Strategies to reduce the likelihood of being fired include being a positive force in the workplace, staying up-to-date with industry developments, responding quickly to mistakes, and continuing education. If termination is inevitable, taking proactive action with employers can soften the blow and potentially lead to a mutual settlement agreement.
The possibility of being fired from a job is a source of stress and anxiety for many people and can cause damage to both your personal life and current job performance. While there is no surefire way to avoid getting fired from a job, there are many strategies that can help reduce the likelihood of this unfortunate event. Being a force for good in the workplace, staying on the cutting edge of industry developments, and having a quick response to mistakes can all help improve your chances of keeping a job. If the ax is about to fall, however, consider taking proactive action with employers to soften the blow.
One of the factors that can greatly influence termination decisions is an employee’s place in the workplace atmosphere. Workers who make the workplace difficult for others, through gossip, whining, or a bad temper, are unlikely to soften a boss’s hearts in the face of downsizing. While being a friendly, positive person in the workplace can’t compensate for poor job performance or inadequate skills, it can go a long way in keeping a job in a workplace where most workers are equals. Volunteering with morale projects, bringing a tin of cookies, or earning a reputation as a great communicator can help preserve a job when scaling is required.
Mistakes are inevitable in the workplace, but how an employee responds to a mistake can save them from being fired. Pointing fingers at others or refusing to admit a mistake can make a problematic situation drag on for too long and establish a bad reputation. Responding to the mistake with quick acknowledgment and an immediate plan for recovery can actually help an employee earn points, instead of losing them for making a mistake in the first place.
One factor that can lead to dismissal from a job is a lack of continuing education. Many industries see major developments on an annual, if not monthly basis, and employers can quickly replace loyal, existing employees with new workers who have the hottest and freshest training. While it can be difficult to balance work with continuing education, subscribing to industry magazines, attending development seminars, or taking night classes can help an employee stay relevant, and therefore highly valued, in the workplace.
In cases where a parting of ways is both imminent and unavoidable, an employee can still take some of the sting of being fired from a job by taking quick and direct action. Firing an employee can damage morale and productivity in the workplace, and many employers will be willing to compromise with a departing employee in order to create a separate mutual settlement agreement instead of an outright termination. More experienced employees may even be able to negotiate severance packages, benefit extensions, and even retrain funds by offering to resign rather than be fired. If unemployment is certain, an employee has little to lose by trying to negotiate a better deal with employers.
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