Lay Off Reactions

Workers are heads down in this economic crisis. They think that if they stay invisible that management will not notice them. Unfortunately, that will not save them. Management has a black list somewhere and your name is either on it or it is not.

Management has the responsibility to keep the company profitable. Workforce reduction is the fastest way to keep that profitability in tough times.

Workers have a different point of view. They are thinking about their families, their obligations, and the financial benefits their jobs provide. Their job is their livelihood.

There are ways to stay off management's black list and to lessen the guilt of being one of the saved. One way is to continue working as if there are not rumors of layoffs. Continue to work hard and meet deliverables. If you let the rumors get to you and you start missing deadlines, then you will stick out. It is tough to be one of the saved, but life goes on.

The last thing you want to do is stick out during rumors of a workforce reduction. If you do stick out, you want it to be in a positive way. You want to show that you are a value to the company and are a team player. You want to show that you are a supporter of change.

Management looks at the big picture when deciding who to layoff. It is not as easy as just closing their eyes and randomly pointing their finger down on an employee's name and hitting the delete key. Get into their minds or talk to other people who know what management is looking at and thinking of.

Meanwhile, try to stay away from the cooler talk if you can. It just adds more stress to an already intense environment.