Is your company terminating contracts at an alarming rate? Feel unstable in your work, and worried you could be fired without warning?
If you answered ‘yes’, chances are you’re crippled with anxiety and stressed about your job security.
There are several reasons why companies decide to downsize its employees, whether it’s to reduce costs or because of a global pandemic. Either way, the prospect of this happening is worrying for employees of any business.
While there’s no magical solution, there are a few ways to combat the possibility of losing your job.
Our article offers useful tips to help build a strong relationship with your manager, make you a more valuable employee and, ultimately, increase your job security.
1. Meet Your Manager’s Goals
The first step in getting into your manager’s good books is by being on the same wavelength.
Understand their goals and objectives for the business and do your best to achieve them. This helps them recognise your worth and value to the company. Build a mutual agreement for your responsibilities, and make sure you are both in sync with processes and deadlines.
When employees are not in the loop about goals and objectives, it’s easy for them to become unengaged in their work. This then results in a potential failure of tasks, leaving a bad taste in employers’ mouths.
Ultimately, your aim is to demonstrate that you care about your job and the success of the company, and this is easily achieved when you make every effort in working towards the same goal.
2. Communicate Effectively
Do you fail to speak up? Not one to offer feedback or opinion? Are you that employee who sits back, listens and gets on with their job silently? Perhaps you’re the worker who has an attitude?
Newsflash! A lack of communication at work can have a detrimental effect on your job security!
When you have strong communication skills, you demonstrate that you have confidence in yourself and your ideas. And so long as you’re communicating effectively, you’re likely to be respected by management.
Whether it’s via email or face-to-face updates, find out which communication method your manager prefers, and use it. Give frequent task updates, ask questions and offer ideas, and we guarantee you that your boss will always remember your name.
This way, when it comes to the (firing) crunch, you’ll be spared.
3. Exceed Expectations
When your job is on the line, it’s critical that you play your part exceptionally well. In fact, this is something you should always do to be deemed a treasured employee.
Be that worker whose input would be missed if they were dismissed from the company. Do such an outstanding job that the organisation would crumble if it weren’t for your efforts.
You need to show management that your value to the firm is essential. If a company is cutting down employees to save expenses, they’re probably going to drop those who fail to meet expectations and deliver poor results – they’re, after all, costing the company time and money.
Prevent this situation by putting your elbow grease into your daily duties and going above and beyond what is usually expected of you.
4. Stay on Top of Things
Strive to impress your boss by being that worker who manages to stay on top of things through rain or snow. When your workload is heavy, it’s easy to let something slip, but try your best to stay organised and keep track of your responsibilities.
In addition to performing exceptionally, it’s vital that the work you deliver is on schedule. There’s no use keeping an employee who’s late with tasks. When this becomes a constant issue, you’re more likely to be dismissed by management.
It’s important to prevent costing your employer time and money due to poor organisational and time management habits. Develop ways to juggle your tasks and demonstrate excellent organisational skills to enhance your employee value.
5. Show Flexibility
You can win the approval of your manager by demonstrating flexibility. This is a valued trait to have as an employee, as it shows you can adapt to changing circumstances and new tasks and responsibilities.
Don’t be that employee who refuses to perform duties outside of their job description. Instead, be open to other projects and responsibilities. Take on tasks that nobody else wants, especially those that may affect business results, and ask for additional responsibilities.
These are effective ways to gain recognition from management. If you respond with a ‘That’s not my job’ or ‘Do I really need to?’ attitude, chances are your name is going to be scratched off the employee list pretty soon.
6. Be Proactive
Having the ability to solve problems will serve you well in the workplace.
In fact, according to the NACE’s Job Outlook 2019 survey, it is a competency that employers value most in their staff. Those who suggest and execute effective solutions to issues at work have a great chance of increasing their job security.
Aim to offer action plans when things go wrong and maintain a calm and professional demeanour during tough times.
Employers will take note of your proactive attitude when obstacles arise in the workplace and appreciate your analytical and creative thinking. They’ll also appreciate you for remaining calm in times of difficulty. An employee who panics and waits for others to solve the problem is rarely respected.
7. Improve Your Skills
Employers think highly of staff who strive to learn more.
Pick up knowledge by reading industry news, staying on top of trends and practising your art on a constant basis. Learning new skills can make you more employable in the future, and applying them to your current job can improve performance – a factor that always impresses management.
Express your eagerness to learn more by mapping out a career development plan and working on it with your boss. They may suggest training opportunities, seminars, certifications or online courses to hone your skills.
The more passion you show towards your role, the more you increase your job security.
8. Avoid Office Politics
You’re bound to give off a good impression to management if you’re known to stay out of office politics.
When gossip is running rampant and coworkers are bickering, keep a positive attitude and simply get on with your job.
Those who spread rumours and trigger arguments compromise their value as an employee. No one, including your manager, likes having an argumentative troublemaker making things uneasy in the workplace or, worse, damaging the reputation of their firm.
If you’re faced with drama, prove your ability to remain calm and respectful, and abstain from expressing anger or rage. Your boss is going to appreciate your professionalism and your ability to treat those around you with respect.
9. Help Coworkers
Communicating with your boss is one way to secure your job but doing the same with fellow coworkers is just as important.
Show interest and empathy in the workplace by willingly reaching out to your colleagues. Offer your help and advice and show compassion when they’re struggling.
Having skills of empathy helps employees resolve conflicts, improve relationships and be more productive – which, in the long-run, results in a positive company culture. Your manager will respect you for not only delivering optimal work results but also for bringing value to the team and providing comfort and joy to other employees.
10. Be Punctual
It doesn’t matter how great you are at your job. If you’re habitually late to work, consider yourself at risk of getting fired.
Employers want staff who are punctual, as this proves them to be trustworthy and reliable. If you’re the type to constantly arrive late to work, you demonstrate that you’re not respectful of others’ time and you lack job commitment – two very justifiable reasons for getting the sack.
Being punctual gives you more job security, as it proves you’re a true professional and it boosts your credibility as a trustworthy employee.
With our tips, you can strengthen your position at your company and hopefully feel more stable and secure in your job.
Are there any other secrets to increasing job security? Let us know in the comments section below!