10 Signs of an Impending Layoff
By Alvah Parker
Many people are in denial about layoffs. There are many
clues that one is coming but often people just choose to ignore the
signs. Forewarned is forearmed. If you notice several
of these signs in the place that you work, it is time to get your
resume ready and identify your network. Here are the
signs to look for:
- Listen to the rumor mill. In all the time I worked for AT&T the rumor mill was more accurate than what my boss was telling me. Either he/she was in denial too or he was spouting the company line as he/she had been told to do.
- Everyone is asked to apply for his/her job again. This one caught me by surprise when it happened. It might be good practice for what you will have to do if you are laid off but when it happens it is very upsetting. It also indicates that someone is questioning the value of the people in your unit/department/firm. (Always know the value you bring to your work- a coach can help you to identify it.)
- Projects you have been working on are postponed or cancelled. Nothing seems to be moving forward. Email and calls about the projects have stopped even if no one has officially told you that the project has been cancelled.
- The company has a hiring freeze. These happen frequently and don't always mean a layoff but it is one of the first indicators that the business is not growing.
- The company is aggressively cutting budgets. You've been told not to send anyone to training and not to travel. This also frequently happens at the end of the year but if you are told not to schedule any training or travel after January that is clearly a sign that the expectation is that business will continue to be bad.
- Press reports are bad. Reports in the newspaper and from analysts say the company is not meeting its goals, orders have dried up, and management is in a series of "strategic" meetings.
- Steady flow of managers leaving. Several managers on the executive level are leaving the company to "pursue other interests". This happens occasionally when business is good but if there are groups of managers leaving you can be sure that there is a problem.
- The company announces a salary freeze. You are told there will be no increases in salary until further notice. Bonuses dry up too.
- There are layoffs announced for the support staff. Support staff members are often the first to go. Those who contribute directly to the bottom line are less likely to be laid off than those who are viewed as an expense.
- Routine expenses are cut. The supply closet is beginning to look bare and there is no money for pens, paper and paperclips. (You start bringing supplies from home!)
