It will always be a fraught time for staff when a firm announces it
will be making redundancies. Roisin Woolnough considers the best
ways to survive the cutbacks
When people around you are losing their jobs, it is hard not to
worry that you might be the next one to go.
Job security is a luxury when there is an economic downturn, and
redundancies have been occurring in almost all professions.
Several readers have contacted Xtra! to say they know their company
has plans to shed some of its workforce and fear their jobs are
under threat. One reader works for a company that had already laid
off 5% of its workforce and intends to let another 10% go, some of
which will be from the IT department. As he has several colleagues
doing similar work to him, his concern is that at least one member
of the team may be for the chop and his question was, "How do I
make sure it's not me?"
Marianne Craig, a professional career coach, says it is essential
that people do not let such fears affect their performance at work.
"When an organisation is downsizing, it can make people jittery and
the atmosphere can be very tense. Managers often select for
redundancy those they perceive as being overtly anxious, so being
calm and positive with a 'can-do' attitude is a strong asset," she
says.
When morale drops like this, it is all too easy to become
demotivated and let standards slip, but the answer is actually to
get really stuck into your work and prove how valuable you are to
the business. Deliver projects on time, making sure the work is
accurate and thorough.
Remember how you behaved when you first started working for the
company, eager to impress peers and colleagues? This is how to
behave now - like the consummate professional. "Project the image
of being committed, fit and healthy," says Judith Cowan, advisor at
the Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development.
"Organisations have criteria when selecting people for
redundancies, such as time keeping and sickness records, so avoid
being late for work or taking time off, if you can help it."
If an employer has to select one person to be made redundant from a
team of people with equally important skills and abilities, then
something like a high absenteeism record could be the deciding
factor.
Peter Barnes, chairman of the professional advice register
committee at the British Computer Society, agrees that staff need
to project a certain kind of image in order to safeguard their
positions. "Be a professional, be on call and be right up there
with the top of the game," he says. "Companies need people they can
rely on and who will go the extra mile."
Manoeuvre yourself onto those business-critical projects that
cannot be delayed, because these are the safest jobs.
If you think certain systems or processes could be improved, go to
your line manager with suggestions about how it could be done. If
the changes will make processes more efficient and save money, even
better - unless, of course, the implementation costs outweigh the
savings.
Be the person who comes up with solutions to problems. To do this,
you need to have a good grasp of what drives the company and how
your work fits in with the overall business.
"Everyone, including support staff, should think about the
business, have a good understanding of what it does and what it
wishes to achieve," says Steve Waters, technical assurance manager
at finance software house and business consultancy Coda. "If IT
staff learn about the company they may recognise areas that can be
improved, so helping the business's strategic positioning. And cost
savings are always welcome, as are quality and making processes
more efficient. In this way you give yourself a value which is
difficult to ignore if the axeman cometh."
It sounds ruthless, but you need to make yourself stand out from
the crowd so that someone other than you is made redundant when the
time comes. The more benefits you have brought to the company, the
stronger your position. "It is a bit of a dog-eat-dog world and
those who are most likely to survive are those who are
outperforming their colleagues," says Cowan. "It is hard when you
find yourself having to compete with friends, but it is the reality
when there is an economic downturn."
This does not mean stabbing colleagues in the back, but doing your
job to the best of your ability, while still being a team player
who will help others.
Sometimes it is inevitable that yours is the next job to go - but
that does not necessarily mean you have to go with it. Before your
position is made redundant, talk to your line manager about how it
could be expanded or what other skills are needed in the
organisation as there may be an opening somewhere else in the IT
department. Talk to managers and colleagues in other areas to find
out what skills are needed.
"If you can see the writing on the wall, start networking," says
Cowan. "Networking cannot be underestimated and it is important you
mix with other departments."
When companies are downsizing, they usually also have a recruitment
freeze on, so if someone from another department has a vacancy,
they will most likely be very eager to get their hands on you, even
if it means a bit of training to get you going.
How to hold onto your job
- Be a professional - be punctual, attentive to detail and
maintain a positive attitude
- Take a close look at your job. Is there more you could be doing
to make your employers value your work?
- Be proactive and take on more responsibilities and get involved
in anything that is business-critical
- Don't badmouth the organisation
- Network. Talk to colleagues, other departments, industry
contacts. If your position does become redundant, you will then be
better placed to find another role.
Next week Xtra! looks at the best ways to get a new job