At first glance, it sounds almost innocuous.
“Your role has been impacted.”
Impacted how? A shift in reporting lines? A new set of KPIs? Maybe an expanded scope?
But then the meeting ends, the HR script finishes, and the truth settles in. The role hasn’t just been “impacted”—it’s been erased.
The job you gave your energy, ideas, and late nights to no longer exists. The corporate language makes it sound tidy, but the lived experience feels anything but.
And yet, here’s the truth I’ve seen time and time again, both in my own journey and in the journeys of people I’ve coached and worked alongside: roles can be impacted, but people are not.
Your skills, your creativity, your value, your future—they’re intact. What changes is the structure around you, not the essence of you.
This is where the redesign begins.
1. The Euphemism Trap
Corporate life thrives on euphemism. Layoffs become “rightsizing.” Problems become “challenges.” And redundancy becomes “impact.”
The language softens the blow for the organisation, but for the individual it can deepen the sting. You’re left wondering: If my role was “impacted,” does that mean I was?
The answer is no. Impact sits on the org chart, not in your DNA. The role was eliminated, not your worth.
The first step to recovery is to separate the two. You are not redundant. Your role was.
2. Allow Yourself to Feel, Then Pause
Let’s be honest: being told your role is impacted hurts. It can feel unfair. It can feel personal. It can feel like failure.
Allow yourself to feel it. Suppressing the shock, anger, or grief only delays healing. Take a walk. Vent to a trusted friend. Cry if you need to. This is human.
But then—pause. Resist the urge to immediately fire off CVs and LinkedIn updates. You’ve been thrust into a forced reset. Use it.
Ask yourself:
- What do I want my next chapter to look like?
- Do I want to replicate what I had, or redesign something different?
- What have I been tolerating that I no longer want to?
Redundancy, dressed up as “impact,” gifts you something rare in corporate life: time to think.
3. Reframe Your Identity
The most dangerous side effect of redundancy is identity loss. For years you’ve said, “I’m a Director at X.” Suddenly, you’re not.
But here’s the shift: you never were just your title. You were always the strategist, the team-builder, the innovator, the connector, the problem-solver.
Try introducing yourself differently:
- Not as “ex-[company],” but as someone who “helps science reach patients faster.”
- Not as a job title, but as a capability, a mission, a set of strengths.
This reframing is not just for others—it’s for you. It reminds you daily that your worth transcends any one role.
4. Reclaim Your Narrative
When HR says “your role has been impacted,” it feels like your story is being written for you. But you hold the pen.
On LinkedIn, in interviews, even in casual conversations, shift the frame:
- Don’t just say “I was made redundant.”
- Say: “My role was impacted during restructuring, which has created the space for me to pursue opportunities where I can make even greater impact.”
That small shift—from redundancy as an ending to impact as an opening—changes how others see you, and more importantly, how you see yourself.
5. Use the Impact Window Wisely
Yes, you’ll need to job hunt. But before you jump, use this window of time to build.
Invest in yourself:
- Take that course you’ve been putting off. AI, leadership, coding, public speaking—whatever stretches you.
- Write. Share insights on LinkedIn. Visibility creates opportunities you can’t predict.
- Connect with purpose. Not a scattergun networking frenzy, but intentional conversations with people in fields you’re curious about.
Think of this as a bridge, not a void. A season of investment that pays off in ways your next employer—or client—will value.
6. Explore the Non-Linear Path
Some of the most inspiring careers I’ve seen didn’t happen in straight lines. They zigged and zagged. And often, the zig started with “impact.”
I know people who:
- Moved from corporate to consulting, finding freedom they never imagined.
- Shifted industries entirely, taking their transferable skills somewhere unexpected.
- Built portfolio careers—advisory roles, teaching, writing—that proved richer than any single job.
- Took time out to study, travel, volunteer—and returned recharged and renewed.
The career ladder is outdated. Careers today are more like lattices. A role being impacted may push you sideways—but sideways can be the path to higher ground.
7. Strengthen Your Resilience Muscle
Impact tests resilience. But it also builds it.
Practical steps that help:
- Create a routine. Wake, exercise, reflect. Structure beats drift.
- Balance job search with restoration. Searching is emotional labour; offset it with what restores you.
- Stay connected. Isolation breeds despair. Keep close to people who remind you of your value.
Remember: resilience isn’t stoicism. It’s the ability to bend, not break—and to bounce forward, not just back.
8. Look Forward, Not Back
One of the greatest traps after redundancy is replaying the “what ifs.” What if I’d done this differently? What if I’d seen it coming?
But backward-looking drains energy from forward-building. What’s gone is gone. What matters is what’s ahead.
Ask yourself:
- What doors could open now that were previously closed?
- What kind of work would I regret not trying?
Every person I know who’s been through redundancy has eventually said: “I wouldn’t wish it on anyone, but I wouldn’t trade what it gave me.”
Conclusion: From Impact to Redesign
The words “your role has been impacted” may sound softer than “redundancy.” But they carry the same weight.
The difference lies in how you respond.
Roles can be impacted. Careers can be redesigned. Futures can be reinvented.
And here’s the mindset shift that changes everything:
👉 Your role was impacted. You were not.
Your experience, your perspective, your skills, your drive—they are intact. They are needed. They are your passport to what’s next.
So when you hear those words, don’t just think of endings. Think of redesigns. Because often, the most powerful chapters of a career begin with a plot twist.
A Checklist for Day One After “Impact”
- Allow yourself to feel. You’re human.
- Pause before reacting. Don’t rush the first move.
- Reframe your identity. You’re more than your title.
- Rewrite your narrative. Position impact as opportunity.
- Invest in yourself. Learn, write, connect.
- Explore non-linear paths. Ladders are out, lattices are in.
- Build resilience practices. Routine, balance, community.
- Look forward. Curiosity over regret.
👉 Over to you:
Have you ever had your role “impacted”? What did that moment teach you, and what advice would you share with someone facing it now?
Your story could be the perspective someone else desperately needs to hear today.
