Post-COVID – Is Job Insecurity the New Normal? – Part One
There can be no doubt that whatever else COVID it may have caused, job insecurity has become the new normal.
Job security may be considered the most important working condition as we emerge from COVID. Job security provides workers with a much-needed sense of structure. People want to know their job is available for as long as they wish to hold it. When job security decreases, satisfaction and performance levels also take a hit. This can manifest itself in a decrease in productivity, lower satisfaction, and a decrease in client satisfaction. As an overarching result, many companies may and have actually suffered.
But how does insecurity affect you, and how can you overcome these fears as we move back to a degree of normality in the workplace? There are all sorts of steps you can proactively take to squash feelings of job insecurity that have nothing to do with external forces such as COVID.
First of all, if you have done an excellent job – tell people! It is OK to let people know when you get a win, at least in small doses. That is not normally true with friends or partners in daily life because it sounds like bragging. Yet, you can build your own confidence by pointing out, in a matter-of-fact way, that you were the one who accomplished something for the company. It makes you more confident because you get into the habit of self-rewards and self-acknowledgement. Sounds do-able? There is more…
Learn to speak your mind. We are not recommending you completely remove your filter for what you say at meetings or pre-start talks, and just chime in with whatever comes to your mind. Yet, a lack of confidence is often a bottleneck that keeps you from saying what you really think. Uncork that confidence blocker. By stating your view in a meeting, you are building confidence because at least you can see the reactions to your viewpoint and adjust as needed.
Is everything you do predicated on the thought that if you do it wrong, you will be fired? Sent a wrong e-mail or made a spelling error, you feel the anxiety of losing your job! Trust yourself, you are human, and you are allowed to make mistakes. You will not get fired for mistakes as small as this. But for a person who does not believe in himself, things get pretty tough. Remember, anything dreadful can be made up only if you have the guts to cope with it. Remember, your workplace is not something where you are exploited; instead, it is an opportunity for you that help you grow and climb the ladder of success.
If your lack of confidence is fed by a gnawing feeling that you lack all the skills needed for your position, or you think that your peers are somehow more adept at the jobs than you, there is a sure way to even the playing field. It might seem obvious, but you can also build confidence by learning more. Read more books, watch more TED talks, and attend more seminars. Once you have nailed all the aspects of your job, you will find that you are never metaphorically looking over your shoulder ever again at who may be outperforming you. It is easy to go overboard and spouting your knowledge too often can be a confidence killer when people who have greater knowledge on the subject start debating with you but knowing what to do about a complex issue or problem can help you gain confidence. Confidence grows when you act on what you know.
Be honest about your performance level. This applies whether you work in an office or are home-working. No one but you know when you give your 100% and when you slack at work. Remember, slacking is one way of letting you go deep down that road of low confidence and getting back becomes even tough. It lowers your motivation, de-energies you, and in the end, brings down your confidence. To be on the top, just do the opposite. Motivate yourself, re-energise and develop a mission statement – either mental or literal – that states your work rules for the coming months. Notice the difference and congratulate yourself!
In Part Two, we will look at more ways to keep work insecurity at bay.
