ALT-3 Careers Staying Focused during Layoffs
Having been laid off 4 times myself, I can speak from experience on this topic.
When layoffs are occurring or are likely to occur in the company you are working for, some prudent measures on your part will help calm your nerves and keep you focused on what you need to do.
As I said in the opening, I have been laid off 4 times in my life thus far. Currently, the company I work for has recently made press releases that many jobs are going to be cut. Based on my experience being in management and a technician, and in both company-wide downsizing, insolvency, and single head count layoffs, the first rule is: don't panic! Job security is false in any situation, regardless of how comfortable you may feel. Realize that your job can go away at any time, and it is up to you to be valuable in the marketplace so that if need be, you can transition to a new employer. You have the ability to add value and bring home a paycheck, do not ever forget it.
Mitigating risk in this situation involves beefing up your emergency fund of cash in case you do lose your job. This is exactly what my wife and I are doing now in order to help control our risk. It helps take some of the pressure and stress off of me, because the key stressor I have felt in the past when having been laid off was an inability to provide for my family. This is lessened when you have a good sized emergency fund that you can live off of while you look for work. This way, you don't have to take the first job that comes along, you can be a bit more selective and confident in your job search.
With the above steps and mindsets in place, you are able to focus on your daily duties without worrying about the "what if's" so much. The subconscious relief from the above actions allows you to free your mind up for the task of making sure management sees you as a valuable employee, and the last one they would want to let go.
