You’re furloughed - what next?

So, if you got the call or virtual meeting that was to say “sorry you’ve been great but due to the current times your role is being put on furlough.” - I take my hat off to you - it’s a very weird time. 

Up until a few weeks ago – we’d all never heard of the word furlough but now it’s a word that is now part of everyday conversation. With the current global Covid 19 pandemic we’re all certainly in uncharted territory. Business are having to scale back their operations and worried economically about how their operations will survive lockdown and come out the other side. They’re now having to navigate the various Government support packages that have been rapidly introduced and working out what’s applicable, when they can apply and when the support will actually be in their business accounts. It’s all a lot of unknowns for employers and employees.

How am I meant to feel about being furloughed?

Give yourself a break. This is uncharted waters for all concerned so give yourself a break in terms of being confused about how to feel. This is a global pandemic which is impacting everyone – how often have we all been in the same boat across the world. We’re all vulnerable and it’s a scary place to be.

Being furloughed is a bit of an odd scenario so there’s no right or wrong way to feel. You’ve not been made redundant so in most cases that’s a good thing. Instead your role is being paused for an agreed period of time with your salary or at least 80% of it up to £2.5K being picked up the state. 

So, how are you meant to react? How are you meant to feel? Can you justify going through the same fluctuating range of emotions as if you’ve been made redundant? Should you be grateful as many have been made and still remain in the position of being redundant?

You may be wondering why me and not my colleagues? You did the same job, on the same pay grade but they’ve been kept on. You may be feeling that you are getting this level of support as you know others who are getting nothing or far less.

Do take a look at my recent blog about the rollercoaster of emotions that you feel when you go through redundancy – some or all of these feelings may come into play when someone is furloughed. I’d love to hear your thoughts on this.

Being furloughed may be harder to navigate than redundancy

With redundancy there’s a definite end, a clean break but being put on furlough you are having your role put on hold for an agreed period of time be it 1, 2 or 3 months. Plus, you could be called back to work on short notice e.g. 7 days if the business has a need.

Then what happens if it’s still all up in the air just a few months further down the line. Will your company have recovered enough to take you back full salary? Will you be made redundant and be ready to start searching for a new job? Could the furlough scheme end up being extended by the Government once the extent of the impact on businesses is more clearly known?

Whatever way you look at it being furloughed is another type of unknown so you may be best to use your furlough time wisely and to prepare for a number of scenarios. Some of the basic ones that occur to me are:

-      One where you go back to the job where you were furloughed from

-      One where you may be let go

-      One where your furlough period may be extended

There are many more scenarios in between but these would make a good start. To me it’s about getting yourself prepared and equipped to deal with some of the things that may be coming at you – for me – I find it makes it easy to pick up the pieces post event. I would then work through each scenario and figure out the steps of things I can do now, in a few weeks and in few months’ time. It’s not rocket science but will help you feel more in control.

How to spend your time while being in furlough

There are tons of blogs out there about what people are doing with their time on lockdown. From volunteering, to learning new skills to getting fit to doing very little - the lists go on and on. Anyway, it’s your time to do as little or as much as you wish. You could also look at volunteering. Anyway, the self-isolating world is certainly your oyster!!