Changing
careers and retraining
Changing
Careers
A job change due to ill health or injury ranks as a highly stressful
experience. It is common to go through a cycle of shock, denial, anger,
feelings of not being in control, guilt and loss of confidence. Even a
person determined to face life's challenges with optimism will need
time to adjust. Trying to think creatively about your future career may
be hard until you have had time to come to terms with any uncomfortable
or painful feelings.
Changing careers can be an exhilarating experience too; the excitement
of taking control and the relief at breaking away from an unhappy work
situation. It can be an opportunity to set some goals and have a vision
that will give your life more direction, more purpose and be more
rewarding. With the increasing pace of technology and an end to "jobs
for life" almost everybody is going to be asked questions about what
kind of career and life they really want.
Hasty decisions to give up work are not recommended until all
alternative options have been investigated. In discussion with you,
your employer should explore:
- reasonable
adjustments: e.g. the use of alternative technology to get round most
ergonomical problems
- reducing working
hours
- varying
workloads
- job share and
reallocating duties within a team
- giving you time
off for rehabilitation purposes (e.g. physiotherapy appointments)
- offer training
in the use of equipment
- redeployment
within the organisation
If
after considering the above options, you find none of them are viable,
then you may decide to change your career.
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