Being Made Redundant is emotionally and often financially stressful. Times remain tough in the labor market and for many the threat of being made redundant still looms large. Sometimes the threat to your job will come like a bolt from the blue but there are usually obvious signs around the workplace that all is not well. To be forewarned is to be forearmed so avoid being the last to hear bad news by watching out for 10 signs you will be made redundant. If you fear being made redundant, seeing these signs can help you get prepared.
Suddenly your colleagues are in meetings no one told you about. You are no longer CCed on important emails. You are the last to know of any changes taking place. The signs are here that you’re being cut out in what might be your employer’s first step in removing you from the workplace. Finding yourself out of the loop may point to the fact that you are being made redundant.
The rapport you have with your immediate boss is crucial. But if a boss with whom you once enjoyed a positive relationship starts dismissing your input, criticizing your work or seems irritated with you, they might have judged your performance, found it wanting and be preparing to get rid of you. This is definitely a sign to be on the lookout for at all times.
Is your working day dragging because you’re not busy? Are you at a loose end for much of the day while colleagues are much busier than you? Has someone else assumed responsibility for much of your workload? Examine the evidence – it could be your workmates are doing your job already and you are at risk of being made redundant.
Maybe you’re bored; maybe the job is no longer enough of a challenge. But if you’ve noticed that you’re simply going through the motions, chances are your bosses have, too. No company can afford to carry underperforming staff. Either shape up or you’ll be shipped out unless of course, you are hanging on in the hopes of being made redundant.
Sometimes it’s not all about you. The global economic crisis has affected every industrial sector and no company is immune to its effects. Cutting personnel is one of the quickest ways for a firm to save money and if the job you do isn’t considered crucial, it could face the axe.
Sometimes a change in your job description or title is nothing more than a reorganization of your department or team. But it might mean a whole lot more. Does your new title reflect a sideways move or even a downwards one? Is the change actually a demotion? The only way is up in a workplace – if you’re on the slide, possibly you’re out.
Workplace gossip can be little more than harmless tittle-tattle but if you start hearing your name mentioned whenever people discuss who is being made redundant, it’s time to sit up and take notice. Don’t hide your head in the sand and hope it all goes away – accept the reality of the situation and be prepared for the worst.
Your work is constantly reviewed as part of a process of helping you improve. A negative review on its own isn’t a death warrant but it is a wake-up call to get back on track. And if you have always had good reviews but now can’t do anything right, maybe it’s a signal that your employers are looking for a way to remove you.
Businesses evolve and change constantly, so mergers, acquisitions or restructuring aren’t always immediately bad news. But if your firm is merging with another where employees do the same job, something has to give. Any news on the future direction of the business will provide a clue as to whether you’re in it or whether you’re going to be made redundant.
Valued employees are trusted to get on with the job with the minimal of supervision. If you once had autonomy but now have to report frequently to your managers, ask yourself if they have lost confidence in you – and what that might mean for your job.
People who are being made redundant often wonder afterwards why they didn’t realize they were at risk. If you recognize any of these 10 signs of being made redundant and consider your position under threat, why not take charge and start hunting immediately for a new job. Please share with AWS readers your personal experience if you have been made redundant recently. When you were being made redundant, did you see it coming?
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