Apr 16 2009
Keep Busy and Avoid Lay Off
Getting laid off from work is becoming an everyday event. All of us have someone in our immediate circle of friends and family who is in job limbo, probably because of the miserably state of the economy.
If you are one of the lucky ones who has managed to hang on while others in your group are being let go, the stress of that situation can be a daily burden. However, you must be doing something right. What are some things you can do to avoid being the next one to go?
Look busy. Do not slack off and even if you are “on break” in your head, don’t let it show to others by playing solitaire on your computer or making personal phone calls from work.
Personal phone calls that are apparent to others if you don’t have a private office are a real problem. You would be better off to go out to your car at lunch to make calls than to make calls in your cubicle for all to hear. You may think others are not paying attention to you, but believe me, they are watching and listening every minute. The walls really do have ears.
Stay alert, busy and ready for sending out your resume.
Unfortunately staying busy is not the key in keeping your job. Out performing someone that gets more pay than you is the key. Companies are only thinking of their bottom line. If they can have workers that will do the job at less pay than someone else then they will keep the lower paid employee.
If you are confronted with being laid off you can approach your employer and offer to stay with the company for less pay. They can only say no, but you were headed out the door anyway.