Layoffs tend to be caused by a myriad of events that have absolutely nothing to do with you. (It’s not your fault if the company gets sold or the CEO embezzled all of this year’s profits.) But getting fired, well, that’s a whole other animal.
The causes for getting dismissed can be traced back to anything from poor work performance to a drunken encounter at the office Christmas party. Offensive social media posts have even been known to take some of the blame. But the good news is that just like layoffs, getting fired can sometimes come with a few warning signs. So, prepare to pack up your personals if you spot any of these telltale signs.
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You Were Warned
If you’re not very good at your job, odds are that your boss isn’t going to keep paying you to do it. Some companies (typically very small ones) may simply let you go without giving you any clear indications that your job performance was lacking. But larger companies usually have a very strategic protocol for calling attention to bad performances.
It often takes the form of highlighting the problem with a deadline to fix it—a sure indication that the end may be near. “It shows that they are putting a limitation and direct expectations on your performance,” says Lisa DiVirgilio, an HR software consultant. “If you cannot meet that within the timeframe, there is a good chance that it is not a solid fit between you and the position.” The time expectation can vary, so you may choose to use that time to improve your performance…or circulate your resume.
Fewer Responsibilities
There’s nothing to fear from the occasional light workload day. It should be celebrated with a long lunch or catching up on half a dozen John Oliver segments on your iPhone. But beware if those lighter days begin to get more frequent—especially if everyone else around you seems to be extremely busy.
“If you find yourself with less work than normal, to the point where you question what to do with your day, you might be in a dangerous spot,” says DiVirgilio. “Your boss may be reassigning your responsibilities to other individuals before removing you from the team.”
This (permanent) break in your responsibilities is actually designed to keep the workflow chugging along with fewer speed bumps after you’ve been dismissed.
Temperature Changes
Has a brisk cold front settled around your cubicle lately? Have co-workers who were formerly very chatty stopped making eye contact and seem to scurry away when you walk into the break room? “If you get the sense that your colleagues are steering clear of you, they may know something you don’t,” says Amanda Augustine,” career advice expert for TopResume.
While notifications about impending pink slips aren’t typically circulated to everyone in the office, secrets can be very hard to keep. This means that at least a handful of people who shouldn’t know that you’re about to get fired (people who are outside of human resources or who aren’t even in your department) probably do. And since it’s hard to have a friendly chat with someone who’s marked for dismissal, the easier thing to do is just avoid that person altogether.
But getting iced out isn’t the only temperature change that could indicate an imminent change in employment status. Sometimes the thermostat can swing too far in the opposite direction.
Jenny Larsen, career development expert and owner of 2:10 Consulting, notes that sometimes employees (including your boss) can develop feelings of guilt once they’re made aware of the fact that you’re about to be fired. This can lead to behavior that’s a bit out of character, like acting friendlier than normal for no apparent reason.
Changing of the Guard
Nobody likes change, especially when it comes with a pink slip. But dismissals can sometimes happen when a new manager is hired to lead the team.
“It’s not uncommon for a new executive to come in and clean house,” says Augustine. She notes that stress levels can sometimes be high in an office when a new boss shows up, but the arrival of a new body in the cockpit is no reason to panic.
However, if the new boss has settled in, the tension persists and she’s spending a lot of time behind closed doors with people in the human resources department “remain on high alert,” she says.
Teamwork is Not Making the Dream Work
Meeting fiscal goals isn’t just for the advertising sales department anymore. These days, no matter what section of the company you work in (marketing, editorial, public relations, etc…) odds are that there is some type of numeric goal that your department is required to reach. So, if the team’s organic click numbers are down by a large margin or a major project the team’s been working on goes south, it might be a sign that your job security is in danger, says Augustine.
In order to spot brewing trouble ahead of time, she recommends understanding which metrics matter most to the work you’re involved in. Then, take a good, hard look around the office to try and get a sense of how people are working and feeling. “If company morale is at an all-time low, and you’re losing faith in your department head’s ability to turn things around, proceed with caution,” says Augustine. You, and perhaps your entire team, might be headed for the unemployment line.
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