There’s always the workplace gossip or should I say, office
chat. Employers know its bad and must always try to discourage this within
their workforce. You may be feeling insecure about your job because the news is
going round that the board/employer have plans to make some roles redundant or
maybe only your role is going to be made redundant. It’s a negative feeling, a
bad counter-productive agent that will steal an employee’s mental well-being.
Even though it may be just a rumour, with the current pandemic
situation in the world, this article might just help you keep or save a job.
But if it’s an inevitable job loss; we look at a few steps you might want to
consider.
1. Self Evaluation.
Do you know it’s a good practice to always review oneself
periodically whether in your career, relationship, spirituality, as a parent, a
boss, even as a priest? Self evaluation is a key factor to self development. We
can’t have a solution if there’s no problem.
Redundancy must be in a fair process and no one should feel
they were discriminated against. Employers will usually have selection criteria
which must be agreed with all involved employees.
The criteria will be based on:
-
Quality / Standard of work.
-
Attendance record (must not include absences
related to protected acts like pregnancy, disability, maternity)
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Qualification, skills and experience.
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Disciplinary record of employees.
-
Employees must not be selected because of a
protected acts such as race, nationality, sex, their marital status, or because
of a family related leave, or an absence they had due to been in self isolation as a result of coronavirus.
In order words, it has to be about the job not the
personality traits. Employees must be consulted during this process.
Having said these, you can easily tell if you have not been giving
your all to your job. Have you been making excuses not to go
to work? Have you been making mistakes at work? These are just the common ones
and it may not be too late to change your attitude to work.
Be proactive in getting things done. Is there a dress code
at work? Adhere to the rules. Do not encourage gossip around your desk or
anywhere in the office. It could come back to bite you. There are ways you can avoid that gossip. You can start a work related topic instead.
How does your qualification compare with your colleague?
How does your qualification compare with your colleague?
Get qualifications to match theirs or get better
qualification than theirs. In most cases you won’t have to start a university
program. There are lots of professional certifications which you can earn with
part-time studies. You don’t have to wait to pass your certification before you
update it on your resume. You can mark it as “in progress” “to be completed by”
Submit your updated CV to the HR and if it goes down to
redundancy, you would have shown to your employer that you are a fighter.
2. Understand the situation.
Many employees only care about their wages such that they
don’t know a lot about how the employer conducts its business or how the company is performing against its competitor(s). Okay you know the basics of the
business but do you know how things are run? Can you tell when the business is
struggling or if it’s about to miss another target? You need to try and figure out what the issue is.
Your employer may have lost one or two big clients and are
trying to minimize losses by making some less important roles redundant. Is
your position regarded as less important? Can you do something about that?
I will give you an example. An administrator can look for
ways the company can minimize their cost by looking for cheaper suppliers (with
approval from line manager) for their postage needs, toner/office supplier.
This is just an illustration of how a little adjustment could save cost for the
employer. Such efforts can increase your employer’s evaluation of you. Can you
help your employer secure new attractive contracts? Do you have other business
portfolio that might interest your employer? Make a proposal / business plan
and get it over to your boss. Even if your proposal isn’t successful, the
efforts may be recognized by your boss.
3. Write to your boss
You can also write to your boss about your concerns. Be bold
but polite about it. You can ask if there is something you can do to keep your
job. You can even request to go part-time in the period of the company’s poor performance
and have the option to go full time when things improve. Tell your boss you are
open to have a new contract if that will save your post.
Your boss could sympathize with you and may consider your
request by telling you what you can do. There is no harm that can come from
asking if your job is at risk. Even if you do not get a favourable answer, it
could prepare you for your next action.
4. Request a transfer
Unfortunately each department is valued differently in
relation to the service or products offered by companies. Some companies rely
heavily on litho operators and can do with lesser or no receptionist while some
companies are IT based and may have 90% of employees as IT professionals. Some
positions may have to be made redundant due to financial loss especially during
the coronavirus pandemic.
Do you have skills that can be transferred to other teams?
You can learn new skills. You can ask to move to other teams that may be able
to absorb you into their team. Show to the head of the department you would
like that you can learn and adapt quickly on the job.
You can learn new skills quickly on different streaming
platform for free or at a fee on youTube or udemy. It may not be too late to
take that action. With the lockdown due to the current coronavirus pandemic, now is
the time to learn. You may never have this luxury of time again.
5. Go a Gear Up
Okay so you can’t move to other teams or department but you
could yet take an easier step. You show more commitment working extra hours. It
is true you must be paid overtime but most companies will not tell you they
expect you to an extra mile to deliver your duties but this is how some
employees get promoted ahead of their colleagues.
Go a gear up with your output. Be noticed by your manager
that you are giving more. This may not go down too well with your colleagues so
you have to smart about it. You may come across as one who is showing off your
their tasks but if you are smart about it, this may increase colleagues
productivity. Isn’t that what the company wants? A highly productive staff may
yield higher profit and higher profits may translate to some job security
within the organization.
6. Put Yourself Out There
This may also be the time to put profile out there. I am one
of the introverts but I have learnt to understand that I may have to go out of
my norm to get whatever I want. Are you on linkedin, facebook, instagram or
twitter?
Whether you are looking for new job or you want to market your
skills / business, a lot people now max the benefits social media platforms.
You should consider marketing yourself on these platforms. Many job
opportunities are now posted on these social media platforms.
Finally, Negotiate your exit
With other options out and you know your time is up with the
employer. You can try to negotiate your exit. It’s a win-win for both parties
(you and your employer). Most employers would rather offer severance package
than face an employment tribunal claims. Even when things are done right by the
employer, they may still incur legal fees from defending a claim.
It will leave your resume intact better than getting a sack.
You should get your CV updated and start looking for a new job. I know it’s
easier said than done but you need to face the reality. Coronavirus may have
taken away jobs but you can let it take away from zeal for success.
You are not guaranteed a severance package and if you are
dismissed, you may want to seek legal advise on your current circumstance if you have been dismissed wrongly.
This could also be a time for you to look at other options –
career development, acquire new skills or consider self employment
opportunities. If you are in the UK, the government is running a scheme for
residents who may have a business idea. You could get up to £25,000 to start a
new business.
Whenever you decide, see it as an opportunity rather than a
disappointment.
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You can also leave your comment below.
Being made redundant can be a very difficult and emotional time for some, especially with the uncertainty of their future job prospects. It is important to note that a genuine redundancy payment will be made once the employee has been made retrenched. Whether you know the news is coming or being made redundant is rather a complete shock to you, the step by step guide below can help you better and well prepare for what the future has in store. Read more: guide to dealing with redundancy
ReplyDeleteThere are many ways to maintain a positive mindset and overall looking after your mental health and wellbeing. You could consider practicing meditation, staying active, or taking the time to do things you love that helps to relax your mind. It’s important to focus on what makes you feel comfortable and works best for you. Read: guide to dealing with redundancy
ReplyDeleteTo establish a director’s entitlement to claim, the liquidator will need to know certain facts about their employment and day-to-day responsibilities. I suggest you to check out CFS
ReplyDelete