Recognize the Signs: Are Holiday Layoffs on the Horizon?

Prepare for 2025: Identifying Indicators of Potential Layoffs

The holiday season is traditionally a time of joy and celebration. However, for many professionals, it can also be a period of uncertainty, as companies often reassess budgets and staffing needs in preparation for the new year. Recent data indicates that layoffs during the holiday season are becoming increasingly common across various sectors, including media, tech, and finance.?

Having personally navigated a layoff, I understand the challenges it presents. Recognizing the warning signs and taking proactive steps can make a significant difference. Read more here .

Warning Signs of a Potential Layoff:

? Changes in Financial Policies: Hiring Freezes, Mergers, Delays or reductions in holiday bonuses may indicate financial tightening.

? Organizational Restructuring: Sudden team changes or departmental mergers can be a precursor to layoffs.

? Managerial Behavior: Alterations in your manager’s communication or a lack of clarity about future projects may signal uncertainty.

? Performance Scrutiny: Increased monitoring of your work, especially if you’ve had friction with supervisors, could be a red flag. You are suddenly placed on a Performance Improvement Plan (PIP)

? Demographic Factors: Higher-paid staff, older employees, or those who have taken leaves of absence may be at increased risk.

More Signs of layoffs:

• Is your company cutting costs?
• Is there a new acquisition/ merger?
• Consultants are hired from outside to evaluate the operations
• You see new management/ shuffle at the executive level
• You are told to track the productivity
• You are assigned the targets and closely monitored
• Is there a hiring freeze?
• Is there a salary freeze/ cut
• Are you on a contract?
• Do you need a sponsorship visa?
• Are you a seasonal worker?
• Are you recently hired?
• Are you still on probation?
• Is layoff based on seniority?
• Do you have a partner who can do your job?
• Are you not invited to meetings you should be invited to?
• Does your boss take away the work from you?
• Does your boss take credit for your work?
• You used to be busy and now you are not busy at all
• You are not copied on any emails
• You are not part of the decision-making process anymore
• You get told what to do
• They don't want your input
• It feels like you are talking to the wall
• You aren't being heard in meetings
• You feel no support from the manager
• Your manager is documenting all the conversations and following up with emails
• You are being micromanaged
• You are not given a new task
• Can your boss do your job after you are replaced?
• Do you see lots of meetings happening behind closed doors?
• Do you hear rumours of mergers or new management coming in?
• Are you the highest-paid among your colleagues?
• Do you get along with your boss?
• Do you get along with new management?
• Do you see someone else being trained for your role?
• Have you been performance-managed and placed on a Performance Improvement Plan (PIP). Watch this video.
• How were you rated on the performance reviews?
• Are you fit for the company? (employers use the "fit" and based on my experience it is related to your attitude)
• Are you change resistance?
• If you are tenure, were there any signs of ageism in the workplace?
• Were tenure staff laid off previously, is that the trend?
• Did you have a shocking performance rating you didn't deserve, watch this video on how to fight back.

Actionable Steps to Safeguard Your Career:

1. Initiate Open Dialogues: Schedule one-on-one meetings with your manager to discuss the company’s direction and explore potential opportunities within other departments.

2. Demonstrate Flexibility: Embrace new projects and show adaptability to mitigate perceptions of resistance to change.

3. Enhance Visibility: Take on leadership roles in team initiatives to increase your value within the organization.

4. Network Actively: Build relationships both within and outside your company to expand your professional opportunities.

5. Skill Development: Invest in learning new skills that are in demand, making yourself indispensable.

It’s noteworthy that layoffs have disproportionately impacted certain groups. For instance, a survey found that recent hires are more likely to be laid off than long-standing employees (62% vs. 20%).? Additionally, layoffs have significantly affected women, people of color, and younger professionals.?

If you do experience a layoff, it’s crucial to approach the situation proactively:

? Acknowledge the Experience: Own your narrative and be prepared to discuss it confidently in future interviews.

? Strategize for Career Gaps: Develop a plan to address employment gaps on your resume, focusing on skills acquired and projects undertaken during that time.

To support you through this process, I’ve compiled an Ultimate Layoff Guide. Drawing from my personal experience as a layoff survivor, this comprehensive resource offers strategies for both preempting and responding to layoffs, including:

? Severance Negotiation Tactics

? Effective Communication LinkedIn Templates for Announcing Layoffs

? Resume and Interview Tips to Address Career Gaps

? LinkedIn Optimization Strategies

? Access to Free Tools and Resources

Download the Ultimate Layoff Guide Now and take control of your career journey, turning potential challenges into opportunities for growth.

Sweta Regmi a former hiring manager at award-winning companies, is now the Founder and CEO of Teachndo, and a Certified Career and Résumé Strategist celebrated for her expertise in Personal Branding. In 2024, she received the Outstanding Career Leader award, the most prestigious honor from Career Professionals of Canada, a testament to her significant contributions to the coaching industry. Regmi has been recognized as a Top Job Search Expert and a must-follow Top Career Advisor on LinkedIn. She ranks among Canada's Top 60 creators and her insights have been featured on prime-time news outlets including CBC National, Global National, CNBC, Wall Street Journal, HuffPost, City News, CTV, The Globe and Mail, Forbes, LinkedIn News, indeed, and at Career Conferences, reaching over 100 top media platforms. Additionally, Regmi is the Amazon Best Selling author of "21 Resilient Women: Stories of Courage, Growth, and Transformation," a book acclaimed by Canadian libraries, ministers, and MPs. Regmi's consecutive nominations for the RBC Canadian Women Entrepreneur Awards by Women of Influence from 2022 to 2024, further solidify her reputation as a distinguished career expert in Canada. Sweta has assisted more than 500 career professionals globally in securing their ideal positions at top-tier organizations, including major banks, Accenture, Deloitte, Amazon, IBM, the Government of Canada, among others