Dislocated DaimlerChrysler Employees Make
Sense of Their New Situation With Help From T.E.A.M.
TROY, Mich., March 20 "Why me?" the just laid-off employee
asks, searching for answers to make sense of it all. The dislocated employees
and their families need help -- right now -- with a variety of things, like
getting their financial houses in order and looking for new positions or
occupations.
But equally important, as the shock of being forced out of their jobs
sinks in, the laid-off employees need to get mentally fit. In the case of the
just-laid-off DaimlerChrysler employees, help will come from a Troy-based
company, Total Employee Assistance & Management, Inc. (T.E.A.M.), a leading
provider of employee assistance programs and crisis counseling.
T.E.A.M. will provide solution-focused counseling and 18 one-hour
workshops starting Monday, March 26 to dislocated DaimlerChrysler employees
and their family members. The Adjustment Counseling sessions will be
conducted at 10 convenient office locations.
T.E.A.M., which has helped almost 100 companies during the last 12 years,
has provided its unique assistance and counseling services to some of
Michigan's largest employers and approximately 300,000 employees and family
members throughout the United States.
Kent Sharkey, a psychotherapist and employee assistance expert, is
President and CEO of T.E.A.M. His company provides assistance to employees
and employers facing extreme situations, such as abuse, violence and
dislocation, that can evolve from life-changing situations.
He says, because of this, T.E.A.M. workshops highlight such critical areas
as anger management, dealing effectively with stress, going through the
transition process, emotional management, and identifying support systems.
"What we are providing is much-needed short-term adjustment counseling to
the laid-off employees and their families," says Sharkey. "It's really a five
step process, starting with helping the people cope with their psychological
situation, and helping them understand that what they may be feeling are
common reactions to uncommon situations. It could be something as seemingly
mundane as them wondering if they can keep their kid in soccer camp or ballet
classes."
"And they will recognize that they are not alone. They will see that it
is perfectly normal to suffer shock, disbelief, anger, fear, depression,
anxiety, shame or embarrassment, and even rage," says Sharkey. "The laid-off
employees and their families will also have to come to understand that being
dislocated is a loss not unlike other kinds of losses. There is the potential
to suffer because of the loss of career standing, authority, income and
workplace friendships."
"What they need to do is to identify their support structure," Sharkey
counsels. "It may come from family, friends or colleagues, but this is only
part of the answer. Outside help like T.E.A.M. and the Troy Career Center
will play important roles in helping the individual and the others in the same
boat. It's important to recognize that personal healing can come in such a
common setting of people going through essentially the same process."
"At the T.E.A.M. sessions, we help the laid off employees and their
families make sense of it all," says Sharkey. "We help the people know and
accept that they are not alone at this time. We help them recognize that what
happened to them is not personal, it's about business."
"As they meet with our counselors and their fellow laid off
DaimlerChrysler employees, we try to help them make a passage toward
self-discovery and personal growth. This might lead to a new job, or possibly
to finding a new direction in life by going to school or starting a business.
You might equate our relationship and guidance to that of a coach and his
athletes," explains Sharkey.
"Our counseling is a proven, effective tool that brings unconditional,
unbiased support to the dislocated people and their families," says Sharkey.
To participate in the cost-free workshops, dislocated DaimlerChrysler
employees and their families should call 800-448-TEAM.
