Minimizing the Stress of a Layoff – Part 1 of 3

Layoffs are commonplace in a sagging economy, and chances are good that you know someone who has recently been laid-off from his or her job. And it often doesn’t matter how good you are at your job or how hard you work. But a layoff doesn’t have to be the end of the world, nor should it be. The key to minimizing the stress and negative fallout is to know how to react if you are laid-off and to prepare now for the possibility of a layoff in the future.

If you’ve been following this blog, you know we recently posted information about Utah County’s unemployment rate. Fortunately, the Provo/Orem Metro Area ranks 27th out of 372 other Metropolitan Areas in the U.S. according to February 2009 numbers–so it could be lots worse. Nevertheless, while 91.5% of the workers in the Provo and Orem areas are still employed, there are an increasing number of good, honest, hard-working people who want to work, but who do not have a job.

If you’ve been laid-off, have hope. You will survive to work another day if you’re determined to work. You may even find a way to embrace the layoff for what it may be–the opportunity to make a career change that you’ve been considering for a while.

We don’t know about you, but we’re tired of hearing about hope and seeing nothing done. It’s time for solutions. We’ll be posting information we think may be useful for anyone currently employed, anticipating a layoff, or who may have already been a casualty of downsizing.

Please leave us comments with ideas or helpful information you have that may help someone facing the stress of a layoff.