6 Ways To Survive Being Laid Off

With the economy the way it is, many companies are downsizing. It’s not a news flash that we are in an economic crisis. If you suspect your job is in jeopardy, here are six tips to help you thrive in the event of a layoff. But even if a layoff is not in your future, though you many not know it, take the time to follow these simple steps to enhance your life!

1. Collect what is owed to you. File any outstanding expense reports, and collect any remaining vacation or overtime pay that’s owed to you. It’s important that you tie up any financial loose ends before your departure. Remember, you worked for these benefits and are therefore rightfully entitled to collect them.

2. Don’t take it personally. Unlike getting fired, a layoff is usually not related directly to poor performance but rather to lack of business, or even budget cuts. You may be quite proficient and an asset, but if you are the company’s most recent hire, or if your department is being cut out altogether, your position may be at risk. Keep in mind that you’re being laid off because your employer is having trouble in a tough economy, and not because you aren’t a great at what you do. 

3. Make job searching your full-time job. Create a project and set goals for yourself that’s built completely around job hunting. Schedule time for updating and sending out your resume, tailoring cover letters, scheduling information interviews, networking, and attending events hosted by trade organizations. This will help you to maintain the structure you need to propel you forward in finding a job and will give you a sense of accomplishment at the end of each day. 

4. Manage your finances wisely. Be frugal and plan for the worst case scenario. Try to stretch out your severance pay (if you received any) or your savings for as long as possible. Save money by cutting out nice-to-have but unnecessary expenses such as cable TV and dining out. And even if money is very tight, resist using your credit cards for purchases. If you have outstanding credit card debts, make it a priority to pay off as much of the monthly balance as possible by the due date. 

Warning! Don’t tap into your retirement funds unless you absolutely have to. Dipping into your RRSP savings (money which you’ve worked hard to save) can have serious financial consequences that include paying taxes and penalties of up to one-half of any withdrawal you make.

5. Start your own business. What do Wikipedia, Microsoft and MTV Networks all have in common? All three of these businesses were started during an economic slump. Perhaps you have an idea that you’ve been waiting to turn into a business. If you have the financing, tenacity and passion to start your own business, this may be the ideal time to do it. Many successful entrepreneurs attest to the fact that starting a business during a recession forces them to focus more and take a harder look at whether or not their ideas are feasible. If your business turns out to be profitable during a recession, once the economy bounces back you’re likely to be even more successful. Remember to take the opportunity to thrive and move forward when others are hiding under their shell.

6. Stay positive. In addition to putting your energy towards returning to gainful employment, it’s essential that you also make time to do the things that interest you and alleviate stress. Exercising, working on home projects and volunteering are all things that you can do to remain upbeat. Keep a healthy and positive attitude and you’ll be back in business in no time! Think about all the things you can get done that you couldn’t get done before…because you were working so much. Take this time to smell the roses, regroup, breathe and enjoy your family.

Time to move onward and upward and not wallow in your self-pity for this will keep you down and non productive! This too shall pass.

Nicole Gruendl
Life and Success Coach
Nicole@NicoleGruendl.com

Coaching and Care Home Conflicts

In any environment where there are people interacting with one another, there will be conflict. We are naturally programmed to go into self defense mode when we feel threatened, whether it be emotional or physical. Seniors or individuals who are used to living independently are no exceptions to that rule.

They are placed in an environment where the choices were not always their own. They have lost the option of when they wake up, eat, or even go to sleep. They have lots all sense of independence and responsibility. Accidents happen, health issues arise, and the fact that they just cannot take care of themselves any longer. This is when the decisions are made for them and now they find themselves in such facilities as your own. This is when disgruntled patients come into play.

Caregivers, some more trained than others, are now faced with such patients. There will be conflicts of interest between the staff and the patients as well as between the co-workers. Many times, the administrators and managers will support their staff and will attempt to sort things out but sometimes there is just too much tension and tempers flare just a little too easy. At other times, however, outside help may be necessary to resolve the conflict within the staff so that they, in turn can ease the tension with the patients. This is where one calls in a mediator and coach.

You may ask why you need to call in a mediator coach if you can handle the situations yourself. Mediation coaching requires someone who is qualified in this field and has the tools to address the problems in a professional manner. Being familiar and having the experience with care home facilities is a major asset for it’s supports in understanding the pressure and chaos that can arise from such an environment. The largest request that we have as coaches etc is that everyone must be a willing candidate for change. More often than not members tend to play the blame game and feel that they should not be involved in such meetings. It’s not their fault, they have no issues, you get the idea. The fact of the matter is this, many of the staff members then to bring their work home with them and vice versa.

If there is conflict at home, it reflects in their work and with their peers. A grudge with a family member can easily be taken out on a patient of another employee. This may not be intentional, but it happens. Unfortunately, it happens more often than not. The conflicts that arise between the employee’s themselves is also a big factor and this cannot go unnoticed or unattended.

The main object to all of this is to clear the resentment, the anger, the fear and all the emotions, no matter where they stem from, and create a wonderful and more loving working environment for all. This ability to push through the objectivity from the staff and create open communication comes with time and experience which is a very useful technique to manage conflict in long-term care settings. This may be something that the administrators and staff managers may not have enough of.
It would also mean that you would have to be completely neutral which makes things a little trying for this conflict has been presented to you previously. You have already been jaded.
Damage control is a serious issue and working with the members to subdue the damage is not a feat that is easily handled. Sometimes it comes from a situation derived from personal issues but can also come from a simple confrontation between two employees.

