Job Layoffs: Are We The Problem?
We've been living in this state of anxiety for years now. The fear of being laid off haunts us, even though it's something that only happens to a few unlucky people. We can't afford to buy our dream home and have children, because we don't know when the next paycheck will roll in. We always think "what if" when making a purchase or advancing our careers: "What if my job gets downsized? What if I get laid off tomorrow?"
Fear is not just an emotion, it is also a self-fulfilling prophecy. And we are contributing to its power by worrying all the time and projecting negativity into every aspect of life — work, community, family.
By worrying, we set ourselves up to get laid off. We create the negative circumstances that lead to our own unemployment because, as they say, "A chain is only as strong as its weakest link." When we're not thinking about taking care of our financials or how to save for a house or place for our children's education, we feel too busy to be cautious about getting laid off.
Many people take pride in being "always prepared" for their next layoff. As if a job layoff is the worst thing that could happen in life, when it comes to financial struggles and personal growth. But that's because we don't want to face the facts: We are the problem.
We are not doing our jobs right, and we don't see it. When tension mounts up at work, or when a new boss comes in, or when somebody is making rumors about layoffs around us, we tend to either (a) get distracted by our own circumstances and ignore any problem that might possibly arise in the future, (b) blame management for supposedly planning the layoff, (c) start complaining about our situation and spread negativity around us, or (d) retaliate by working less and performing poorly on purpose.
John Smith has been getting good grades since he was a little boy. He's a hard worker, he's got lots of friends and is not a troublemaker. He won't get in any fights or make any enemies.
But he may be very careless about details, lose most of his possessions in a party, and threaten to quit after just a few months on the job. He is the kind of person who never thinks about what he says or does because it's impossible that something bad could happen to him. But it can, and often does. Why? Because luck favors the prepared mind.
Smith is a liability. He's not a good investment. What are his chances of keeping his job?
What if John Smith was a very positive person? What if he made everyone around him laugh, so they liked to be around him? What if he loved his job the way he loved watching movies and playing video games, like everyone around him did? Would he be able to keep his job? Maybe not because someone might get upset with him or feel that his job wasn't worth the performance — but it would be. And that's all it would take for them to decide to lay him off.
What if he was a man who believed in his own value and knew that the most important asset he have is his ability to bring value to the company? What if, when things get hard, he would be able to work hard with his mind and heart, not just with his hands? He would be able to find ways to bring more value without complaining about the situation and without going on a list for further evaluation (which means he's likely getting cut down the line). Why? Because it's what you do when you believe in yourself: Work hard. Besides, you need this job so that you can find another one right after. In fact, it will happen sooner than you think.
Imagine what could happen if John Smith wasn't such a liability. He could be halfway to greatness. He would be able to become his best self. He would become a strong, positive, respected individual who is worth investing in and keeping around. If he decided to cut back on his working hours by reducing his output and lowering the quality of his work for the same compensation, he wouldn't get laid off, no matter if the company is struggling or not.
He would be another liability who is protected from losing his job. I'm not saying that Smith wouldn't get fired, I'm saying he'd be more likely to lose his job than someone who believes in himself and has a strong sense of purpose. A great work ethic and strong faith in one's own abilities are absolutely essential ingredients for a successful career.
Look at the bright side: Getting laid off can be good for you if it teaches you how to become self-reliant and make your own opportunities. And that could happen sooner than you think. You're on the way to getting laid off every single day (even if you don't realize it).
Title: Job Layoffs: Are We The Problem?
"You are the way you act, not what you say." – Lao Tzu
"I am convinced that life is 10% what happens to me and 90% of how I react to it. And so it is with you… we are in charge of our attitudes." – Charles Swindoll
I recently read an interesting article at Facebook, "The Fear Of Layoffs: Are We The Problem?", by Jeff Haden. It really piqued my interest for several reasons.
As a psychologist, I have a strong interest in human behavior and emotions.
I have been laid off myself, twice. And if you've been laid off in the U.S., you almost certainly have as well. In fact, if you're over age 40 and have held a job for any length of time, the odds are fairly high that you were laid off at some point during your career(s).
This changes things from a managerial perspective–rather than feeling smug about being "too valuable" to be let go, we suddenly realize we are all vulnerable to layoffs.
This also provides a framework in which to understand why we see the numbers of applicants so low for very skilled positions. Keep in mind that some positions have fewer than 20 applicants at all skill-levels, even though they are not being laid off. Then, of course, there are those other jobs with an average of 300 applicants or more per position!
It is easy to make assumptions about the reason for these disparities. But I don't think this has been researched enough to determine cause-and-effect. So let's look at a few possibilities:
1) Those who are laid off will apply more aggressively than others who are not laid off because they need money to survive .
Conclusion 1) is probably the most controversial. I can see how someone who is laid off might be more desperate and apply more actively, especially if they have children that need to be provided for. However, I can also see someone being laid off being more cautious and filtering more aggressively.
Socialization into work-managing hierarchical structures would contribute to this behavior as well. People who feel you must perform in a certain way are likely to become highly discouraged by their own experiences and not apply as much.
I am of the opinion that if you think it is going to get easier later on when "the pain stops," then you will tend to act differently than those who believe the hard times are just ahead of them.