Bouncing Back From Professional Setbacks

"Steady employment provides a sense of satisfaction and purpose, as well as identity and organizational investment. It also provides a social, supportive network of peers and colleagues. But professional life, like personal life, also includes obstacles and setbacks. Fortunately, there are ways to endure the aftermath of professional loss effectively and ethically, with poise and patience, incorporating lessons learned to confidently move forward."

"When the Boss Breaks Bad News Most of us have weathered adverse job events over the years; some more than others, depending on the area of employment. Some career setbacks are predictable, particularly within a volatile or rapidly evolving industry or sector of the job market. Other times, we are blindsided by the announcement of a pay cut, transfer, the loss of a big client, or plans for impending layoffs."

Steady employment provides satisfaction, purpose, identity, organizational investment, and a social support network of peers and colleagues. Professional life commonly includes obstacles such as pay cuts, transfers, loss of clients, or layoffs that may be linked to performance, industry volatility, consumer trends, and political or social factors. Effective recovery from professional loss requires regrouping, regaining confidence, and conducting an objective analysis of causes. Strategies include pausing to process change, seeking objective feedback from trusted colleagues, learning from mistakes, and ethically incorporating lessons to move forward with poise and patience. Research has examined workplace mental health and attachment styles relevant to coping responses.

Read at Psychology Today