By MARTIN NYIRENDA –
LOSING employment is one of life’s most stressful experiences.
Karl Heinrich Marx, a German philosopher and journalist, once wrote that whether a worker has been laid off due to downsizing, forced to take early retirement, or seen contract work dry up, losing employment is one of life’s most stressful experiences.
A large body of research shows that unemployment is linked to anxiety, depression and loss of life satisfaction, among other negative outcomes, leading to mental health issues.
It is in this regard that the Zambia Union of Journalists (ZUJ) recently hosted a workshop to address issues on the impending retirement from formal employment for some of its members.
The workshop, which was held in Kabwe for Times Printpak Zambia Limited (TPPZ) employees, was overshadowed by deliberations on regarding available alternative opportunities for workers to overcome employment challenges.
Though formal employment may not necessarily be permanent, workshop facilitators informed ZUJ members that there are a number of issues that should be done when faced with challenges arising from loss of employment.
ZUJ president Samuel Lukhanda said in times of stress and as much as things may appear bleak, there is still hope.
Mr Lukhanda said workers facing possible loss of jobs not get stressed but adjust and move on with their lives.
He said there are opportunities available for workers to overcome employment setbacks.
“When I took up the ZUJ leadership at this particular venue, I never envisaged I would be attending such a workshop that would be preparing our esteemed members to separate from the company. As union leader, it is the most painful undertaking and difficult to come to grips with,” he said.
He said his leadership did not take pleasure in seeing TPPZ workers separate from the company.
“We are alive to the fact that the establishment sees you as employees. We see you as fathers, mothers, uncles, aunties; most importantly the breadwinners of your families and mine. Your loss of employment cannot be quantified because the reality is that there is dignity in work,” he said.
Mr Lukanda said the workshop was aimed at helping the ZUJ members to see the silver lining in the challenges they face.
The workshop looked at the personal and social costs of unemployment, which also include severe financial hardship and poverty, debt, homelessness and stress about housing, family tensions and breakdown, among others.
TPPZ Managing Director Nebat Mbewe said the media house, which is currently being restructured, would continue the publication of its two newspapers, namely Times of Zambia and Sunday Times of Zambia without break during its transformation process.
Mr Mbewe pointed out that the restructuring process embarked on by the Industrial Development Corporation (IDC) at the TPPZ is aimed at having a viable public media group.
“The rationale behind this is to have a viable public media group, one that can compete favourably with other media and more importantly, make profits and declare dividends to the Government,” he said.
He explained that the background to such interaction goes back to December 2019 when the IDC, as the shareholder of TPPZ, announced its decision to streamline the company operations through a major restructuring programme.
He said of utmost significance in the transformation was the resolve to ensure the survival of both news publications.
He underscored the need for TPPZ employees to prepare for life after formal employment.
“Unfortunately, the financial status of the TPPZL has not been firm enough for the desired remodeling, hence the restructuring exercise that has seen the integration of some TPPZL operations into those of the Zambia Daily Mail,” he said.
Mr Mbewe commended ZUJ for facilitating the workshop which explored the alternatives that TPPZ have at their disposal.
TPPZ Director Human Resources Simate Simate said formal employment is limited, hence the need for TPPZ workers to venture into other income generating economic sectors.
Mr Simate said the stress and worry of leaving formal employment could be overwhelming in many cases.
Workshop participants were also informed that unemployment can be caused by a reduction in aggregate demand, among others, or simply the failure of the labour market to absorb the existing workforce.
The effect of unemployment includes social deprivation and affects the physical, mental and psychological well being of an individual.
Labour consultant Delux Mwansa said the presence of some top management officials at the workshop was a demonstration of their commitment to the plight of workers.
Mr Mwansa, who is based at Debaya Labour Relations Consultancy, discussed several modes of retirement, business and investment options as well as the importance of career progression.
He said the ZUJ leadership should ensure that union members adjust to new life after separating from their employer.
According to the ZUJ secretariat, several organisations have been left with little choice other than to restructure and reorganise operations to adapt to the changing macro-environment and shifts in customer needs.
The decision to restructure is never easy, often costly, and demands that leaders balance delicate decisions between protecting profitability, shareholders’ interests, market positioning, staff engagement and future sustainability of an organisation.
The ZUJ secretariat shared a document to provide the way forward for TPPZ workers in view of the company remodeling.
The document, released by ZUJ Ndola Chapel Secretary General Moses Chimfwembe, says redundancy is never easy to deal with in uncertain times.
The document urges ZUJ members to know their rights and understand what was eligible for them as contained in the Collective Agreement.
‘Times Printpak Zambia Limited should follow due process and if anything is unclear, seek clarity from the human resources department or the union representatives. Take time to think through what you want and how you would like to position yourself. This redundancy could be the golden opportunity to pursue a passion or interest that has been buried for a long time,’ the document says.
It outlined tips on finance management and also urged union members not to entertain the fear of worries and anxiety about what the future holds, which it says, is normal.
The document, entitled ‘How to Cope with Redundancy – Seven Tips on How TPPZ Staff Can Handle the Ongoing Redundancy’, explores how workers can deal with what is beyond their control, which includes their emotions and how to express and process them.
It also brings to the fore issues that workers declared redundant normally face after employment.
Some commentators believe that the effect of unemployment includes social deprivation.
Being without a job can affect an individual’s physical, mental and psychological well-being.
Morgan Kabwe, a former miner, said in many cases, losing a job affects one’s mood, relationships and overall mental and emotional health condition.
It is also observed that losing a job can cause noticeable financial problems.
Mr Kabwe, who worked for 24 years as a miner, argued that most current jobs only enable most workers to simply make a living and nothing else.
“It is a reality that being in formal employment tends to influence how we are perceived in society and also how we see ourselves. For example, some people are in employment which they do not enjoy doing, but that job may give a sense of purpose, meaning in their life. This provides them with a social outlet and makeup in life,” Mr Kabwe said.
Some scholars argue that depending on the circumstances of one’s unemployment, one may feel betrayed by one’s employer, powerless over the direction of one’s life, or blame oneself for some perceived shortcoming or mistake.
Suddenly finding yourself out of work can leave you depressed and may also lead to great risk or chances of better employment.
