Losing a job is a traumatic experience, but even worse when it happens unexpectedly. If you do not see the impending dismissal, then you will not have time to prepare for it.
However, as Tonya Lain, regional vice president of the largest US recruitment agency, Adecco Staffing, says in reality, there are often barely noticeable (and sometimes very noticeable) signs that not everything is all right at work. If you know what to pay attention to and do not want to lose your job, then you will have time to take certain actions. Although these signs do not necessarily mean that your work is in jeopardy, they are often indicators that things are not as good as they should be.
Your relationship with your manager has changed.
Do you talk less and less with your supervisor? Has he become somewhat colder with you at meetings in the buffet, or does he not look you in the eye when he passes by in the lobby? This is a weak indicator, but it can talk about many things, says Stephanie Daniel, senior vice president of the Boston-based Keystone Associates firm.
“People, regardless of their upbringing and experience, finding themselves in a situation that causes discomfort will tend to avoid it,” she says. Therefore, if your leader thinks or plans to dismiss you, then he, as a rule, is unlikely to be as sociable as usual. Some of her clients told her that, looking into the past, they can hardly say exactly what had changed in their relationship with them, but they felt that there were certain changes.
You do not cope with the tasks?
This symptom seems obvious, but if the performance of your work is slowly slipping, you may not notice. However, if you do not have time for the deadline, do not fulfill your duties, do not gain sales, or do not fulfill other indicators, then, as Lane says, you may well become an expendable material, even if your supervisor says that everything is in order. She knows that if people do not cope with their responsibilities, they can begin to blame others for this, but not take responsibility for themselves. If you constantly exert all your strength at work, then you need to understand why this is so.
Have your colleagues increased their workload?
Suddenly, all your colleagues began to linger at work and participate in new projects, but you did not. Usually this is not a sign that everything is in order, says Lane. As well as the situation when you are involved in key projects or meetings.
“If you are involved in various activities, be it meetings, projects, new focus groups, or if you are interested in your opinion, then this is a good sign that you remain in the team,” says Daniel. “But when you are no longer asked to participate in a project that meets your qualifications, or influences what you and your group are doing, this is an obvious signal. "
You teach someone
For many companies, it is common practice to train an employee with the person he ultimately needs to replace, says Bob Hadick, president of the employment agency Russ Hadick and Associates, Inc. If you are unexpectedly assigned to train a newcomer or protégé working next to you, then most likely you are preparing a replacement for yourself, he says.
You were asked to report on how you spend your time.
Hadik says that managers who plan to fire an employee usually become interested in how he spends his work time. The supervisor may also want to have detailed reports on the work performed.
"If I decide to get rid of an employee, I begin to look in more detail what he does and what processes he is involved in," says Hadik.
There was a change of leadership
If your company is absorbed by another company, or if you have a new boss, this is not necessarily a signal about the impending dismissal. But in this situation, the risks of losing your job increase, says Daniel. Sometimes, a company that has swallowed up keeps its people, and a new boss may bring with him familiar faces. Monitoring the dynamics of the office, and communication with the manager can give important signals.
Photo: astro7.ru
What if you suspect that you lose your job?
Talk to your supervisor
Meet with your supervisor and discuss with him what you need to do to fulfill your responsibilities. An open discussion with the boss can give you an important insight, and also show him that you are worried about keeping your job, says Daniel.
Be clear about your role and achievements.
Hvastunov does not like anyone, but you must be prepared to discuss what you have done for the company and the working group. Make sure that the new leadership knows about your performance in a successful company last year, or that you were the ideologue of the new product released.
Start looking for a new job
Sometimes the news is so bad that it is time to look for a new job. Getting information in advance, thanks to the above characteristics, and communicating with the supervisor, can push you to look for a new job and help you find a more reliable and well-paid place, Hadik says.
