Brexit and other recent political upheavals have already had a significant impact on some industries, with many companies announcing that they will be moving their operations from the UK.
While this shouldn’t cause us to panic – especially those who believe that God is in control – it may be worth keeping a careful eye on your work situation in case change is afoot. Here are ten warning signs to look out for if you think your job is at risk.
- Poor financial forecasts. If your company’s forecasts take a turn for the worse and predictions suggest lower sales or the loss of a major customer or funding source, this might be a sign that the firm is in trouble.
- A new project management team. If a new team is established to deal with post-Brexit operations, there’s a strong chance your job may be up for review. You might be given a chance to reapply for your job, and it’s worth pointing out the valuable contribution you make, but you may also want to keep your CV up to date in case cuts are made.
- Troubling buzzwords. If you are hearing phrases like ‘new vision’, ‘streamlined operations’ and ‘organisational transformation’, it’s time to take note. Are you integral to this vision and transformation, or a spare part?
- Expansion ramps down. Perhaps your company was planning to roll out new stores, invest in new technology or open a new educational programme but has decided to wait for now. This means it is focusing on protecting the business rather than growing and the upshot is that jobs may have to go to keep the business afloat.
- Secret meetings. This may sound extreme, but if the bigwigs are congregating without inviting you or other usual participants, it may be that they are discussing the future of the company and that the next stage doesn’t involve those who are being sidelined.
- A merger. If roles, departments or offices are merging, job losses are almost inevitable. If operations are moving overseas or merging with a European firm, the warning signs couldn’t be clearer.
- Your managers are increasingly distant. If you can’t seem to get a straight answer out of your boss, particularly in matters relating to the future of the business, there may be cause for concern. If he or she starts wearing a fancy suit and disappearing during the day, you may not be the only one looking for a new job!
- You have to self-justify. If your boss suddenly asks you to write a report explaining what you do, you’re basically being asked to justify your value to the company. It’s worth doing a good job of this, but you may want to keep an eye out for other opportunities in the meantime.
- A new ‘rival’. If a new member of staff is taken on and you’re asked to ‘mentor’ them, it might be that the department is expanding, but you may find yourself being squeezed out.
- Handover procedure request. If your boss asks you to write down details such as logins, work processes or tasks that you complete ‘just in case’, you may find that you are being replaced or that your role is being merged with someone else’s in a bid to reduce the workforce.
