A Layoff Is Not To Be Feared; It Should Be Embraced To Do More Great Work.
The word layoff can make us feel afraid if we let it. Don’t.
When facing an impending layoff it is time to reaffirm what is most important to you. Ensure your values align with where the organization is going and take your next steps on purpose toward the direction best for you.
The purpose of the organization
Some employees are mistaken when they believe their employer cares about them.
The purpose of the organization is to serve its constituency. Employees are its agents helping the organization realize its mission.
Even if your leadership team is committed to becoming a purpose-driven organization, understand the employee is a tool (a resource) used to fulfill an underlying purpose.
Sadly, many employees forget a job relationship is a transaction. Employers pay employees in exchange for their talent to carry out specified responsibilities effectively and efficiently.
Any extra effort outside the primary responsibility defined in the job description is by definition, discretionary. Some managers exploit intrinsically motivated employees. The best receive additional work requiring more time to complete without compensation. We’ve all seen or experienced this.
Today’s employee would benefit from reviewing their job description before taking on responsibilities outside it to protect their career path and guard their margin. Any discretionary time should be invested in professional development.
While the organization may own your contributions, they don’t own you, your skills, or your professional network.
Evaluate each new opportunity carefully. Ask yourself if it makes sense to invest your time back into the organization where you work; if so . . . do it. If it could be invested for a better return elsewhere, do that instead.
What happens when the environment changes?
Guard yourself! When the environment changes, the organization will change to protect itself. You need to protect yourself too.
A recent example:
COVID-19 was thrust upon us like a roaring lion. Nothing to stop it resulted in us stopping everything. Many employees were sent home.
Those that were, remember that during the height of the pandemic, many of us began to rethink where work fits in how we want to live afterwards. For the first time, we experienced a work-life balance. With promises of a new work remotely option, the future that we could influence seemed within reach; but no.
The same companies that touted the fully remote future 2 years ago, started talking about Return To Office (RTO). Really?
Yep. Frustrated, many employees started leaving their organizations. So many that another new term was introduced . . . quiet quitting.
Now with employees being called back to work, companies respond with layoffs. To many! With two more months left in 2023, MarketWatch reported there have been over 240,000 tech employees laid off so far.
Isn’t it time we decide ahead of time what we might do if a layoff is a real possibility? Based on what I have seen over 30 years; a layoff is coming for all of us. It is just a matter of when. We have no excuse to let it take us by surprise.
7 actions you can take when a layoff impacts you.
If we are paid by an organization for our talent, we should be prepared for a layoff at any time. Having a simple approach in hand prior to a layoff event can help you sleep better and face changes with more confidence.
Don’t panic. Instead, focus on your mental and physical health. Remember you have been through difficult times in the past and were able to overcome them. There is no reason to feel differently this time. While you can’t change the decision about a layoff you can decide how you will react to it. A positive attitude and agile mindset will increase your resilience. Gemma Leigh Roberts has a terrific book on the topic called, Mindset Matters. Equally important is keeping or adding physical activity to increase your energy level and manage stress. It will also work hand-in-hand to maintain your mental health.
Decide what is most important. Revisit and affirm your values. Identify your strengths and/or working genius to better understand what you love and what you don’t love to do. This may be a time to explore making a pivot with help from Jenny Blake’s Pivot Method.
Take advantage of the help provided by your former employer. If your employer provides access to resources to aid in your job search accept them and review them to determine how they might help you. If there are other jobs you could do at your organization, research what they are so you can pursue them as options. If you are open to it, keep lines of communication open as your employer may want to call you back to your former or new role as a boomerang employee.
Make financial adjustments. Review your budget and reduce your discretionary expenses to fit what your new situation allows. Defer unneeded expenses to a later period to protect your free cash flow. Calculate how many months you can continue in your current state without hardship. Knowing how many months you have to work with will inform your job search plan.
Make a realistic job search plan. Begin with searching for what you really want to do next. Start with a broad analysis using some of the best job search websites. Emily Polner compiled a list for you in her article titled, The 9 Best Job Search Websites of 2023. Indeed recommends 2 or 3 applications per day and some other good advice in the FAQ article titled, How Many Applications Does It Take To Get a Job, authored by Sabrina Macari.
Announce your intentions. Once you have established what you want to do and how you intend to approach it, share it with those who can help. Join a community, or faith group, and even volunteer for an organization you care about but didn’t have time for when you were working. Meet different people doing interesting things. Think positively, get curious, and invest in others as you go. It may be one of your newest or former connections are the ones to help you. They just need to know what you are looking for.
Build and execute your plan. Time to get to work finding your next opportunity. You have a good mental state, are keeping physically active, and have done your pre-work. Now establish a timeline and how you will apply for the best opportunities that align with your goals. Track every company and interaction you have so you can plan follow-ups with recruiters or hiring managers. You might benefit from developing a strategic plan. The objective here is to be on purpose, plan, communicate, and execute your plan to take you where you want to go. I know you can do it!
3 actions you can take when a layoff impacts one of your friends
Make yourself available to listen. Show them you are making them a priority. At this point, they probably will not value advice. They will need to process what has occurred and may need you to just listen and empathize the best you can, and do it on their terms.
Check in periodically. They may not want a lot of help as they plot their path but will value knowing you continue to care and are checking on them. If they do need something be prepared to follow thru. Even offering to meet for coffee or a meal can be a terrific distraction from the job hunt. If you are able, offer to pay to remove that additional pressure.
Help with their job search. Tap into your network. Look on your internal job board. Keep your eyes and ears open for ways to help them find warmer leads. Ultimately, they will need to decide on the direction they will go. Having good options to choose from will be appreciated and may lead to their next job.
Last Thoughts
We don’t know when a layoff will come. Most of us will experience one or more of them during our careers. We don’t have to feel like a victim if we accept that our situation can change without warning. If we think ahead, have a plan, and have people in our professional network outside of where we work to help us, we can turn a negative situation into a launching pad for doing more great work.
Sources referenced in the article