It's a hard time. Bad economy is a nightmare for all- for employers as well
as employees. Most of the employers lay off their staff because they don't
have any choice- they have to survive in bad times. However, it's also true
that they can't survive without the help of a minimum number of employees
(unless, of course, they decide to shut down all their business activities).
So, how can one be counted in the list- the list of indispensable employees
for survival? Before knowing about the trick, lets first talk about the
reasons why those who are not included in this list get fired? Why do they
go first?
Top Companies
Reasons For Getting Laid Off!
The people who get fired are those who did not prove their worth to the
company.
- They cost the company more in comparison to what they produce.
Smartness and education can't save one if he proves to be expensive to
the company. Those who are in sales jobs
or other highly productive departments, may be spared provided they
bring a lots of money into their company.
- They are selfish, whiners and with bad attitudes about what they will
or will not do to help the company out of bad times.
- They are in consultancy - making
money but not having any specific responsibility and loyalty towards the
company.
- Those who insist on new product ideas. No one will buy new product
without massive marketing campaign and a bad economy doesn't allow that
( Its better to keep your creativity at somewhat low on this front and
work on selling what the company already has- at least until the
recession is over).
How to Keep Your Job Safe?
Now when you know who goes out of a company first, you must start
eliminating all those factors. You must be loyal to the company and also
give extra efforts to keep your job.
Learn Multitasking: People who get themselves
cross trained in almost every area of the company and have the attitude of “can
do it all” are the favorites of any company. For example, if you are in
accounting jobs but if you can also
handle the warehouse shipping system, you are proving yourself to be of
double significance. Further, if you are in customer services but can also
manage ordering system, chances are there that you will remain. And yes
don't expect double salary for the extra role. Its proven that financial
tight situations favor commissioned sales people, or those sales people who
are on a very low base salary.
Establish Real Relations, Forget Virtual
Relations: Relationships matter in hard times more than in any other
time. Although, you can take help of Internet, mobiles, phones and all other
electronic media to maintain relations, but to establish them, you have to
get real. Try to go to your colleagues to get the work done instead of
sending them mails, know them and allow them to know you. Being popular
means being leader and companies always want them- the successful leaders.
Work Harder, the New Employees: Be flexible,
work hard and harder, more so if you are a new employee. Balancing your rest
of life with work is important but your rest of life depends on your
employment in a major way! So, till the time you are tagged as a great
performer, keep your work at the top on your priority list.
Leave Office Politics Behind: Don't try to get
associated with one group or other in order to get inside information. Don't
be a useless critic, don't call anyone a loser. There will always be
something about office that you don't know- no matter how many groups you
refer for information. Further, it doesn't matter where the people are in a
hierarchy- they may know something positive that you don't. So listen to
everyone, gain from their experience but not for politics sake, just for
enhancing your capabilities. Then you will be smarter and more humble- like
those people whom the management wants to be with them.
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