"Redundancy: Stressful Or The Right Kind Of Stress?"

Why redundancy can sometimes push people towards decisions they were too comfortable to make.

Redundancy is stressful. There is no point pretending otherwise.

For many people, especially senior candidates on strong salaries, the first reaction is panic. What next? How long will it take? Will the same level of role even be available?

But every now and then, I have a conversation that feels different.

A Different Type Of Conversation

I recently spoke with someone who had been made redundant after several years with one company. Around the same time, her husband was facing a similar situation in a different organisation.

The obvious conversation could have been panic. Instead, most of the discussion was about opportunity.

Yes, there was nervousness. That is normal. But there was also energy around starting something of her own and using the situation as a push out of comfort.

The Kick We Do Not Ask For

Many people think about business ownership or consulting in the background for years.

But when employment is stable, those thoughts usually stay small. The job takes up most of the mental space.

Redundancy can suddenly change that. The question shifts from “what if one day” to “what if now?”

My Own Experience

I am a product of similar thinking myself. COVID and entrepreneurship were not easy for me either.

But at some point it started to feel like now or never.

Not because employment is wrong. And not because everyone should start a business. But because sometimes life forces us to look at opportunities we may never consider while comfortable.

The Bottom Line

Redundancy is not automatically a blessing. For many people it is genuinely hard.

But sometimes, with the right mindset and enough breathing room, it becomes the right kind of stress.

Need personalised help with this?

I have spent 15 years on the hiring side of the table. I have interviewed thousands of candidates and seen exactly what works and what does not. Book a session and I will give you direct, honest advice based on your specific situation.