Job Security - A threat to the career

There is no such thing as 'job security' in the corporate world. Downsizing, right sizing, layoffs and the 'fats removal' activities have changed the concept of 'job security' over the last few years. And now, there are long-term and short-term contracts only that different organizations offer to their employees.

Business dynamics and corporate requirements changed significantly in recent years. Having job security means, giving and expecting a life-long commitment with the company. The definition of 'loyalty' has changed from being the oldest one to be the productive-most one. Corporate sector wants an employee whose ambitions are aligned with the organization's objectives, not the one who wants to stay with it for his entire life as a "loyal" employee.

Staying in one system immunes you with all the problems of the organization. You do not see and highlight issues that are hindering company's growth. You become complacent when you find that no one can say goodbye to you if you keep working with the "acceptable" pace and that is where it threatens your career.

Appointment Letter Speaks All

When you sign your appointment letter and other legal documents while joining an organization, you must read all of them. You and the employer work under an agreement. The organization can hire you when it needs, can move you from one to another department when it wants and can terminate you when it feels it does not require your services anymore. But employer's or manager's "feeling of not having you anymore" includes a few ifs and buts. They do not have a license-to-kill with them. However, employers' discretion of keep going with the contract or terminating it is far more than that of the employees'. Not to forget, 60 years' long contract of a 'secured job' can be terminated by fulfilling just "a few" legal requirements.

What does the contract mean to organization?

Apart from the employees' rights and organizations' duties, it is actually a contract that gives you some rights and money but purchases most productive working hours from you in return.

Of course, it is a contract that you have done willfully. With a contract, organizations give you a message that they will take care of your family's medical expenses, insurance claims, official travels, hoteling, meals on subsidized rates and that they will give you comfortable working environment with paid annual leaves, but you will have to work with your full potential and give more than your 100% to the organization. And this is exactly what "Exceeding Expectations" means in the annual appraisal.

What does the contract mean to employee?

If your salary package is good, then this is a win-win situation for both. It will be a constant burden otherwise. You will never be working happily if your package makes you feel uncomfortable every single day.Interestingly, even if the package is good, there are hardly any employees who stay happy with the contract after some time and when they come back to the office from annual leaves, they are usually lazy and tired.

This is exactly where 'job security' becomes a threat for their performance, potential and career. The peace of mind that the job security gives youis actually harmful for your career. It does not let you stretch your muscles to do more for the organization. You do what is sufficient to remain on job, but you do not do what makes you an integral part of the organization or what improves your profile and entrepreneurial spirit. What you need to do during your service is, to be consciously looking at your behaviors and mindset.

Employee Mindset vs Entrepreneurial Mindset

Employee mindset revolves around 'what is asked to do' and entrepreneur mindset revolves around 'what is required to do'. There is hardly a truly 'out of the box' thinking in a 'secure job - employee mindset'. A "secure" mind is a lethargic mind that does not innovate. It prefers doing routine tasks that neither help the organization nor the employee.

Even if you do a job, do it with an 'Entrepreneurial mindset'. That is how you learn the business quickly. And never forget that every contract has its expiry date and it is always better that you decide the date, not the organization. This mindset can go beyond the salary package for adding value to organization's and employee's professional profile, however, employee mindset does what it is paid for.

Threats of Job Security

A truly employee mindset of entry level roles miserably runs after KPIs (Key Performance Indicators) without knowing the importance of numbers in the business and what exactly they indicate. It is rarely interested in the holistic picture of the business. It is fighting to win the arguments, instead of winning the situation. He will be promoting "Yes-Boss Culture", doing petty politics against fellow colleagues, following 'look busy doing nothing' philosophy with unnecessary initiatives, doing unnecessary networking, avoiding real time challenges, not being able to execute ideas beyond his domain, not getting exposure to issues that another domain faces. It does not accept change and will never be willing to rotate or move to other domains. These activities will restrict his growth within the organization and will never let him become a successful businessman.

Organizations are slow paced

If you are an ambitious youngster then you will find corporate sector very futuristic however if you look at their progress as an entrepreneur, you will see that their appraisal system is somehow a slower rewarding system and is designed to accommodate maximum number of employees. There are chances that you do not get your fair share because the organization could not achieve its revenue target, even if you were given highest grades. In an organization, you are following a future that the organization has designed for you, not the one you designed for yourself.

Not for Job Security, But for Job Enrichment

You should not be concerned about job security and should not make retirement plans with the organization. Both are no more associated with modern day business. You should rather look for job enrichment and see what will you learn after getting hired, how big the horizon of your job is, how will you use the skills in your business that you learn while doing your job, what will your future be like when you leave the job and how your current role complements your entrepreneurial future.

The article was published in Daily The Nation on 30th July 2018.