by Adedayo Ademuwagun
Do you ever worry that you’ll lose your job and how this would affect your plans if you actually did? Well you’re definitely not alone. A lot of people worry about getting fired.
Maybe your company is downsizing and people are getting laid off at the office, so you think your job is on the line too. Perhaps you’re having problems with work or you’re not getting along with your boss or your coworkers. You’re probably in the middle of a lot of stuff and you’re wondering how you’re going to pay your kid’s school fees or how you’re going to pay for your postgraduate. Losing a job is often a big blow especially if it catches one at a bad time.
Jennifer is a single mum who lost her job and was out of work for four months. She says, “It’s tortuous to see your kid stay at home because you haven’t got the fees for the new term. I could take a little less luxury personally, but for my son I was thinking, how would he feel if I have to change his school or make some budget cuts that affect him? I can’t begin to explain what it felt like when my son was sick and I couldn’t afford a hospital.”
People do all sorts of things just to keep their job. They take bullshit from their employers. They engage in inappropriate relationships. They follow unethical work policies. They work for an unfair amount of time and pay, and they generally just shut up even when something’s not right at the workplace.
Abubakar says, “People fear if they get fired it’s going to disrupt their life. Every now and then we hear in the news that millions of people are unemployed, and nobody wants to be part of those statistics at all. Good jobs are hard to get these days.”
“It’s especially painful when you know you’ve been putting in a lot of work at the office and you think you’re going to get a raise or something,” says Jennifer. “Next thing you know is you’re terminated. You might think something is wrong with you.”
Ngozi thinks the key is to stay optimistic. She says, “It’s not easy to feel like your job’s on the line, but you’ve got to remain positive no matter what. There’s no need to be anxious because it’s not going to make you more productive at work or anywhere. The thing is, they’re probably not going to fire you anyway. So just focus on doing your job well and enjoy what you do.”
Abubakar says too, “I regularly ask my coworkers and my boss what they think about my conduct and performance at the office. That way I can get feedback about how I’m doing and see what they think about me and if I have to change anything. You can deal with this anxiety too by changing the way you think. But if it still bothers you, speak with your boss and colleagues to see what they have to say about your conduct and performance. If there’s any reason you might be sacked soon, you’ll know.”
Jennifer picked up a few lessons from her experience and she’s landed a new job. So now she’s got some tips.
She advises, “Keep good relations with everyone at the office whether it’s the CEO or the doorman. Stay useful to your company. Constantly work to develop yourself so that you can better at your job. Maintain a great work ethic and have a nice personality. Whatever you do, keep sharpening your skills and always try to put in your best.”
“It’s important to not put yourself in a position where your world would come crashing if you suddenly lose your job,” Abubakar adds. “You’ve got to prepare for the eventuality by diversifying your resources. You could set up a business on the side or something, or you could invest some other ventures. It’s not a great idea to be constantly dependent on your next salary. The important thing is to always have a backup plan.”
