Are you worried about losing your job? I know I am! I think, in this economy, worrying about not having a paycheck coming in is just so common. So, you better keep your eyes open for signs that the pink slip is coming your way. Here are my top twelve warning signs that a lay off might be coming.
If I notice that I'm feeling left out, I start to get worried. If no one's including me in meetings or decisions, I must not be that important. If I stop getting invited to conferences with my colleagues, I start brushing up my resume.
Normally, my job performance reviews are just fine. However, if I get an out-of-the-blue bad performance evaluation, I start thinking that maybe they're looking for a reason to get rid of people. If my next job review comes back negatively, I'll start looking for other signs that I might be laid off soon.
If I suddenly lose a lot of my responsibilities to take on new things, I start wondering if I'm being slowly edged out of my position. This certainly crosses my mind if I'm taken off important projects or long-term things that I'm doing. I think that, when my job changes drastically, the bosses are trying to get prepared for when I'll be gone.
So, let's say I'm not being ignored, and I'm still being invited to meetings. However, if my suggestions and comments are not treated as being important, I start to worry that I've lost my value with my employers. If what I say isn't valuable, why would they want to keep me around?
Sometimes, other employees get the word that you're being let go before you do. So, if people suddenly stop chit-chatting with me, going to lunch with me, or talking about their personal life, there's a strong possibility that they're insulating themselves from feeling upset when I'm fired.
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I've noticed that, whenever a new boss comes in, he or she often likes to establish their dominance. Sometimes, that means firing some of the old timers to show other employees that this new boss means business. So, when I get a new boss, I start watching for other signs that I might be the sacrificial firing.
If I see that things like office supplies, retirement parties, funeral bouquets or new baby floral arrangements, and things like that are being cut back on, I start worrying about the financial security of the company. When companies cut back on "fun money", I often find they're getting ready to lay someone off.
When someone who works with me gets laid off or fired, I get nervous. Now, some people getting fired truly deserve it because they're low quality employees. But, if someone who I think does a pretty good job gets laid off, I start taking notice because I could be next!
If I suddenly don't have a whole lot to do, I start getting scared about my job security. The slow down could be for two reasons - one, they don't have enough for me to do, which may mean I'm going to get laid off. Two, they're taking me off projects in preparation for firing me ... and that's never good!
One big sign for me that a company's not doing well is that the compensation package changes. If my company stops matching 401-K contributions or paying for part of my health insurance benefits, I know they're trimming the fat, and I start looking for another job.
If my boss suddenly is "in a meeting" every time I need to speak with him or her, it makes me nervous. Another big sign for me is not returning my emails. If my normally very timely boss starts taking a long time to answer my questions, I start fearing a pink slip is coming for me.
When too many people start looking over my shoulder and checking behind my work, I start thinking that I'm not doing something right. If a normally hands-off manager starts watching every step I make, I know I'm on the short list for the next round of lay offs.
And here are other 4 Warning Signs you might want to check out.
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Are you seeing any of these things happening to you at work? If so, I'd take proactive steps to improve my job performance asap! Do you have other signs that a layoff is imminent? If so, post them below so I'll know what to look out for!