Just been laid off? How to get over the shock, anger, shame, or grief you may be feeling, and the next steps
- Getting over the shock of losing your job takes time, and perhaps professional help. It could be a chance to retrain, switch careers and do something you love
- If you think your job is in jeopardy, have a checklist ready of things to ask. And take advantage of any outplacement services your employer offers
When Mark was called into his boss’ office two weeks ago, he had a suspicion that his job was on the line. The small Hong Kong design firm had lost a number of big contracts, and as the most recent hire, he knew he was likely to be the first to be laid off. The news still came as a shock.
“I felt like I’d been punched in the stomach. I knew it was on the cards, but it didn’t hit me until I was sitting in his office,” says the 40-something expat, who does not want to reveal his last name.
Hong Kong’s unemployment rate hit a 15-year high of 5.9 per cent in the March to May period this year, following a year of anti-government protests, the protracted US-China trade war and more lately the Covid-19 pandemic.
The city’s Employment Support Scheme (ESS), through which the government is paying up to 50 per cent of workers’ salaries for half a year, capped at HK$9,000 (US$1,160) a month provided staff are retained, has shown signs of having a positive effect, but it has still not stemmed the flow of job losses.
Mark had been with his firm less than a year, so he does not qualify for statutory payment allowance given to staff with two years or more service.