One final note; every position held in a care facility is a very responsible one indeed. The patients will not always be cooperative or easy to handle but it is the staff’s responsibility to make it as easy as possible for them and for their peers to resolve any issue that may arise.

If the staff is there for the patients, who is there for the staff? You as an administrator or director can only do so much and handle so many conflicts before this too will take a toll on you. Call in some help and you’ll be happy you did!

For more information about Care Home Coaching and my services please visit:
Nicole Gruendl
Life and Success Coach
CareHomeCoaching.NicoleGruendl.com

Changing Employee Behavior

As supervisors and team leaders of your facility, you are often dealing with staff issues. A conflict within employees, a certain individual who is not performing up to par or a task that’s been missed or just completely forgotten. It’s a sensitive area and you need to be able to handle these situations with care and concern. In the care industry, staff often become like Family and they take pride in their work. Of course, there is always an exception to this rule.

For many, they began working in your facility because they care for their patients and are genuinely concerned about what they do. Yet for the selected few, this is just a “JOB” and a means to pay their bills.

This attitude reflects in everything they do and say at work and this in turn begins to reflect in their performance at work. Then you get notices that this certain individual not pulling their weight in the team, coming in late, not completing assignments, causing distractions on the job, irritating co-workers How do you deal with this? You are now in a situation where there in a kink in your teams’ chain and it’s beginning to cause concerns within.

As the lead and let’s face it, you sometimes wish it would just go away and work itself out. They are adults they can handle this can’t they? Why do I need to get involved? You do not want to be portrayed at the “bad guy”. But will you putting off that heart-to-heart discussion with the person who’s driving you crazy, hoping they’ll have a miraculous recovery solve the problem? Well you may have to wait for a long time. For whatever reason, these behaviors work for them, so they are unlikely to change them on their own.
You see, it’s likely that they can be taking your lack of interest in the matter as an approval of the way they do things. That it’s alright to continue with their way of doing things, their manners and how they treat other employees for there is nobody there who is stating or requesting change. It’s their way and they are quite happy in doing so.

Remember, the rest of the staff is also watching this transpire. No involvement from the managers or directors means that you approve of all of it. In which case, they might also assume that such behavior is OK for them as well. Can you see how this can escalate into bigger and more complex issues?

Most likely, your non-action will cause them to begin questioning your credibility. You are in the supervisor position to enforce the high standards of performance and ethics of the company. So if you allow such actions to go without discussion, then there is a double standard. Most people want to work for someone who has high standards. They want someone to look up to and strive towards and make them happy so everyone can be happy. It’s called team effort.

So here are some actions to correct the problem behavior.

1. Approach the situation with respect and care. Remember what you bring to the table will be reflected back to you.
2. Be specific with the problem. If there are more than one issue be sure to address them one by one
3. Discuss each of your concerns and be clear and precise
4. Reflect what they contribute to the team
5. Ask them their opinion and LISTEN to their response
6. Take notes and acknowledge their concerns and statements
7. Be specific about company policy, rules and expectations
8. Come to a mutual agreement without “the I said so” concept
9. Be sure to follow up with your employee and if you feel that YOU need more support then you can always rely on me.

To support you in making this conversation less stressful, here are a few ideas to get you in the right frame of mind.

–Pick the right time to talk. You are aware what their schedule entails, so pick a time when it’s not so chaotic. For example. You wouldn’t take them away from their duties when it’s time to serve lunch or when you or they are under pressure. The tension will be increased and the emotions will be affected which could lead to a very unproductive meeting.

–Have your meeting in a private location where their peers can hear the discussion. Do not make this meeting an open topic of discussion. Letting others know of the meeting or involving everyone is not a powerful action.

–Be sure to have all of your facts in place before the meeting. Keep a record of the events and transactions that describe their unacceptable behavior and actions and ask yourself “Why am I keeping this person instead of just hiring someone to replace them?”

–Remember you are requesting this meeting from a powerful and caring role. You are there to coach them, discuss the situation and listen to their concerns, yet reflect to them about their responsibilities as part of the team. If things become heated, remind yourself and your staff member that this meeting is to facilitate and support and not chastise.

–What you discuss with the individual will reflect in their work. So speak of their possibility, their greatness and how much they mean to the team. Treat them like a winner and they will perform like a winner. Boosting their confidence changes not only their performance but their behavior as well. You have to BELIEVE this person is worth coaching and keeping on your team.

–And again, never forget to follow up. This shows that you care and are concerned not just for the facility but for the individual as well. See how they are managing the change and how the other employee’s are addressing it. This may not come easy or instantly, so be patient and recognize their efforts and progress.

Remember, you are the person that your staff looks to for guidance and leadership. If you want them to perform their tasks and love their job, then you must lead the way and reflect the same feelings.

Your staff members are not just employee’s they are family. That loving and caring feeling that you show to them reflects all the way down to the patients. And in reality, why are you doing what you do? Why do you care as much as you do? Think about how your facility would benefit with incredible leadership and coaching. Everyone benefits, ESPECIALLY the patients! Think about it…

Nicole Gruendl
Life and Success Coach
Nicole@NicoleGruendl.com
www.NicoleGruendl.com

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Tags: behavior, employee, staff

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