.
4: Maintain a routine
Get up each day, set yourself an agenda and have a plan of action to complete before that day is over. Treat your job search like a job in itself. Join some networking groups for ideas on how to get better results too, not just so you can make useful connections.
5: See the benefits
Redundancy doesn’t immediately appear to offer any benefits, but adversity can be a catalyst for something new and exciting in your life. Trust that this event has happened for a reason. A redundancy could be the perfect chance to reassess your working life and make some exciting changes. It’s one of many reasons why your business should offer outplacement for both employers and employees.
How to improve your reemployment prospects
When there’s a global event – whether it comes in the form of a pandemic or a financial crisis – it’s important to remain positive and optimistic. Your mindset and approach to what’s happening will dictate how well you cope.
The best way to improve your prospects of getting a new job is to focus on what you want and what you have to offer while getting all the help you can muster to get there. Focus, determination and a positive attitude will get you hired faster than anything else.
Resist the temptation to fall into a catastrophe mindset. Instead concentrate on taking action because the more you do to remedy the situation, the less scared you’ll feel. And when you feel optimistic and open, you’ll see more opportunities and feel more able to reach for them.
Crises never last. Weather the storm and you’ll emerge stronger and more confident than ever before.
Do reach out by filling in the contact form on this page for support and advice.
