Jobs at risk
It’s a tough old world at the moment with redundancies still coming thick and fast, the latest being the 3,000 or so jobs going at BAE Systems.
A sense of resignation affects people who are at risk but even when the chances of redundancy are high there are things you can do.
In almost every case, where redundancies are happening, choices are being made.
Take the BAE Systems case. The plant at Brough in East Yorkshire is going to lose 900 jobs, but 400 hundred jobs will remain. In Lancashire the job losses are 565, but 3,405 will remain; and in the case of Warton, also in Lancashire, 843 jobs will go whilst 5,694 will remain.
Curiously even smaller plants are being affected. Filton , Farnborough and Yeovil will all be affected; even Hillend in Fife, where, despite the factory having recently won a £20 million contract, 35 of the 200 workforce are to go.
I do not know the reason for the spread of redundancies or the selection criteria in the case of BAE Systems. I do know, however, that the selection criteria laid down by companies laying off staff are give them opportunities to pick and choose who goes. In organisations in which I have been involved in their strategic change, marking systems have been put in place as part of the selection criteria as well as internal competitive interviews where two or three people apply for the one remaining job.
There are four broad areas where the selection process might be applied. The skills and qualifications of each person being assessed. The standard of their work performance, where this might be gauged by a review of previous performance appraisals. The adaptability of the candidates to take on other roles. The attendance and disciplinary record of each person being reviewed.
It is easy to see how all four of these areas can be subjective. If you have a long history of being a bad attendee, of poor timekeeping, or of being stroppy, difficult or inflexible then there is little you can do. But if you think your organisation is likely to make redundancies then now is the time to make sure you are getting in to work on time and that you are showing maximum flexibility.
Likewise, work performance can be improved. We all have a habit of doing what we like doing and avoiding the things we don’t like. If there is any risk of redundancy then now is the time to review your job description (assuming you have one) and make sure you are covering all the key areas. If there is an area that you don’t enjoy doing and avoid or do badly then that is the area for you to put some effort into right now. Any improvement in that part of your job will be noticed by your line manager simply because it is the area where most improvement can be made. Being noticed for an improvement in performance at this stage is a really good move.
But beware; working longer does not equate to working harder or smarter. A clever manager will easily recognise that working longer could just mean that you are a less efficient worker or that you are not good at prioritising your work. Then you will get noticed for all the wrong reasons.
Adaptability is the other area where you can gain some advantage. If you have additional skills that you can bring to the job then now is the time to start using them. Equally, if there are internal roles being advertised, then applying for those roles might be a smart move provided it doesn’t weaken your position in the existing team. If you find yourself in the situation of having to re-apply for your job or go through an internal competitive interview then make sure that you are a very good fit for the role.
There is one final solution. For most people, being made redundant is, ultimately, an opportunity (even if you don’t see it like that at the time). If you have not been happy in your job, if you seek a new direction in career or you know that you will be one of those most likely to go – then don’t wait, make the first move.
Often in a redundancy situation, the best people don’t wait to be told, they start applying for other jobs immediately. On average it takes about three months to find a job for an average office worker. It becomes more difficult and can take more time the more specialised you are or the more senior your role. So now is the time for action not recriminations.
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