The Employees Who Are Let Go First During A Layoff

We’ve told you how to prepare if you think you’re going to lose your job, and this tool will even give you a rough idea of what your chances are. But over at Credit.com, writer Nikelle Murphy lists some specific types of employees that are usually the first to go during a layoff.

Photo by Laurmg

A couple of these are fairly obvious, like slackers who don’t seem to care about the job to begin with. Other examples are a little less apparent, though. Employees that cost the company too much might also be the first on the chopping block, but as Murphy explains, it’s not just about salary:

…”costs” aren’t just monetary. If an employee’s personal or office drama cuts into productivity and the boss spends more of their day as a referee or counselor than a manager, a layoff period can be an easy way to cut employees who are costing the company time. “Dealing with this person costs the manager too much time and layoffs provide the perfect excuse to get rid of this type of person,” Keirsey summarises.

And sometimes the first employees to go are the ones whose work can easily be outsourced:

According to one report from Global Research, roughly 14 million American jobs are at risk for outsourcing to other cheaper workforces around the world.

It used to be that only call center employees and customer service representatives were at the highest risk for layoffs due to outsourcing, but in today’s digitally connected environment, any job that can be completed with an internet connection and telephone can potentially be on the line. Positions in fields like information technology, accounting and even engineering design are now in danger of getting sent overseas for a cheaper price tag as well.

Of course, employees who haven’t learned new skills are also at risk, so it pays to keep up to date with the skills needed for your industry. Layoffs can be scary, but they happen. And when they do, some employees are often the first to go, so it helps to be prepared. For more detail, head to the full post at the link below.

Layoffs? 5 Types of Employees Who Are Often First to Be Let Go [Credit.com]