Layoffs in the federal public service

Have you ever received an email that turned your day upside down?

When a decision to cut jobs is made in the Canadian federal public service

Maryse received one after 18 years of service. Her position was eliminated. “I feel like I’m falling into a big black hole,” she told me. Like many of you, she went through shock, anger, and fear in an unpredictable order. And at some point, everything started to change instead of stubbornly trying to understand why this was happening to her, she asked herself how she wanted to respond.

In the federal public service, workforce adjustments may seem trivial, but behind these words lie human realities: loss, uncertainty, feelings of worthlessness. These decisions are beyond our control, but our reaction remains the internal safety net we can rely on.

Why do workforce restructuring decisions upset us so much?

I have often wondered why some people bounce back faster than others. Observing Maryse, I understood it all starts with your inner attitude.

In my article 5 regular practices to create a WOW effect (in French) I explain how simple habits can transform the way we experience change.

Maryse applied them, and here’s how:

1. Take stock of your values. With my coaching, she became aware of what she was losing, but also what she was keeping and what really defined her. The experience and skills she had acquired would survive the break.
2. Clarify your goals. Where did she want to go now? For the first time in a long time, she allowed herself to dream of a job that would nourish her, not just financially.
3. Reinvent yourself. Looking ahead, Maryse saw the break as a form of freedom. Following her heart, she chose a new direction, aligned with her values.

Little by little, Maryse realized that this break was not an end, but an opportunity to realign herself internally. She wasn’t just going to change jobs, she was going to move toward what truly defined her.

Turning a layoff or workforce reduction into a career springboard

What decision was imposed on you that allowed you to rediscover your inner compass?

Share your story in the comments. Your testimony could inspire others to find ways to bounce back in difficult situations.

Sign up for the free conference To Each His Own Story, where I will share some of the decisions that allowed me to grow and take back control of my life because I understood that every change hides a realignment.

Back to the blog