The current COVID-19 crisis has led to large scale layoffs in the past six months with almost all organizations having been forced to either lay off their employees, go for a pay cut or follow the work-from-home regime. Employees, be it a daily wage laborer or a top official, all of them are facing immense stress and worries related to their job security.
In simple terms, no job means no financial security. The coronavirus has brought with it untold miseries. The world of work has been hit the most. This in turn has forced employers to reduce their workforce as a cost-cutting option thereby causing mayhem among the employees. Skilled workers who previously were happy and secure about their jobs have found themselves in positions unimagined. The time has come where the same employees are saying goodbye to job security as the risk of anyone losing their job is possible.
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How important is job satisfaction as compared to job security?
Pre-pandemic, employers had invested a huge amount of time and resources to understand and keep their employees satisfied. But the current scenario has made employees worry about their position in the organization while employers are busy reorganizing their priorities to keep the business up and running.
The coronavirus pandemic has forcefully shifted focus from job satisfaction to job security. Holding on to their job is the topmost on every employee’s mind. The business world is going through rough times as far as employment security is concerned. With so many lives at stake, people are gripped in panic and fear. This pandemic has brought along with it some good things too. Accepting the new normal and challenge to come out of the woods, many of them have come up with new ways to earn their daily bread and create a cocoon of financial security and come up as winners. The time has come for all to prove their worth and thrive in this difficult period. Coping with uncertainties and facing challenges successfully will go a long way in driving away from the risk of unemployment.
To be able to keep their job and prove their mettle in the face of difficulty is what will help employees stay onboard. The following points may give employees the advice they need to be able to increase job security in this pandemic.
Be an active learner: Being ready to learn and better themselves sets an individual apart from the crowd. A good learner never shies away from learning a new skill. This holds true post-pandemic and even before it. In the current scenario, when new ways of working and collaboration are being discussed and put into action, many employees faced difficulty in adapting to these changes. With the business world changing rapidly, it has become necessary to learn and relearn skills and become adept with social media and technology. Learning a new skill can prove to be an added advantage and help employees bring more to the table. As the question of employment security looms on every employee’s head, making use of the time and opportunities that remote working is offering is the best way forward to being an employee who takes initiative and garners a good reputation with the employers.
Build the RAFT: An important trait that employers look for in their employees in these uncertain times is resilience so as to bounce back even when the situation is uncertain. Apart from resilience the adaptability and flexibility of an employee play an important role. Adjusting to new environments and working techniques and being flexible is a skill that most employers are looking for in their employees. Being thoughtful also counts as a major factor when employers look at a candidate’s retention. When these four skills are combined, resilience, adaptability, flexibility, and thoughtfulness (RAFT), the employee can sail through any difficulty with ease.
Put on your thinking cap: Being creative at your workplace is a given, no matter what job title or position you hold in the organization. New ideas to do a certain task more effectively and more importantly extra efficiently is always appreciated. With the ongoing pandemic, the age-old techniques and protocols have taken a backseat and there has been a significant amount of reform in the way tasks are carried out. Using creativity to solve problems will help employees remain on top of their game and also create a reputation for themselves as the company’s creative-thinker.
Be a taskmaster: On any given day prior to COVID-19, employees were aware of the targets that were assigned to them to complete in their working hours. With the changes that have brought about both physically and mentally, it is important to stay on track and get things done as per schedule. The tenacity and urgency that employees display on the job will help them get the recognition and due diligence that they rightly deserve.
Networking – the key to success: Reaching out to people in these times is a great initiative, with many employees stuck at home from the past so many months. While creating new connections it is likely to find new opportunities for growth. Being open to sharing personal experiences unabashedly could lead to new and improved contacts with employers who might just be looking for employees who will create a positive effect on the company’s growth.
No one knows what the future of work holds for anyone. And while most employers run on and crave job security there are no guarantees. Keeping the fact that being proactive and mindful will help employees keep their current jobs in mind, they are moving forward whilst hoping for the best.
References:
- “6 Things You Can Do Right Now to Increase Your Job Security During the Pandemic (and Beyond)” | Mary Kearl
- “Say bye to Job Satisfaction. Welcome back Job Security.” | Shivaji Dasgupta | August 7, 2020
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