Losing a job can be one of the most difficult things to deal with in life; the jobs we hold give us an identity as we are described according to what we do for a living. Under these circumstances job loss is equivalent to losing an identity. Employment is such an important part of our lives due to the role that the job plays. Job provides security for the future as an employee bank on it for continued income which will help him or her to meet the financial obligations. The employee might have used the salary obtained from the employment to secure a loan or similar financial undertakings.In such a case job loss can have very devastating effects on the employee.
One can lose a job due to various reasons such as rendudancy, termination of contract or expiry of the same, regardless of the reason; there is a need for the human resource to prepare an employee so that he or she can be in a position to handle the situation properly. The preparation accorded will determine how the affected will cope with the situation. Poor preparation can have devastating effects on the person losing the job as he or she will not be in a position to cope effectively.(Noe, R 1997) Coping skills Human resource department has a great role to play as far as helping the prospective job losers cope better with the life a head is concerned. Many may argue that this department should not undertake such a role as it’s the main player as far as job loss is concerned, but the department has a part to play on this issue. They have the obligation of making sure that anybody leaving employment for whatever reason is given survival tips.
The department can hire the services of a counselor to guide and counsel the prospective job losers.They need to be equipped with proper mechanism which will allow them to handle the situation effectively. (Feldman, D and Leana, C 1992) Importance of the process Guidance and counseling offers the prospective job loser a chance to explore the life ahead of the current jobs. It is through such a forum that the employee can ensure a proper exit. The human resource department is also provided with a golden opportunity to make its image positive to the employees who will be leaving the section will be seen as caring and empathetic to the job losers situation.
The benefit derived from such an arrangement can not be under estimated as the person being affected by the job loss will be in a good position to get professional help which will help him or her deal with the loss. Addressing the possible hardships One of the major issues that arise with job loss is the fear of financial instability. The person will have to look for alternative ways to meet his or her financial obligations even after the departure. The guidance and counseling sessions which will be undertaken should fully address this issue as it the most stressing for people who go through this difficult moment.Proper handling of this aspect of life will ensure that the person will be able to handle the financial difficulties that may arise in the course of life.
The counselor should guide the prospective job loser on the available systems or options which are available. These options can include looking for another job or starting a business which will help the family to move on. (Bernardin, J 2002) As for the lay offs which are now common due to the difficulty economic hardships being experienced the department can help the prospective layoffs early enough through guidance and counseling.Through such a forum they will be helped with skills which will help them handle the situation calmly. The package should include useful tips which the employees can use to prepare themselves for the lay off. This should address the financial and emotional aspects of loss as they are the most troubling areas for these people.
(London, M 1995) The sessions will be beneficial to the people concerned as they will be taken step by step on how they are going to deal with the difficulties that may arise.They will be helped to realize that there is life beyond redundancy; the need to move from the current situation will be stressed helping them to have the necessary courage to face the situation. The people concerned will be given hope through such forum something that comes in handy during the difficult moments. They will be shown how to face life with optimism therefore overcoming most of the hurdles that life will present. (Foot, M and Hook, C 2005) Guiding and counseling will help the people affected by this loss to see the situation as one that open other doors for career advance or switch.
They will be made to realize that the life ahead not be gloomy, they can utilize the period to do make the positive changes they have always aspired in life. Rather than looking at job loss as the worst moment of life they will be helped to focus positively as they look for the next opportunity that will arise Conclusion It is we ll understood that job loss triggers all from of emotions, the period of adjustment and change brings with it emotional phases which if they are not handled well can impact negatively on the life of the victim. This is a moment that can completely change the life as the person becomes vulnerable.It becomes extremely difficult to sail through the phases of disbelief, bargaining, and acceptance if the person is not given the necessary skills to deal with the issue.
Guidance and counseling comes in hand as far as this transition moment is concerned. It needs to be a process where the targeted employees can be taken through what to expect bracing themselves for a tough time ahead. Loss of job need not to be a horrifying moment as the skills gained from the human resource counseling can offer useful tips to handle the situation effectively.
