No-one likes getting fired. Apart from the loss of gainful employment, not to mention the salary that goes with it, it’s also humiliating, discouraging, and you are back to square one again, having to find a new job and restart the process from scratch.
One of the worst aspects of being fired is sometimes the ‘slow car crash’ process of letting you go. Instead of knowing outright that your employment is being terminated, you may start getting hints or feelings that it may be imminent without anyone having actually informed you of such. This is an awful situation to be in as it creates stress, distress, lack of focus, and uncertainty.
What would be the warning signs to look out for in the event of finding yourself in this precarious position? We’ve compiled 5 hints to help you spot the signs of a potential impending dismissal, albeit with the caveat of saying that nothing is a done deal until you’re literally handed your pink slip, and prior to that, there’s always still a chance you won’t be fired.
So, here goes…
1. WRITTEN SUMMARY OF A MEETING
You’ve just had a job performance meeting with your manager. Things got tense. But it’s over and you may think the fact you weren’t fired means your job is safe. Then a written summary of that meeting lands on your desk. What are you supposed to make of it?
It could be one of two things; it could be a precursor to your termination as something that will be added to your personnel life to justify it. Or it could merely be a proverbial shot across the bows from management for you to pull up your socks and get better quickly at your job performance… or else.
The best way to handle it is to double your efforts in job performance, especially in the matters singled out by the manager. Let them see you making the effort to improve, and who knows, you may yet turn things around in your favor.
2. UNREALISTIC REQUESTS FOR PROGRESS REPORTS
Another hint that your termination from the company is imminent may – and we stress may – come in the guise of being asked for progress reports on a completely unrealistic timescale.
Why this approach from management? Often, it is a means to an end from the latter in either deliberately putting you in an unachievable situation to justify your firing or it may be just a bad manager with a completely unrealistic idea of time and task management.
If this occurs, and you’ve already been working hard to improve your job performance, then arrange a meeting with either the manager and/or another senior figure within the company to discuss the situation.
The article “6 Phrases That Will Help You Increase Your Salary” might also be of interest to you. We recommend giving it a read.
3. REASSIGNMENT OF TASKS AND RESPONSIBILITIES
This is usually a red flag for imminent firing. If you discover that tasks and responsibilities that under normal circumstances would have been your purview are being assigned to others, it could be a sign of a number of things.
It could be that you’re being moved on to another role in the company. Or it could be that if a backlog of tasks has built up, that management is sharing out the workload to clear it faster. However, on the law of averages, it’s more likely that your tasks are being given to others in advance of you no longer working for the company much longer.
It’s not certain, and don’t assume anything. Again, if this happens, talk to the manager and/or another senior figure in the company. Get to the bottom of it so you’re not left hanging and being treated disrespectfully.
4. NOT INVITED TO MEETINGS
If you find yourself no longer ‘required’ to attend meetings that ordinarily you would have been a part of, that is definitely a cause for concern.
Of course, your work colleagues may be planning a surprise party for you – is your birthday approaching? – but unfortunately, more likely it is due to the fact that the task under discussion in the meeting has a completion deadline after your date of termination.
There really isn’t much you can do in this scenario except keep your head down, don’t cause a fuss inquiring why you weren’t called to the meeting, continue working, and hope for the best.
The article “50 Tips To Increase Your Productivity” might also be of interest to you. We recommend giving it a read.
5. SOMEONE NEW HAS YOUR JOB TITLE
So you walk into work one morning and the manager introduces a new employee… who just happens to have the same position as you! What is going on here!?
It could be an attempt by management to share workload if there has been a backlog, but this is unlikely as companies rarely create a new position without removing another one first. It is, alas, more likely that the new employee is your replacement. And to add to the indignity of it all, the manager will likely ask you to ensure the new employee gets familiar with everything.
As stated, in any one or combination of these scenarios, your imminent termination isn’t necessarily about to happen, there are a myriad of reasons any one could occur. So remain calm, continue to do your work, and if the unthinkable happens and you’re laid off, hold your head up high and depart with dignity. There’s always other jobs out there, and who knows, this could be a great opportunity for you… seize it and good luck!
