Worried About Your Job Security?
The Most Important Tips You Need to Keep Your Job
by www.SixWise.com
Americans now spend an average of three hours a day worrying about their job security, according to a national survey by Lynn Taylor Consulting. That’s nearly15 hours of your average workweek devoted to anxiety, mental stress and worry.
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The average American spends nearly three hours a day worrying about their job security.
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With 598,000 more job losses as of January, and an unemployment rate of 7.6 percent, it’s understandable that job security is at the top of nearly everyone’s mind. Yet, worrying really does nothing to help you keep your job.
What it DOES do is subject you to a heck of a lot of stress. And as most of us know, over time stress wears you down, physically, emotionally … and productively.
It may start manifesting as insomnia or a bit of apathy. Soon you’re at work finding you can barely keep your eyes open or focus your thoughts on anything important for more than five minutes at a time. And when you get home from work, you look for a quick form of stress relief -- sitting in front of the TV with pizza and ice cream, instead of going to the gym or spending some quality time with your kids.
Of course, none of these things helps you do the thing you were worried about in the first place: be a top performer on the job. In fact, it makes this very thing much more difficult.
But there’s good news if you’re worried about your job security. You can breathe a sigh of relief because the tips that follow will help you stand out from the crowd and keep your job.
1. Stop worrying.
As we mentioned earlier, this will only make you less productive on the job and could even lead to illness. So when you find worries are crowding your mind, give yourself permission to just release those worries. This is easier said than done, of course, so for those of you who need a little help, we highly recommend the Pure Relaxation: Guided Meditations for Body, Mind & Spirit CD by respected meditation expert Mary Maddux.
The guided meditations and music on this CD calm your mind, soothe your emotions and create a state of deep relaxation in your body.
2. Keep an open line of communication with your boss.
You know the feeling you get when your boss starts to close his or her door a lot more? Do you automatically think the worst is going to happen? If so, you’re in the majority. Lynn Taylor Consulting’s survey found that 76 percent of employees say that when their boss stays behind closed doors unexpectedly, it triggers thoughts of being laid off.
You can circumvent this unnecessary fear by talking to your boss openly on a regular basis. Ask for advice about your situation, including what you can do to improve your performance, and even what you can do to help improve theirs.
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A quick conversation with your boss can let you know where your job stands and whether there’s anything you need to do to improve your situation.
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3. Make sure you get noticed.
If you worked overtime to pull off your last presentation, learned a new job skill or had a great meeting with a client, don’t wait for others to notice. Subtly share your great news and gains with your colleagues and supervisors so they know you’re an asset to the company. You don’t need to come off sounding arrogant, just genuinely enthusiastic about a job well done.
4. Learn how to wear multiple hats.
If your company starts to downsize, you’ll be called upon to fill in the gaps. The more skills you have and roles you can fill, the happier management will be to have you around. If your company is going through any restructuring, it’s a great time to be noticed and even promoted.
5. Stay positive.
If you come into work each day with a positive, can-do attitude, no one will want to see you go. Plus, your optimistic approach will make you a more productive, creative worker.
6. Maintain good relationships with co-workers.
It may not seem that important to be the most popular person in the office, but when tough decisions must be made those who are well-liked stand a better chance of surviving a round of layoffs. On the other hand, if you’re often difficult to get along with, condescending or otherwise not ideal to work with, it’s time to make some changes -- quick.
Keep in mind that even with the best efforts and intentions, sometimes a layoff is inevitable. Hopefully you won’t need them, but if you are ever laid off here are eight tips to bounce back and end up strong.
Recommended Reading
Unemployment Rates are Skyrocketing: How to Find a Recession-Proof Job You Actually Love
How to Overcome Your Fear of Failure
Sources
BusinessWire.com March 4, 2009