Before the Layoff: 7 Common Sense Strategies that You're Not on the Chopping Block

 It's 2025 and layoffs continue as the new normal. Employers doing the cutting range from Kohl's to Stripe.

How can you lower the odds that you'll be on the chopping block? Those measures should be taken before the employment situation comes to the point that manpower reductions have to be made.

On Reddit Consulting those who've overseen the Reductions-in-Force admit that the process tends to subjective. Rarely is it totally numerical, as in, we need 45% eliminated from the budget or 18 people have to go. There's plenty of wiggle room. 

I also know that from coaching conversations with those who had been axed. In retrospect they are sure that they could have prevented being targeted to go. 

You can and should be pro-active in protecting your job. Here are 7 commonsense strategies:

Be irreplaceable. You're the one they can't get along without. So, you structure your daily duties so that no other team member can take over your job. You screen in hiring not to bring on the kind of talent who could do what only you do. 

Avoid being associated with losing projects. Those label you also as a loser. If you're involved in any of those, plead with a higher-up to help you with a smooth exit.

Plant the internal grapevine with reports of how much value you create. Here is my recent article in O'Dwyer Public Relations on managing that influential informal channel of information. That's a must-do. You never know who will be participating in layoff selections.

Head off client/customer problems so there's no badmouthing you. In itself that could be the kiss of death. Do more than expected in satisfying that revenue source.

Have down cold the way to communicate to ensure all in the loop have from you everything they need, quickly. That requires picking up the company insider way of talking and writing. Size up what exactly they want to know at the moment. Don't go off on tangents.

Be easy to do business with. With so much overwork there's no tolerance for the office pest. 

Develop the kind of relationships so that you have at least one in the power structure who will go to bat for you to save your job. That list of those to be laid off isn't carved in stone. If your name is on it, a bigwig in your corner can have it removed. 

Meanwhile do what most of my coaching clients have adopted as their new lifestyle: Revisit your budget for what can be eliminated. 

One option that is resonating - and it's getting a lot of attention on LinkedIn - is becoming post-car or using the auto less. That could suck out almost $13k a year from what you need to do to make ends meet and build a reserve. It may seem radical but it seems to be a financial fit for these upside-down times.

As an intuitive career coach/tarot reader I uncover the opportunities/obstacles in your earning power that others miss. Free confidential consultation. If we work together, fees are custom-made for your budget. For an appointment: contact Jane Genova (text/phone 203-468-8579, janegenova374@gmail.com). In-person and remote.


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