People Helping People Problem Solving: Anxieties About the Economy and Careers

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For the past 10 years, the Caribbean STEM Coaching Club has been a trusted space for families to tap into the collective expertise and lived experiences of our members. Through open conversations and shared insights, we help each other navigate challenges and discover new opportunities in Parenting, Learning, Careers, and Family Finances.

In April 2025, we came together to brainstorm solutions to challenges our members were facing in their professional lives. We could perhaps all learn from the perspectives shared on the problem spotlighted below.  Please read on.

Problem: As a Black professional in London, I’m feeling a kind of anxiety I’ve never really experienced before in my professional life:

    • I am concerned that the backlash against DEI (Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion) will embolden those with racist tendencies to feel freer to act on their worst instincts;
    • I am concerned that the country has lost its way, with no real, workable plan to turn the economy around;
    • I am concerned about redundancy and the possibility that finding another job at the same salary won’t be easy;
    • I am concerned about living in a society with rising unemployment, crime, and both physical and mental health crises. Even cuts to public services, like garbage collection etc are concerning —could we see the return of diseases we thought were long gone?
    • The constant flood of bad news (especially with regards Trump’s antics across the Atlantic) is overwhelming and sometimes paralyzing;
    • I know how important it is to have a positive mindset. I feel that putting together a solid plan to prepare for whatever comes would help me to be less anxious, more confident, and positive. But right now, I feel so busy and overwhelmed, I can’t even think;
    • So, my question is, what should an overwhelmed and anxious Black professional like me include and think about when putting together this “preparedness plan”?

Suggestions from the Club

  • Congratulations  – you are putting a “preparedness plan” in place. This is exactly what you need to do.
  • Let’s have some perspective.  Hasn’t life always been precarious and challenging for Caribbean people in the UK? We have more experience than most on how to be creative, flexible, and agile when life throws “googlies” our way.  It might be helpful and strengthening to sit at the feet of our forefathers and learn from them.  This is not to downplay your anxieties.  But know that you are from a people who are strong, creative, and resilient.  You will be okay!
  • Double down on self-care – eating well, exercising, relaxing, and having moments of joy.  Vitamin D is particularly important for those of us with darker skin. The positive energy you will exude as a result of self-care and good health is contagious: it will open doors and take you places.
  • Limit your exposure to negative news or environments that drag you down.
  • Double down on investing in healthy relationships with optimistic, confident, and generous people who energise you.  The intelligence and know-how you will get from good relationships with positive people cannot necessarily be derived from the internet or  Chat GPT.  Of course, you must be a positive, generous, and confident person yourself.  Like attracts like.
  • In times of chaos, identify and double down on your anchor(s)  e.g., family, community, faith, music, sport or other hobbies.
  • Work on being a self-actualised person in line with Maslow’s hierarchy of needs.  This will make you high functioning and give you confidence and resilience to face the current world chaos.
  • London is a treasure trove of meetups and networking groups for all professions and industry sectors. Find one, attend regularly, volunteer, get to know others, encourage others to know you.  This should help you to understand the most valuable technical and professional skills and capabilities you may need to develop.  Networking could also help you to access the very significant “hidden jobs market”  out there – jobs that are not advertised anywhere and are accessed primarily through relationships.
  • AI will not necessarily replace people but people who know how to use AI to enhance their jobs will replace people who don’t.
  • Develop an open, flexible mindset, avoid fixed expectations, and approach the challenges of the times in which we live with an entrepreneurial eye.  You are more likely to find interesting and lucrative options that way.
  • Skills for the new economy include influence and the ability to sell.  These are learnable skills you will need to rise in your organisation or set up on your own.
  • Do an inventory of your skills, update your CV and Linkedin profile.  Understand the range of options available to you.  Identify skills gaps and upskilling or reskilling pathways.  Generative  AI  (e.g., Chat GPT) could help enormously. with career self-management.  There are many Youtube videos online to show you how.  A skilled career coach (with expertise in your profession/industry) and high-quality professional networks would also add value.
  • Continual professional development is a must.  Never stop learning.
  • Develop short-term, medium-term, and long-term plans. In each case, always have a plan B or even a plan C.
  • Be disciplined about money.  Live below your means and have savings to fall back on.  You will feel less stressed.
  • Where your current job is concerned, be careful to always document anything and everything that concerns you.  This will help you advocate more effectively for yourself when challenges arise.  If you are not a member of a union, join one. Always have legal and HR expertise at hand.  Access free impartial advice on workplace rights, rules, and best practice from ACAS (the Advisory, Conciliation, and Arbitration Service).
  • We live in VUCA (Volatile, Uncertain, Complex, and Ambiguous) times.  No one fully understands the complexities.  No one knows what’s around the corner.  So have faith.

End. PCS May 2025