How to Approach your Boss about Potential Lay Offs
Knowing that you are about to become unemployed can be stressful enough, but if you suspect that you are and don’t have any final proof, it can be unbearable. You have a choice. You can either sit around and wait to see if the worst does happen, or you can do something about it. Approaching your boss is a good place to start. However, walking into his office and demanding the truth is not the way to go. Some useful tips for asking your boss if you’re about to become unemployed are as follows:
Get your facts straight first
Before you go firing off on all cylinders, gather all your facts together. You presumably have a reason for suspecting that you are about to become unemployed. Write these down and think hard about them before you do anything. You may be getting things out of proportion. Liaise with your colleagues to see what they think. Perhaps there have been lay-offs before, so find out how they were dealt with. Consider your performance. If you have been with the company for a long time and have a flawless record, your chances of staying on may be better than most. Once you are confident that you have all the information at your fingertips, you can then move on to the next step.
Arrange a private appointment
Don’t be tempted to barge into your boss’ office, or to waylay him in the middle of the office when everyone else is around. Politely ask if you can have a twenty-minute meeting with him to discuss a few issues and go alone, or with one other person at the most. It is probably best if you don’t tell him upfront what you want to talk about; you may well learn more from the way he responds to you when you catch him off guard. The key is that you are prepared with what you want to say and that you don’t lose your temper or let things get out of control.
Come straight to the point
It is far better to getstraight to the point, rather than pussyfoot around the subject, perhaps hoping that your boss will guess what you want to talk to him about and will raise the topic first. Say exactly what your concerns are and ask your boss to be honest with you. Honesty attracts honesty, so if you are prepared to lay your feelings on the line, hopefully it will be reciprocated. Of course, if that isn’t the case and your boss doesn’t give you a straight answer, there is not a great deal that you can do. Nevertheless, a firm, collected approach will hopefully stand you in good stead.
Appreciate that your boss may not know
There is always a hierarchy system in an organisation and it may be that news about what is going to happen has not yet filtered down to your boss. If that is the case, you may just have to accept that he doesn’t know and that there is nothing you can do about it. You may want to ask your boss to make his own enquiries, if he hasn’t already done so, but if he is asked to keep things a secret, you will need to appreciate that. News about loss of employment is bound to be kept quiet until it is definite that it is going to go ahead.
Thank your boss for his time
You may be frustrated and angry that you are being kept in the dark like this. However, there is little point in getting upset with your boss and the last thing you need to do is to burn your bridges with him. Explain that you are finding things very difficult and that you would appreciate being kept updated. Remember that your boss’ job could be on the line too. If you manage to stay professional, you stand a much greater chance of being able to leave with a good reference, which, when you may need to be looking for another job, is vital.
Facing unemployment is a terrifying prospect, especially if you have no idea when you will get a final decision. However, approaching the issue with a calm and professional manner is the best way forward. In the meantime, you can start looking for a new job.
