How can you help employees navigate emotional career transitions?

Empathy and understanding are paramount when helping employees navigate emotional career transitions. Take the time to actively listen to their concerns, validate their feelings, and offer a supportive presence.

There are five basic emotions to consider when examining career transition. Sadness, yes even leaving that job you dreaded can cause sadness in giving up routines, co-workers and familiarity. Disappointment is another emotional consideration. We invest a large portion of ourselves in what we believe to be an investment in our future, when we are embarking into a new direction, we leave our hopes and dreams for a future unfulfilled in this current role. Shame, yes shame can also play into our career journey. We may have peers in our same typeof role that love what they do and seem to climb the corporate ladder like a child at a playground. What is wrong with us? Why can we be like them? These are just a few of many emotions to consider.

Career transition can stir many emotions ranging from stress to liberation. Often hear, "You look like you have changed careers a lot, based upon your background." My response is careers don't necessarily change a whole lot. We tend to find ways to get paid for things we are passionate about. Our jobs will change. Studies show, by the age of 35 one may experience up to 12 job changes. Ruling in and ruling out our next role can be inspired by whether or not we are "Learning + Earning." Are we growing personally and professionally? Always wine pair the two. 3 signs of Employee Engagement: 1. Satisfaction with Immediate Supervisor 2. Trust in Senior Leadership 3. Belief in the Organization Embrace change. Be ready. Careers are journeys.

Navigating emotional career transitions is crucial, and well-used psychometric tools, rooted in emotional intelligence assessments, empowers employees by providing insights into their behavioral tendencies, aiding them in making informed decisions for a successful career journey.

Prior to it getting to this point, the key is to manage the change management. The ADKAR process is a tried and true method. First is Awareness. Make those affected that change is coming. Second is Desire. Determine ways to show the benefit the change will have for them. Third is Knowledge. This is the training phase. Fourth is Ability. They must demonstrate the ability to perform what they were trained on. Fifth is Reinforcement. Don’t prepare them for change, make the change, and consider it done. Reinforcement can be done in a variety of methods from an assessment of their training to discussing during team meetings. I’ve seen this method work several times and this is the first thing I think of when a change is coming.

Encorajar e facilitar oportunidades de aprendizado contínuo pode ser muito benéfico. Por exemplo, oferecer cursos ou workshops relacionados às novas funções ou indústrias pode ajudar os funcionários a se sentirem mais preparados e confiantes.

It's essential to not only say, "We are here to support you, but to do it." Putting action behind the support can make all of the difference in the world for an employee facing a change in their role, job description, or place of employment. The worst thing an organization or people can do is wash their hands of it. If the employee experience is essential while you are recruiting them and while they are active, shouldn't it be equally as important when faced with changes to the role or employment status? Acting with empathy can and does have value and impact on all employees.

Em uma ocasião, implementei um programa de mentoria onde funcionários mais experientes ajudavam aqueles que estavam passando por transições. Isso não apenas fornecia suporte prático, mas também oferecia uma perspectiva valiosa e experiência de alguém que já havia passado por transições semelhantes.

Durante um período de reestruturação na empresa, descobri que a comunicação clara sobre as mudanças e o que elas significavam para cada funcionário era essencial. Isso ajudou a minimizar a incerteza e o medo.

Un élément crucial à ajouter est la création d'un espace sûr pour l'expression des émotions. Encourager les employés à partager leurs sentiments et expériences vécues durant la transition renforce le sentiment de soutien et d'appartenance. Cela peut se faire à travers des réunions dédiées, des groupes de soutien ou des sessions de coaching individuel. Offrir un tel espace permet aux employés de traiter leurs émotions de manière constructive, favorisant une meilleure adaptation à leur nouvelle réalité professionnelle. Une communication empathique et un environnement d'écoute active sont essentiels pour faciliter cette démarche, contribuant ainsi à une transition plus sereine et épanouissante pour l'employé.

The most important step we can take in our lives is to find our inner wisdom and strength once we do that we realize that life is happening FOR us not to us. All life changes are meant to move forward and into the next level of our evolution. As we step into the adult and best version of ourselves we begin to see that illusion is not reality. What appears to be a transition or a set back is in hindsight the greatest comeback. The mind must be directed to where the human wants to go.!

A escuta ativa, a empatia, o não julgamento e a vontade de apoiar um colaborador surtirão efeitos benéficos. Adicionalmente a isso, uma liderança pode lançar mão de assessments de inteligência emocional para apoiar seus colaboradores e terem uma maior consciência a respeito das suas habilidades socioemocionais e os impactos delas em si mesmos, no time e para a organização. Um bom debriefing feito por um profissional qualificado ajuda o colaborador a tomar decisões sobre quais planos de ação colocará em prática para se autodesenvolver e que tipo de apoio necessita da sua liderança. Tenho observado resultados muito consistentes deste tipo de atuação conjunta.