What If You Are Laid Off At Work in 2025?
Job lay-offs in 2025? The rumours are out there! And the truth is that some large and small companies in the Elk Valley are laying off employees.
If you have been laid off work or are worried about it, read on. While being laid off from your job can be one of the most frightening anxiety provoking experience there is, it can also be one that opens doors to new opportunities.
Take a Breath, You're Not Alone
Getting laid off from your job is hard. It’s normal to go through a period of shock and roller coaster emotions. Whether you saw the lay-off coming or not, the whole experience is very difficult and stressful. A big part of your life and identity come from your work. Your social life too. It’s normal to feel rejected, uncertain, anxious, worried and concerned about the future.
Most people will be laid off from their jobs at least one time in their career.
Decades ago, people used to plan to work for the same company for their lifetime. Those days are long gone. Companies do not typically plan to retain employees for the long term. It’s often more of a transactional situation than many decades ago. Lay offs are common. Today’s employee typically works for several different companies either by choice or by circumstance and may even change their career a few times as well. It creates a feeling of instability and uncertainty. You can’t predict it. Suddenly your life is turned upside down.
Getting through a lay-off can be hard but - you can do this - step by step
Taking a step-by-step approach after being laid-off is the best thing you can do to preserve your sanity, recover and make the best of the situation – and ideally come out of it even better! The vast majority of people who have been laid off look back eventually and say that although it was a tough experience, it was actually one of the best things that happened to them – because of the positive changes they made in their lives.
Step 1: Allow Self Compassion -Take a Breath—This Is a Big Deal
Being laid off isn’t “just business.” It’s personal. Your work is a major part of your life: financially, socially, emotionally. It’s where you’ve contributed your time, your energy, and your sense of purpose.
It’s normal and okay to feel:
- Shock and disbelief
- Sadness or grief (especially if you loved your job or coworkers)
- Anger or resentment
- Fear of the unknown
- A loss of identity or self-worth
All of these reactions are valid. Give them space. You’re human.
Give yourself the compassion you need to get through this.
Step 2: Understand Your Rights & Benefits
Okay , once you’ve had a chance to catch your breath, it’s time to get practical.
First, check your severance package.
If you were laid off, you might have received or been offered a severance package. Take time to understand what’s included. If you worked for a large company such as Glencore, EVR, Esso, Suncor, Komatsu and others you may have a very comprehensive package.
Your severance package may possibly cover:
- Severance pay (usually based on years of service)
- Payout for unused vacation time
- Extension of health benefits (including counseling and therapy)
- Outplacement or career coaching services
- Eligibility for Employment Insurance (EI)
You may want to check with a lawyer to be sure your severance package is appropriate before signing it. The package itself should provide you with information on the timeframe you have to consider it before signing your agreement.
Step 3: Take Stock and Take Action
Analyze your finances and your situation to see what actions you need to take to get you through financially. Start applying for jobs when it makes sense for your situation.
Depending on your situation, it may be smart to update your resume, and start applying for jobs right away. Remember that you are a qualified, talented person with skills that fit not just your previous job, but likely many other sorts of different jobs.
Consider making a linked-in profile, checking on-line job boards, and actively searching for work as soon as it makes sense for you.
If you are a person with a large severance package, a layoff can be an excellent opportunity to take stock of your life and your career goals.
Sometimes going back to school, a career change, travel or simply taking time off to rest and reorient yourself can be helpful – if your situation is one where you can afford to.
As painful, shocking and emotional as lay-offs are when they happen, many people truly do look back at a lay-off as one of the best things that ever happened in their lives!
As humans we often get complacent, and stay in jobs we don’t love just because it’s easier – and it’s familiar.
Being laid off forces us out of our comfort zone. A layoff can be a painful nudge toward something better.
Many severance packages provide counselling and/or career coaching – both of which can help clarify your values and build a roadmap for change.
Ask yourself:
- Did I feel fulfilled in my previous job?
- What did I love (or hate) about my work?
- What kind of work environment energizes me?
- Do I want to pivot to a new field?
- Do I want to take a course, upgrade my skills, or even start my own business?
A layoff can turn out to be be a launching point to an amazing new future.
Step 4: Rebuilding Your Confidence After Being Laid Off
One of the impacts of a layoff is the big hit it can take on your self-esteem. You might start questioning your skills, your worth, or whether you’ll ever find another role.
That inner voice can get pretty harsh. But it’s not telling the truth.
Let’s look at the truth:
- Getting laid off isn’t a reflection of your value.
- You are still the same capable, intelligent person you were before.
- You can—and will—bounce back, stronger and more focused.
If you’re feeling overwhelmed, anxious, or stuck, this is a perfect time to reach out for support. Mental health professionals are trained to help you not only process the emotional toll, but to also rebuild your confidence and future vision.
Therapy isn’t about weakness—it’s a smart strategy for people navigating big life transitions.
Step 5: Redefine Success on Your Terms Post Lay-Off
This can be one of the most difficult moments of your life, but it can also be an empowering one.
Being laid off can strip away external labels and titles. That’s painful—but it also opens space to reimagine your life without those constraints.
What if this is the moment you reconnected with your values, reclaimed your time, or rediscovered your passions?
Consider:
• Is now a good time to freelance or consult?
• Could you go back to school or take a certification course?
• Is there a passion project you’ve shelved for years?
• Could you explore a job that better aligns with your life?
When you’re not racing to escape fear, you can start moving toward hope. And that’s what healing looks like.
Sometimes great new adventures can be born of tough challenges!
