She Leads Africa

Naa Oyoo Kumodzi: How to survive a lay-off

Naa Oyoo Kumodzi

[bctt tweet=”There is no quick fix to surviving a lay-off, follow these guidelines to prepare for it. ” username=”SheLeadsAfrica”] “Everyone is dispensable in a workplace. As long as it’s not your company, then yes you are dispensable. This shouldn’t come as a surprise to anyone. If the company you work for today, decides that they are bankrupt hence they are shutting down or they are unable to pay you, what can you do? You just move on.” These were the words of Naa Oyoo Kumodzi as she spoke of her lay-off experience at Tullow Oil, Ghana after working with the company for six years. Before the lay-off, Naa Oyoo worked as an officer in the health and safety department where she was training into Occupational Hygiene. Though the layoff had been communicated to all employees worldwide and she had prepared herself for it, it still came as a shock. It is only natural for you to question the company when you realise how dispensable you are. This was what Naa Oyoo did. She was hurt and confused as to why a company would invest so much in her and still choose to let her go. Despite these natural reactions, the lay-off was not hard-hitting for Naa Oyoo compared to others who experienced the same fate. The reason is that Naa Oyoo started blogging five years ago. This job had gradually turned into an income earning source. So when one income source was cut-off, Naa Oyoo knew she had other things going on for her. Today, the lifestyle blogger, entrepreneur and social media marketer uses her experiences to educate others to prepare for the unexpectedness in life. To Naa Oyoo, a lay-off is an experience which some people have to go through. The memory of this incident rises up even after a long period of time, but it does not have to be traumatic. If you’re adequately prepared, you can survive this. There is no quick fix to surviving a lay-off but you can follow the guidelines below to prepare. [bctt tweet=”Naa Oyoo Kumodzi: Anything can happen any time, you should always be prepared financially” username=”SheLeadsAfrica”] Prepare yourself mentally and emotionally Preparation is always key. When a lay-off is communicated to you, you just have to prepare yourself mentally and emotionally. You have to ask the questions; Is it going to be me? What if it is not? If it is going to be me, what will be my first mode of action? If not, what should I do to prepare myself for any future lay-offs Should I resign soon? These are some of the mental preparations you have to go through in order to be alert and ready for the unexpected. You should also come up with an action plan that you will follow. Have multiple streams of income and never be okay with one stream of income Naa Oyoo Kumodzi may not have been aware of it at the time but starting out in blogging and creating content prepared her for the future. While she was with Tullow Oil, she managed social media accounts for companies, this was also a source of income for her. Due to this, the day after her lay-off, Naa Oyoo was not wallowing in self-pity. Rather it was another day for business as she had to rise up early and work on the accounts she managed. [bctt tweet=”Naa Oyoo Kumodzi: Anything can happen any time, you should always be prepared financially” username=”SheLeadsAfrica”] Learn about savings and investment and start investing now You cannot go through life without a dime to your name. You have to have some sort of investments and savings, no matter how small it is. As you generate income from pay-check to pay-check, you have to save some somewhere for unexpected circumstances. There are so many banks and investment companies around, it would be advisable to find one that suits you. Anything can happen any time and you should always be prepared financially. [bctt tweet=”Naa Oyoo Kumodzi: Do not be satisfied in staying in your little corner always” username=”SheLeadsAfrica”] Learn more about yourself and improve on your strengths You will need to be strong to face life’s storms. They can come at you when you least expect it. By learning more about yourself, you are able to identify your strengths and weaknesses. This will help you improve upon them and equip you into reaching your ultimate success goal. Knowing thyself is the first step to success. Given the fact that the world is a learning ground; you should learn to open yourself to explore new opportunities and experiences. Build a strong business network even whilst you have a day job Everyone needs somebody at a point in their life. Who are you going to call if you do not network? You never know when you need to call up someone. Even though you may have a day job that takes all of your time, it is an obligation to go out there. Build strong business networks, they will definitely come in handy one day. Do not be satisfied in staying in your little corner always. Learn to make new friends, go for business seminars, meet your friends’ friends. Just network! Want to see women you know featured on SLA? Tell us what amazing things women are doing in your communities here.