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FOUR years ago, when Mr Paul Lee, 33, was laid off because the multinational company he worked in closed its local operations, he greeted the news with mixed feelings.

He says: "On one hand, I was happy because I had intended to leave the company anyway. Also, being laid off meant I could expect a fat retrenchment package, since I had worked with the company for five years.

"On the other hand, I was worried that I might be jobless for many months, because the job market was really bad in 2002."

Fortunately, after six months of job search, Mr Lee landed in his next job, albeit settling for a much smaller pay package and having to adjust to a different work culture in a local company.

Reality bites

In today's economy, anyone, at any age, can be retrenched.

Theories abound as to who gets the cut first when a company downsizes, moves its operations overseas, or even closes for good.

Whether it is "last to join, first to go", or a case of older workers being the top choice when it comes to retrenchment, one thing is for sure - nobody is immune to the dire consequences of retrenchment.

Dr Adrian Wang, consultant psychiatrist at Gleneagles Medical Centre, says: "Being retrenched involves losing several things - not just the job, but also status, finances, sense of self-worth, and to a certain extent, even 'face'.

"The individual will have to deal with a whole new set of unsettling life circumstances."

Before a person coping with these losses reaches the final stages of acceptance and moving on, he usually goes through these stages of grief reaction:

• Denial - "Impossible! This can't be happening to me."
• Anger - "It's not fair."
• Bargaining - If only I could have my job back, I'd be a better worker."
• Depression - "It's all hopeless now."

How long the recovery takes depends on the individual and his life situation. Some people can bounce back and find their feet in weeks, while others may remain depressed for months.

In Mr Lee's case, being single and relatively young when he was retrenched was partly why losing his job was not particularly devastating. Furthermore, because he was not the first in his company to be hit, he was mentally prepared when the retrenchment letter reached him.

Others might not be so lucky. Dr Wang elaborates: "People who are already saddled with problems - such as marriage conflict, financial difficulties, medical illness or psychological problems like depression or anxiety - may handle retrenchment more poorly, because their limits are already being stretched. These folks may need more help than others."

Handling retrenchment

This is when retrenchment counselling comes in. Typically, retrenchment counselling looks at several issues:

• Emotional aspects - that is, helping the retrenched person deal with loss issues and, possibly, depression;
• Financial status - such as his savings and expenditure pattern; and
• Career aspects — his occupational and market worth, and how to enhance that.

Dr Wang says: "It may involve a team approach - not just the psychiatrist, but also the career counsellor, financial planner and social worker. Family members have an important supportive role to play, too.

"If you have a colleague who is retrenched, it offers cold comfort to tell him to 'simply look on the bright side of life'.

"Instead, give the person some time to deal with his emotions. Provide a listening ear. You don't have to give advice all the time - just listen, and be with the person.

"The main thing is to understand that the person is going through a difficult time. Hence, if he seems cranky or even unfriendly, do not be impatient with him."

Having said that, those who are gainfully employed now should not "wait" for retrenchment to happen.

Dr Wang advises: "What's important is to stay sharp and relevant in your job. This means you need to update your skills and make sure you continue to be an asset to your organisation.

"Also, building a life outside work - having a hobby, nurturing friendships and relationships - will give you something to fall back on if retrenchment really happens."

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