Dealing with a disorienting job transfer

By Goretti Kimani

Some transfers occasion joy and happiness, but some lead to grief, anxiety, denial, guilt, anger, resentment, depression and other negative emotions

Job transfers are a common occurrence. They can be voluntary or involuntary, internal or external.

Voluntary cases are where individuals are involved in making the transfer decision. In involuntary cases, the employer simply dictates the direction of things, leaving an employee with little or no choice.

Internal cases may be largely departmental, within the same location or setup while external cases may involve geographical or organisational cross mobility

Family commitments are a major factor when deciding to take or reject a transfer. On the other hand, promotions very often lead to transfers of virtually every kind. And it goes without saying that employee dreams of growing in their career of choice, and a promotion is a sure sign that one is on the right path. 

And if the company you work for undergoes a merger or acquisition and you are retained, reshuffles may happen occasioning internal or external transfers. Other reasons for transfers may be related to health, intra-company rivalry, organic growth, skills mismatch, political instability, social cultural issues, as well as the search for personal adventure.

While some transfers occasion joy and happiness, some lead to grief, anxiety, denial, guilt, anger, resentment, depression and a host of other negative emotions. But if transfers are so common, why do they wreak so much havoc in careers? The main reason is resistance and lack of adaptability.

Status quo

Some people get too comfortable with status quo. When an individual works in an area, they tend to establish relationships that are viewed as too close to the heart, hence difficult to get rid of. Other people may be geographically tied to certain areas through individual business or social interests.

So how should one handle a transfer? Firstly you must have your priorities right. Do you still need that job and career? What do you really stand to lose by taking the transfer?

Is taking this transfer really a matter of life and death as you would like us to believe? In the majority of the cases, you will realise that the emotional burden far outweighs genuine reasons for declining a job transfer.

As such you must allow the voice of reason to prevail, make the right decisions and move on. And here, you need to ask yourself,” are there people where you have been transferred?” If your answer is yes, simply move and build your career.

No sense

Once the decision has been made, it makes no sense to fight or waste time pondering and pointing fingers. Taken positively, every transfer opportunity can be turned around for your own good.

If you chose to decline the transfer, put it in writing and get ready for the consequences. But once you decide to move, take it in stride and avoid further complaining and grumbling. Instead focus on learning the new environment as fast as you can.

Acquaint yourself with the local food, social circles, language and other crucial dynamics, as this will accelerate your settling pace. Decide to make the best out of the situation and move on. That way, you will contentment, which will grow into happiness once the transition is complete.

The writer is a human resource specialist at Peoplelink Consultants Ltd. Email: [e-mail]