Worst-Case Scenarios in the Workplace
Worst-Case Scenarios in the Workplace
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August 29, 2021Most people want job security. Knowing that you can head to the office, get some work done, and earn a paycheck creates some certainty in life. Although no one ever expects the worst-case scenario to happen to them, the structure of today’s employment requires everyone to prepare for when it does.
Even if you are self-employed, work as a freelancer, or operate a small business, there is a worst-case scenario related to your field. When you have knowledge of what can happen, it’s easier to respond quickly to prevent a long-term problem from developing.
Worst-case scenarios
The worst-case scenarios that happen with employment can come from any direction. Sometimes they lay dormant and reveal themselves without warning. It’s also possible for you to see the writing on the wall with some of these common disaster scenarios.
You received a notice of termination
Outside of quitting voluntarily, one of the most common reasons for losing a job is termination. When you receive a notice of termination, the documentation from the employer lets you know that you’re no longer authorized to work in your position or within the organization.
When a notice of termination gets issued, it’s usually distributed through the employee’s direct supervisor. It might include additional steps, like having an exit interview or receiving your final paycheck.
The reasons why a termination occurs are virtually infinite. Here are a few of the top reasons why employers choose to terminate workers.
- A lack of work quality.
- Changing workplace conditions.
- Being unqualified for the job.
- An employee has time and attendance issues.
- A company policy violation occurred.
- Alcohol or drug use was happening a work.
- An employee was found using company property for personal use.
About 55,000 people received a notice of termination daily in 2017. That figure translates to millions of people each year who need to find a new job. If you get fired, you’re also in some good company. 78% of workplace leaders who get terminated would eventually become a CEO.
Although it never feels good to have a door shut, getting fired can help people find new and unexpected opportunities. You’re no longer committed to processes that might not be conducive to self-actualization.
If you want to know more about the tell-tale signs that you may face termination, check out our post How to Anticipate and Deal With Termination.
Your company went out of business, and you got a layoff notice
About one out of every four people will fall victim to layoffs in the workplace. Even employees who work in unionized positions face the threat of layoffs when a business isn’t profitable.
Companies fail all the time. About 20% of new companies cease operations within the first two years of existence. Once you reach the first ten years, only 35% of organizations are still operating.
Although getting laid off unexpectedly can come with some financial challenges, it is also an opportunity to refine the direction your career takes. You can stay in the same industry, try something new, or transition to something more home-based. Besides, layoffs look more favorably on your resume than a termination because they are not the employees’ fault.
You've been told you are receiving a demotion
A demotion can rip the life out of an employee. After they’ve worked so hard to reach a certain level in their career, this worst-case scenario sends them back to where they used to be. Some demotions can be so devastating that middle- or upper-level managers find themselves in an entry-level job.
Although this issue sounds alarming, it would be fair to say that most demotions don’t happen unexpectedly. Workers often receive several signs that their performance isn’t meeting expectations, such as failed quotas or communication breakdowns.
When the demotions are involuntary, 39% are because of poor performance. Another 38% involved an employee who received a promotion and failed to live up to the new expectations.
It can be challenging to find positives when a demotion occurs. Suppose you agree that your performance was lacking. In that case, this incident lets you re-evaluate your skill set and correct that situation. Or maybe the role you ascended to is not as glorious as you once thought. The most important thing to remember is that your career isn’t over. Most journeys take forward and backward steps before arriving at the final destination. As the famous quote by Vladimir Lenin states, “It is necessary sometimes to take one step backward to take two steps forward.”
You are being transferred
The worst-case scenario doesn’t always involve a worker losing their employment. It can also mean that the company decides to transfer them into a different department or corporate location.
That might mean that you’d need to move from Los Angeles to Boston to maintain your employment. The company could also decide that you’d work better in Human Resources instead of in Accounting.
A transfer occurs when workers move to a vacant position with the same job class or a different one with the same pay grade. Involuntary transfers can change an employee’s work hours, days, and duties.
An involuntary transfer can be frustrating, but it can also be a rewarding experience. It might be an opportunity to see a different part of the world or try something new.
You have an overbearing boss
Anyone who suspects that they have a micromanaging supervisor should ask themselves a single question. Is the team focused on meeting the customer’s needs or the requirements set by the boss?
When teams become obsessed with placating their bosses, the corporation’s revenue, mission, or values are no longer in the equation. Working in this environment is difficult because creativity, or challenging the status quo, is seen as a liability instead of an asset. Every decision must go through the boss, creating workflow bottlenecks that limit how much work gets finished. Nearly 70% of workers say they have considered changing their job or going to a different team because their boss micromanages them.
Although your boss’s management style can be challenging, the overall goal is to create an outstanding product or service that meets a specific need. The best work environment is one where authentic feedback is encouraged between the employer and employee.
You gain new team members
It’s always fun when you can get along with new team members at work right away. Some people seem to fit right in with the rest of the team.
New team members also bring the worst-case scenario of inexperience into the workplace. Even if they have outstanding qualifications, they may be unsure how to adapt to the new work environment. As a result, several problems could develop, such as:
- A lack of trust exists because employees don’t know what to expect from one another.
- Personality or workstyles may conflict when forming a new team.
- Communication problems can result in an overall lack of work efficiency.
Some new employees don’t share the same long-term thinking as everyone else. When a team cannot align on a single goal or purpose, productivity is the first thing that suffers.
New team members can provide some needed diversity and intellectual insights to a workplace environment. When the onboarding process is patient and thorough, it creates more opportunities than disadvantages for most employers.
Someone filed a complaint against you
Complaints are common in the workplace, and they may come from a customer, colleague, superior, or subordinate. Complaints can range from moderate, like microwaving fish in the employee lounge, to the more severe, such as being suspected of discrimination.
Most complaints involve an investigation. The person who makes the accusation receives a thorough interview, followed by the employee who is the subject of the process. When accusers feel that an employer isn’t handling their issue appropriately, they can take this scenario outside the workplace for civil litigation.
Over 72,000 incidents of workplace discrimination get investigated in the United States each year. Countless more issues get reviewed and documented through internal processes at each company.
Some complaints might result in disciplinary action, which could include a verbal or a written warning. Serious issues might result in outright termination after the completion of an investigation.
Control what you can control
You may not prevent it, but you can at least prepare for the worst-case scenarios. It benefits every professional to be “khaos ready” and develop contingency plans for the changes you may face in your workplace environment. Control what’s in your ability to control, and you’ll be able to navigate all disasters that may happen to you.
