Tough Economy Survival Guide: Layoffs

What if you walked into a weekly meeting with your boss, and the words, “I need to tell you about some things happening in the company,” come out of his/her mouth? As you stand there frozen in silence, afraid to move or say anything, your boss continues to speak.  “I wanted to make sure you heard this from me before the rumor mill kicked into full swing.” For the next few minutes, you listen to your boss explain that, while business is good, there do need to be some cutbacks.  He/she assures you that you are not one of the people being terminated.  However, there are four very prominent people being let go, one of whom is a close, friend of yours.

Layoffs are never easy and they create a whole series of problems for the people left behind.  While your mind might be racing with all kinds of thoughts, now is not the time to lose your head.  Instead, you need to take a few deep breaths, step back, and make some rational decisions.

Be Prepared

Even if you are told you have nothing to worry about, that is no guarantee. Granted, you can choose to believe you won’t be next; however, a better option is to get your resume in order now and do some initial researching about the job market. This includes networking with others, checking out job boards, and reviewing your skill set to see what types of positions for which you are best suited. Don’t throw yourself into this task.  Instead, get your feet wet with the basics so that you are ready in case the worst happens.

Transitioning

As people leave, their responsibilities are going to reassigned. Ask what you can do to help.  If you think about it, the broader the range of tasks you’re maintaining, the more valuable you become to the company. In addition, you’ll be seen as a “team player” by management, hopefully fostering a greater chance of retaining your job over someone who just sits in the background.

Keep Quiet

Now is not the time to share information with others. Regardless of what you know and what you hear, don’t talk about what’s happened except outside the office – and then only with someone who is not a coworker.  Your company is facing enough problems because of this situation without having employees adding fuel to the fire with rumors.

Time Management

Your boss may share information with you as to how the decision was made about which employees would be let go.  Perhaps the president of the company walked around sporadically and noticed who was/was not at their desk, and what people were doing.  Begin tracking our time and provide your boss with a daily update as well as a weekly list of accomplishments to show dedication to the job, and value to the company.

Clean Up

When a lay off happens, the time from notification to leaving the building can be as little as 45 minutes…and you will not be allowed to even touch your computer. Thus, now is the time to get your ducks in a row when it comes to your workspace and computer.  Many of us have “personal stuff” on our computer that we may need.  For example, if you have a special report that you developed that would make a wonderful sample to show to others (assuming it’s not confidential and proprietary to the company), email it to your personal email account at home. Make sure you have what you need now, and make a habit of cleaning up weekly.

It’s important not to panic when a lay off takes place. Talk to your boss about what you can do to help the company while helping yourself. Develop a plan in the event the unfortunate should happen.  Foremost, try to take each day as it comes and not project what might happen…until it actually does.