With the cost of living crisis impacting individuals across the UK, being made redundant is even more of a concern than ever before. Maintaining a steady source of income has never been more vital. But what happens when that is taken away from you, through no fault of your own? That’s the reality people are faced with when they are made redundant. In April, new research conducted by HR consultancy Ayming UK found that 26% of UK organisations said they are likely to make redundancies in 2023. A staggering number at any time, but even more worrying considering the current economic climate.
Getting made redundant is undoubtedly a life-altering event. In many cases, it might even be a traumatic one. The sudden loss of income can have major physical and emotional repercussions. Earlier this year, I myself was laid off from my Senior Editor role at another publication. Ten years into my career, I was suddenly facing a crossroads that I had never wished to come across. The stress to maintain a sense of financial stability, all while battling concerns for the future, is no laughing matter.
There have been many layoffs across a wide number of industries this year, with thousands upon thousands of tweets and LinkedIn posts dedicated to that very topic. You’ll often see people sharing their experiences of why being made redundant was the best thing that ever happened to them. That was certainly the case for intimacy and sex coach Sarah Rose Bright, who was made redundant from her media manager role in 2001. Aged 28 at the time, she was thrown into a world of uncertainty. “I was nervous. I had a three-year-old daughter and I was concerned about money,” she tells GLAMOUR UK. “But there was also a sense of relief. I was working really long hours in a very competitive environment and it had been taking its toll on me. The pressure was not compatible with motherhood and it affected the time I spent with my daughter.”
The average age for a woman to have a child is 31, which means the Risk Zone window for conceiving and raising children spans the majority of any career
After processing the news, Sarah stumbled upon a new path, which proved to change her life for the better. “I decided to retrain into something that felt more aligned with my values. I spent all of my redundancy money on a Masters in social ethical and environmental business practice,” she tells me, revealing she went on to set up her own business. “All this enabled me to have a much more balanced life as my daughter was growing up. I have now worked for myself for twenty years and I feel lucky to have so much flexibility and freedom.”
So, what would she say now to anyone facing redundancy? “It’s an opportunity to reflect on the type of work that you want to do and also the lifestyle that you want to live,” Sarah shares. “It’s an invitation to ask deeper questions about how you can find work that makes you truly happy.”
For Yossy Akinsanya, 24, she’s still feeling the impact of being made redundant from her job in marketing last year. “It was the first time I had to leave a job where it wasn’t on my own terms. It was rather sudden and with immediate effect. I definitely cried quite a bit for the first few days,” she tells me. However, having spent the past few months rebuilding, Yossy is grateful for having had the experience. “I always questioned whether I should go full time with my photography and being made redundant gave me the chance to take that leap,” she explained. And although it “didn’t really work out,” Yossy is happy she gave it a go. “At least I tried, rather than always question whether or not I should have chased that dream.” Now, having started a brand new role, she feels better off than she did before. “It’s made me realise that there was a lot I didn’t enjoy with my previous role. The company I’m at now is really diverse,” she shares. “There’s just loads of things that have contributed to me feeling a lot happier. I have no regrets.”
Meta is leading the trend.
Strategy consultant Jane de Vos was caught off guard in 2014, when she was made redundant from her managerial position just three weeks before Christmas. “I was distraught. I only knew 'corporate life,’ but after two months, and finding out I was expecting my first child, I put all my energy into making it on my own,” she tells me. Looking back, Jane believes everything happened as it should have done.
“It was the best thing, as I have built my own business. I work with people that value my work and opinions, and I feel I make a difference. I also was able to have a family. I have three children and I work around their needs,” she explains. “My younger son has special needs, and I was able to work and support him until we found a specialist school. This is something that would not have been possible in my old role.”
Offering hope to anyone who is facing redundancy, Jane adds: “Yes, it is hard, but decide what you want from life, then work and make it happen for yourself.”
